India Books

I've read a few commentaries on the Heart Sutra, but I found this one to be the most beautiful and helpful. I have been baffled by traditional commentaries that articulate the "negative" aspect of emptiness (e.g., no this, no that, etc.). I can see why the casual observer of Buddhism gets the sense that it is nihilistic. But Thich Nhat Hanh describes emptiness as actually being full of everything. Thus, there is no unique self, because everything is everything else. "Without this there is no that." His language is deceptively simple, but I suggest a thoughtful reading to let it really sink in. I will certainly be referring back to it many times. Highly recommended!

This is one of the most simple, clear, concise and understandable commentaries on this very important buddhist sutra. I have read several throughout the years, and consider this one of the most important books in my library. Highly recommended!

When I first read the heart sutra I didn't understand. After reading and studying with TNH's commentary, it is alive.

We chant the Heart Sutra several times a day at our center. I never really understood the complete thing. Initially I read a book by Red Pine and that was an amazing in-depth discussion of the minutia of the sutra. However, my thick skull could not wrap itself around Red Pine's discussion.

Venerable Thich Nhat Hahn presents the material in common-sense beautifully simple writing. If you are at all wondering about the emptiness of form please check out this wonderful book.
Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bhodisavha!

This 54-page book is compiled from a series of talks that Thich Nhat Hanh presented to large groups of Americans at retreats and lectures in the United States. A master and enlightened communicator the author explains the aphorisms of the famous ancient Buddhist teacher, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and his five elements that comprise a human being--form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness.

Thich simplifies would-be difficult topics in a flowing easy to follow manner. He takes the time to translate and define foreign terms and provides vivid examples to help the reader visualize concepts. He skillfully shows how all things, life, and thought are part and parcel to one another.

While this book was short, it was well-worth the price. It's not often that a truly enlightened person has the ability to transcend culture and relay the essence of such great works in such a succinct and enjoyable manner.

I recommend this book to all people who want to better understand themselves and their relationship to their environment, life and death. For an equally enlightening book by this author, I recommend Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life.

Buy this book now. You will not be sorry.

After reading this book I wish I had met Sri Yukteshwar personally.
While the energy as true as it is of Yogananda, it did not resonate to me like that of Sri Yukteshwar. I consider him a guru and a true source of God experience. This book is short but I still treasure it in my library.
Jai Gurudev,

ESL

Swami Yukteswar is a great philosopher whose life is uniquely divine. He brings an unprecedented truth that we are not in Kali Yuga (the "dark" age). It is interesting to read his hypothesis on four ages of human civilization. His knowledge on "sanatan" scriptures is remarkable. Although a thin book, The Holy Science requires hours of reiteration to understand his intrinsic message. It is interesting to realize that Sri Yukteswar was not only advanced in spiritual world but also he was superior in numerical interpretations and logical analysis.

Sri Yukteswar, teacher of Paramhansa Yogananda of India, does a great service to the West. In this treatise he clearly shows how all religions essentially reveal the same truths. Using Biblical as well as Hindu sacred scriptures he compares the essence of these beliefs and binds them togther. A must read for any serious student of Mahayoga.

Marvelous book. In an age of misunderstandings and hostilities toward people whose beliefs are different from our own, this little book brings us back together. Calming, delightful, enlightening. For the novice and the adept.

For any seeker of the truth, this book will certainly bring you to the core. Yoganandas guru, Sri Yukteswar was an absolute pure channel of divinity. The truths he reveals in his short book will no doubt serve you for this lifetime and anyother you may find yourself in. The Lion is wise and fierce, beautiful and tender, graceful and kind. You cannot go wrong reading this book and I am confident that you will refer to it many times. I absolutely classify this book as sacred scripture. Blessings, Namaste.

My daughters are 7 and 8 and they love this book. It was a great story and something to keep in our home for a long time.

I teach high school algebra and found that the addition of children's literature enhances my curriculum. I used this book when we began exponential functions. I read the first part to my students and then had them fill in a chart telling how many grains of rice she received each day for 30 days and ultimately come up with a formula. The book itself is beautiful and even high schoolers enjoyed it. (After the math activity, they asked me to finish the book. :)

I have purchased 5 copies of this book - one for my kids and the rest as gifts. I've also suggested it to others to give children as gifts. My older son is 2 1/2 years old and he enjoys this book. Certainly, I can expect an older child, around 5 or older, to get more of the mathematical detials from the book, but my son likes it too.

