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Rating: 
Summary: Informative and interesting
Review: Absoluely an amazing work by Linda. One can feel the height of awareness the author has while she writes. They are not mere words, but a deeper conviction about what she writes.For those who want to know basics of Hinduism, without knowing much about it, but are open-minded enough to understand the believes, customs and ancient practices. Most complex topics are discussed in very simple words. A gem indeed. Good work Linda. And most of all, a revered person like David Frawley has written the forward. What more do you want ?
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Summary: Eye opener
Review: Hinduism which is widely believed to be the mother of all religions, is not only the oldest but very vast and complex to understand with various myths, fables, hear-says that form the core of the religion along with the mammoth works of Ramayana and Mahabharatha. This book is a very good starter for all those interested in learning about Hinduism. Amazing part of this book is the style of presentation - simple, factual, funny in places and with emphasis on the greatness of the religion in easy to understand words and format. Did i mean to mislead that it is only good for the starters? NO. it is not just for the starters - the references and explanations of various Hindu concepts of reincarnation (Poonar janmam), cosmic cycles (yugas), Atomic science (anu-paramanu vidya) and surprising facts like How caucasians still worship Hindu gods even today are appetizing even for a seasoned reader, Have studied sanskrit for several years and have read the works of several authors but this book is refreshing and inspires to learn more about Hinduism.
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Summary: Complex Subject made very easy-to-understand
Review: My husband is an American, not committed to Christianity, his religion by birth. I am a Hindu, born and brought up in India. Despite the gulf of difference in our understanding of Hinduism, we both have learned tremendously from this book. The appeal of this book lies in the in-depth knowledge of the authoress, plus the reverent, and yet humorous style, in which it is written. It's a widely known fact that the oldest religion on this planet is as vast as the sky itself. It cannot be contained in one scripture/book nor mastered in one lifetime. This book is THE CLOSEST to being an "appetizer" for Hinduism: a MUST-READ for anyone who wants to graduate to more advanced levels. I have been looking for Hinduism-related books for several years, especially one that my children could read and understand without constant goading. I am very happy that I have finally found one.
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Summary: Comprehensive coverage of Sanatana Dharma
Review: Once again the Idiots Guide format comes to our rescue. There is a good forward by Dr. David Frawley. In the introduction the way and why of the book layout is explained. To better cover the subject the book is divided into six parts:
Part 1. "The Eternal Religion" explains how Hindus look at time and space.
Part 2. "What Hindus Believe" introduces you to the Hindus ideas about god and the value of other faiths.
Part 3. "Who Hindus Worship" about Westerners mistaken ideas about Hindu and polytheism.
Part 4. "How Hindus Live" the cast system and so fourth.
Part 5. "God's House has many Doors"" examines the paths to God in Hinduism
Part 6. "A timeless Tradition" a look at Hinduisms many saints and sages.
There are many helpful hints in the margins.
On a personal note I get tired of the many stereotypes mentions in the East VS West explanations. I understand it is necessary yet never the less there are many grades how people view the world. In fact I could have sworn that Sanatana Dharma pilfered my ideas. If it is the other way around I have no idea where I got them, however the truths would exist with or with out Hinduism.
Any way you look at it this book by Linda Johnsen is a very good starting place.
Rating: 
Summary: A little too broad (like Hinduism!) but good overview
Review: There is a real dearth of good books on hinduism. This is a reasonable introduction written by a committed and passionate american hindu. The entire hindu family of belief systems is described with helpful compact summaries. As a hindu, my only quarrel with the book was its (1) references to stuff like Aryan Invasion theory and obscure historical controversies around it (2) its suggestion that Hindus generally accept magical events (the notorious Ganesh dripping milk episode) as part of their everyday religion. Neither are very relevant to day-to-day hinduism (most hindus do not belief that their god representations are magical!) and got in the way of the good stuff.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, broad primer on the tradition of Sanatana Dharma
Review: This book is a must-read for those who are new to the study of Indian thought, as it clearly explains many tenets of Hindu spirituality in understandable terms, without going into unnecessary detail. It covers the main systems of Indian thought, with an eye towards basic understanding of the systems' primary emphases, from the Vedic revelation to Tantra (which, by most accounts, is far more recent in genesis than other extant systems. The generally accepted range for the advent of Tantra is India's medieval period.) All in all, a great introduction into the ancient, influential, and still flourishing panoply of philosophies and practices that fall under the auspices of Sanatana Dharma, or Eternal Wisdom.
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Summary: A little too broad (like Hinduism!) but good overview
Review: This is not a puff piece on Hinduism, even though it is written by a sincere and passionate believer. The silly title may lead you to believe it is superficial treatment of the subject, it is not. This is a thoughtful, well written, clear, insightful and provocative look at an extremely complex subject. Linda Johnsen covers Hinduism's history, practices, and beliefs in depth, showing us where Hinduism shines and where it has warts. It's a wonderful book.
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Summary: A 'MUST' for beginners
Review: Trust me this is the best book one can find to begin with on Hinduism. I was searching for a right book on Hinduism to answer questions of my American friends until I found Linda's book. When I received this book in mail, I was reading two other books on Hinduism, I opened Linda's book just to check the condition of the book and then I could not leave it until I was finished, I forgot other two books. I was surprised with her ease and passion for subject and with language. To understand Hindu wisdom of tens of thousands of years is Herculean task but Linda makes it fun. This book gives you insight in to Hindu theology, mythology, society and at the same time offers fiercely objective comments on history and psyche of White dogmas. This is book is MUST before you read any other on Hinduism.
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Summary: A 'MUST' for beginners
Review: Trust me this is the best book one can find to begin with on Hinduism. I was searching for a right book on Hinduism to answer questions of my American friends until I found Linda's book. When I received this book in mail, I was reading two other books on Hinduism, I opened Linda's book just to check the condition of the book and then I could not leave it until I was finished, I forgot other two books. I was surprised with her ease and passion for subject and with language. To understand Hindu wisdom of tens of thousands of years is Herculean task but Linda makes it fun. This book gives you insight in to Hindu theology, mythology, society and at the same time offers fiercely objective comments on history and psyche of White dogmas. This is book is MUST before you read any other on Hinduism.
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Summary: GREAT Introduction to Hinduism. ead this book FIRST!!
Review: Yes, this book is broad overview, but it really explains Hinduisms basic principles clearly and in an easy to understand way. If you're interested in Hinduism read THIS BOOK First before you pick up a book on the Vedas etc. Many Hindu concepts are hard for Westerners to grasp and this book helps you grasp many of the fundamentals of the religion. After you read this check out some other books that the author sites in her appendix.
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