Review by Booklist Review
India is a land of extraordinary beauty, a perpetually metamorphosing place with a dramatic 5,000-year history and a population of more than one billion people belonging to diverse ethnicities and traditions. What better means to gain a fix on the country than a concisely yet informatively narrated and gorgeously colorful pictorial survey? The tour begins with the subcontinent's grand and mysterious vistas--the Himalayas, the immense Thar Desert of Rajasthan, the Deccan Plateau, sacred rivers, and magnificent beaches. A parade of artifacts and artworks, quotes from sacred texts and literary works, and photographs of historic places, people, and architectural treasures follows, tracking successive waves of migration, invasion, and conquest that enriched and complicated the cultural matrix as religions blossomed, empires rose and fell, and India became a modern global power. To provide a more personal perspective, 14 individuals (a Hindu priest, a schoolchild, a tribeswoman, a train driver, among them) are portrayed, each a portal into a fascinating, many-faceted world.--Seaman, Donna Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Here is an excellent eye-opener about the dazzling landscape, diverse culture, long history, and various peoples of India, beautifully capturing in exuberant photographs accompanying the text the history and culture of a country that is home to more than a billion people. The book, aimed at general readers and students, is divided into six sections (landscape, history, people, culture, architecture, and travel), with coverage that traverses tradition and modernity, rural and urban, across all regions, religions, languages and ethnicities. The various texts, which, are not separately signed, are contributed by subject experts on historical, archaeological, and cultural themes, which extend back to the civilizations of the Indus Valley. There is no bibliography; the book's chief attraction will be to newcomers to the subject and to those seeking a well-packaged, visually rich introduction to India. For school and public libraries.--Uma Doraiswamy, Western Kentucky Univ. Lib., Bowling Green (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-8-Exquisite photographs and concise information introduce readers to the history, traditions, and culture of this nation. Two-page overviews tackle a spectrum of topics from the first civilizations through the impact of technology on today's society. Each section includes a paragraph of information and numerous, colorful photographs and reproductions with informative captions. While none of the topics are covered in any real depth, the book will provide an inviting introduction and visual transport to the country with pictures of city and village life, the arts, "Mouthwatering cuisine," and more. However, readers interested in female adornment may be disappointed not to find any explanation of bindi or menudi. Nonetheless, this book will be a useful addition.-Alida F. Given, Marietta Johnson School of Organic Learning, Fairhope, AL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In this quick tour of India, each double-page spread focuses on a different aspect of the country such as its geography, early civilizations, important structures, kingdoms, conflicts, cuisine, religions, arts, and literary traditions. Crowded with good captioned color photographs, this volume makes for better browsing than sustained reading. Ind. From HORN BOOK Spring 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