Instead of reading the numbers aloud, I show him that Rani shared the single grain of rice with this bird, 2 grains with that peacock.. the bagful of rice with the tiger... etc. He loves it. The illustrations are outstanding!! I always feel like I'm reading a book from the "royal" archives when I pick this up.

Enjoy!

My daughter is three and loves this book -- not just for the gorgeous fold-out illustrated spread of the caravan of elephants carrying the rice on the 30th day -- but because she can follow along with the story. The tale is of a rich greedy rajah who doesn't want to share, but is then outwitted by a young girl and forced to give up all the grain in his storehouses. At the end, he is humbled and vows to be a more fair and wise ruler. My daughter loves to sit with one grain of rice in her hand like Rani on the title page of the book. I can see her forming rudimentary mathematical concepts, but I won't push it. There's plenty of time to return to this book when we introduce the times tables.

The visual progression of the increasing volume of rice is shown by the variety of animals which deliver the daily ration. First, just a series of birds with grains of rice in their beaks. Then on to a leopard, a tiger, and a lion each carrying a small pouch in their mouths. By the sixteenth day, a goat is pulling a cart on which sits a bag of rice. On the twenty-fourth day, eight deer each bring her a basket strapped to their backs. And so on until the enormous procession of elephants! The last page of the book is a very useful table called "from one grain of rice to one billion" which shows the actual numerical progression. Demi outdid herself with this book, which any homeschooling family will find useful.

This is Demi's re-telling of an old folktale of a king who orders that all rice in his kingdom must be stored in the royal granaries so that there would be food in times of famine; but when his people start to go hungry, he refuses to open the granaries, claiming that the situation was not bad enough to warrant doing so - until a small child outsmarts him by asking for a grain of rice doubled every day for a month.

I love this book because there is a lot to be learned from it. Of course, there is the math: the concept of doubling and how quickly doubling makes the numbers grow. There is the art: lovely Indian-inspired illustrations with stunning gold effects. There are also moral lessons, namely that power can corrupt, and that even a small child can teach a mighty king.

Then, there is a special lesson for all little girls everywhere - that girls can do math. After all, the math-smart hero of the story is a little girl herself.

Useful for the more experienced needleworker, but also for anyone with a general interest, Techniques of Indian Embroidery offers an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in drawing on the wealth of Indian embroidery techniques, and illustrates clearly how to achieve many beautiful stitches and techniques.

For centuries, India has been renowned for the richness and diversity of its embroidered textiles. Embroidery is part of the Indian way of life, and is in evidence everywhere: on clothes, adorning animals, in temples, homes and other buildings. In this book, Professor Anne Morrell explores the many traditions of Indian embroidery and its many techniques. She builds up a fascinating picture of the evolution in India, exploring the local traditions that make the work of each area unique, and looking at the way in which innovative stitches and designs have been added to those traditionally used to create new techniques and creative possibilities. She discusses the many different stitches and techniques in detail, including quilting, pattern-darning, counted-thread work, whitework, the enrichment of embroidery with mirrors, gold, silver and other metals, and applique and patchwork. many of the historical and contemporary embroideries illustrated are accompanied by clear worked samples showing exactly how the different stitches can be achieved and then used to create exciting effects. A final section includes twenty individual stitches and the method of working them, so that the techniques explored throughout the book can be put into practice. This is an invaluable working guide for anyone interested in drawing on the wealth of Indian embroidery techniques for use in their own embroideries or in the study of ethnic textiles. Anne Morrell was born in Madras and has long been interested in the embroidered textiles of India. She was a lecturer at Goldsmiths' College in London before moving to the Manchester Metropolitan University, where she became a Principal Lecturer in the Department of Textiles and Fashion. In 1992 she was appointed Professor. She is the author of a number of books and articles on embroidery under the names Anne Butler or Anne Morrell. She has held exhibitions of her work in many different countries.

This marvellous book includes the influences of local and regional traditions, exploring individual techniques such as quilting, counted-thread work, shisha (mirror) work, metal work, beading, applique and patchwork. A brilliantly written book, that I highly recommend.

Professor Anne Morrell, formerly Anne Butler, has chosen twenty of the most popular embroidery stitches, and her aim is to show not only how to work them, but also how to USE them effectively in finished pieces of embroidery, either on their own or in combination with other stitches. Each stitch there is a working diagram, an explanatory text and a photograph of the stitch in progress. This introductory page is followed by a series of photographs showing examples of the stitch in use, some historical, others from the work of contemporary embroiderers; all serve to illustrate the rich variety of effects which can be obtained with one stitch. The basic techniques and materials necessary for embroidery are explained in an introduction, together with some hints for the student on how to work with a wide range of stitches.

Many people think of Indian embroidery as shisha (glass) work, which incorporates tiny mirrors into rich, colourful embroidered patterns. Particular to India, this embroidery technique is thought to have been developed by the wife of Shah Jahan; he built the Taj Mahal at Agra in her honour. Shisha is covered in this book, together with many other techniques, all illustrated with splendid examples. Sections cover embroidery stitches; quilting, darning and pattern-darning; counted-thread work; whitework; metal work; embroidery with a hook; and applique and patchwork. A section at the back gives diagrams of the stitches used, but the main use of this book is as a splendid record and inspiration, tracing the origins and techniques used for centuries in India to adorn clothes, homes, temples and animals. But this is no dry history book; it is written in a very practical, interesting way.

a must read book for those who seek the true,Maharaj explains us his knowledge,he hard earned with his life,free to us all,
what he is giving is the essence & will directly come into the hearts of the longing seeker ,
he also explains us that with words, truth cannot be explained,
we have to go beyond the words ,where the seeker meets the sought
& there wont be anyone to explain or hear
what he follows is the direct path to salvation and said as the Hardest,where the unconditional pure faith alone can liberate,
u can hear the unique words ,trust the book as it is from one of the realised ,i love the book
and it gives me strength to live without clinging to anything other that the "I",i bow my head at my Divine Master, from where i first happen to hear about Maharaj,& the Generation of Divine Masters,
I express my humble gratitude to Maurice Frydman Who let us all hear and know Maharaj

Using words to describe what is beyond words will always fall somewhat short; this book, however, narrows the gap considerably. You are not who you think you are. Who are you? This book answers that question as accurately as it can be answered in words. If you have only one book, let this be it; if you ask only one question of yourself, let it be "Who am I?"

Words do no justice to the "teachings" found herein. I would recommend no other book prior to this. If one wishes to end suffering and awaken to ones true nature, this is all you shall require. With all, as all.

I AM THAT is my bible-In his clear yet deeply profound answers Sri Nisargadatta expounds the timeless truths of self-realization which Christ called the Kingdom of God within us.This unique book can be opened at any page and provide the reader with powerful insights into their real essence by negation of the temporary and unreal to the true fullness of their real being.A must for seekers of the light.

I love this book. If only his main teaching were not eventually to stop reading and actually to start the deep inner search he suggests, I would happily while way the rest of my life reading it.

The absolute calm certainty of his position at the very centre of the inward search, calling you on and soothing your fears, is so reassuring.

Come on in, the water's lovely!

This book provided the information I was looking for on Raja Yoga. Vivekananda's words are a pleasure to read. It has a nice commentary on Patanjali's yoga sutra. The book has a pronunciation guide page and the glossary was quite useful for me as well. As a result of reading this book I purchased Vivekananda's complete works.

Wow! What a treat! Swami Vivekananda has created a classic on Raja-Yoga that is head and shoulders above any that I have read in my 20 years of studying and practicing Advaita Vedanta. This is a great manual for those just beginning their investigation into the wisdom of Vedanta as well as very useful for those who have been practicing for years. Indeed, I would recommend this book as the starting place for any would-be practitioner. Swami speaks straight and clear and his advice is immediately understood and usable. This manual will be at my side for the rest of my life!

You can't go wrong with any book by Vivekananda. Not only was he a great scholar, he was a saint and mystic who had personally experienced the things he taught. This book gives an extremely clear description of Raja Yoga from both a practical and philosophical standpoint. The first half explains the philosophical concepts of Hinduism regarding the relationships between mind, matter, and spirit. The second half of the book walks you through the ancient Yoga Sutras.

Raja Yoga is the King of Yogas.
This book really enables you to understand how your mind processes information and how to conquer your own nature to exercise free will.
The author Swami Vivekananda was both an enlightened soul and an elequent speaker. His words are powerfull!

Each soul is potentially divine. Break free of attachment through controlling the gentle ripples of your mind's peace.

Thanks and praise

-Oracle

I was first tuned into Jonah Blank through the Travelers' Tales of India anthology. Reading his hilarious account of discovering that a poorly functioning Delhi airport clock was in fact manually operated, I expected more of the same in this book. While there are more of these entertaining cross-cultural discoveries throughout, this overly ambitious book addresses what you'd expect from a naïve twenty-something writer, covering the broadest of all philosophical topics- with chapter titles including "Rites," "Fate," "Caste," "War," and "Love." The scary thing is that he succeeds, displaying a remarkable ability to grasp complex issues.

This work is held together with a strong narrative thread. Beginning each chapter by retelling a passage from the Ramayana, he then applies this theme to modern Indian culture, and compares this with life in America. Despite a reflexive defensiveness of American culture and government, he portrays a deeply nuanced understanding of the complexities of Indian traditions as they clash with modernity. For example, he dispels any notion that Hindu fatalism is the same thing as passivity. Unlike Christianity, you can't just pray for salvation in Hinduism; you have to earn it and change yourself to adapt to an unchanging world. In a later chapter, he credits Hinduism's adaptability to the well-educated elite's acceptance of metaphorical (rather than literal) interpretation of the Vedas, and credits Sikhism's sustainability to its openness that the Gods of all religions are really different manifestations of the same entity.

In his chapter on love, he respects the value of an arranged marriage in offering stability in a hard peasant life, acknowledges the potential rewards of society's increasing acceptance of the risk of marriage for love, but listens to an individual who swears the happiest people he knows are the ones who arranged marriage through a matchmaker.

Traveling to India is a life-changing experience in itself. This book is one of the most articulate reflections I've seen on what that experience can be like.

This book is a riveting read.
It touches upon a myriad of social, economic, political, emotional and ultimately human themes from the Ramayan epic and juxtapositions them with the present day Indian psyche.
The substance is informative and interesting without falling into the trap of being academic or verbose.
The author's style is succinct, witty and appropriately poignant.
Being a non-resident Indian, I was pleased to read such a well written and objective analysis of such a behemoth of a country.
This is a very vast, tricky and interconnected subject matter to tackle.
Jonah Blank does it with aplomb.
I would recommend that anyone wanting to know about India read this book.

I love India and have been there many times but this book taught me a lot I don't know. The book has an original format which was risky but works. You really get both caught up in the story and then feel like you've visiting the countries he's talking about.

As travel writing, it doesn't get better than this. So refreshing to not be talked down to and he avoids the horrible snobbishness often encountered in the gendre.

I just wanted to savor each page. It's not a book you flip through. I was sorry when I finished it. I just wish I could give it six stars.

I guess this book has been out for some time, but I had not known about it until I stumbled upon it at the bookstore and I am very glad I did. The book is written in a style that is unlike other travel books I have seen or read about India in that it reflects on one of the treasured literary epics in Hindu/Indian culture and mythology--the Ramayana. Each chapter focuses on a single aspect that is explained through the characters in the Ramayana, (caste, kings, swamis, fate...etc..), and each chapter begins with a summarized "Jonah Blank" version of the epic of Rama, Sita, and Hanuman. What I have enjoyed so much about this book is that the point of view that Blank brings is that of a twentysomething who is seeing India from the eyes of a young person who at times is both humorous and skeptical, yet idealistic and hopeful. You can truly tell that Blank, although a young person at the time of the writing, truly has passion and depth of vision about the complexities of India and you yourself get caught up in the majesty and the mysticism of India through his journy and the journey of Rama and Sita.

This is a wonderful book about the travel experiences of a young Harvard scholar in South Asia and how they evoked or resonated with certain episodes of the Ramayana. In one way or another the Ramayana has had an immense influence on South Asian civilization (as well on that of S.E. Asia) so it was interesting to see how Blank brought together, and exposed as timeless, so many of the epic's themes. This is a excellent introduction to India. Highly recommended.

I managed to get a copy of the Entrepreneurial Connection, and found it Enlightening. It fills in some of the holes and answers the questions entreprenuers are seeking everyday.

The author promised me what I was looking for was in this book. For the most part, He was right.

This Book offers Insights from a collection of infamous Entreprenuers. They are truly Words Of Wisdom.

-Deep

I bought this book from Gurmeet (Gurmeet graciously autographed my copy - Thanks GS) at TiECon 2001, and when I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. I've read it twice, and I received different insights each time. It's immaterial that this book is exclusively about entrepreneurs of South Asian origin. This book is ideally suited for ANYONE who wants to try to understand the deeper spirit of entrepreneurship, the sacrifices, the pain, and most of all the gratification of success. This book will inspire and it will prod the reader to reflect. TEC illustrates true grit and determination, and it will leave the reader with a deeper appreciation of American capitalism.

One insight gained from my readings: Immigrant values coupled with American capitalism/rugged-individualism/opportunity is an unbeatable combination.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

This book gives a very crispy insight into the mindset of a successful enterpreneur

After having read this well captured compilation of successful entrepreneurs, it has helped charge my entrepreneurship ambitions to a whole new degree! It is a 'must read' for all those considering an entrepreneurial life or live one!

Cheers Gurmeet

Ben Nagrani

the book throws light on the hardships successful people faced to reach the pinnacle of success which a comman man may not understand. it really gives inspiration to new starters like me to face the tough times with enthusiasm and not loose hope. Discussions are very well handled. very good questions which goes on to cover a lot of aspects. Overall a very good book for learning with amazing messages.

This book is perfect for Indians who live abroad and really miss home cooked food. I grew up in Zoroastrian household and the few recipes I've tried from here came very close to the food I ate growing up.
The introduction to the book also makes it a great gift to non-Zoroastrians who are interested in the culture and the cuisine ! I bought a copy for myself and a few more to give away as gifts.

A wonderful cookbook that I've read cover to cover. My husband is Indian, I own a dozen Indian cookbooks and this is easily my favorite (and he and I love the results). In addition to My Bombay Kitchen's delicious recipes, fascinating history of Parsis, and friendly, accessible tone, I love that this cookbook dispenses with glossy photos and obsessively detailed instructions and instead teaches the reader to cook by using the seven senses (smell, sight, hearing, touch, taste, sixth, and common). The author is not just teaching me how to cook Parsi food, but how to use seasonal, fresh produce and techniques that will improve the taste and presentation of any dish.

Great book, I have tried a number of recipes and all have worked out very well

Anyone who loves parsi must get this book. I enjoyed preparing and serving the dishes to my friends. I also recommend Finger Licking Different!!!

Some people use cookbooks, I read them. I believe a cookbook, especially an ethnic or exotic one, should be as entertaining as a novel, as detailed as a travel guide, and as warm and witty as a good neighbor's kitchen. It's rare to find a cookbook that fits the bill as completely--and cleverly--as this one. No tiresome list of esoteric ingredients and daunting prep, Niloufer's explanations of products, procedures and substitutions are clear and organized enough for newcomers to Middle- and Far-East cooking to march confidently, yet salted with options for more advanced cooks to flex their jazz and improv muscles. The obsessive attention to detail and organization presciently addresses issues like storage and substitution, often with memorable mirth. (In a description of a recipe that can be successfully "thawed": "Note, I didn't say 'frozen.' Anything can be successfully frozen.") Moreover, she provides a brief and eloquent history of the Parsi people, giving the reader a solid foundation to better appreciate this somewhat obscure culinary creole.

Of course, the deal breaker is, "How's the food?" Well, her Major Ordle's Chutney is the best mango chutney I've ever made (and she explains why), her Mother's Wobbly Cauliflower Custard slides into a pie shell to become God's own quiche, and her masur (without tongue, thank you) is itself worth the price of admission.

`The Indian Spice Kitchen' by Monisha Bharadwaj is an earnest, ethnic, informative coverage of Indian spice ingredients, mixes, herbs, fruits and vegetables, nuts, dals and pulses, cereals and flours, and miscellaneous ingredients. While the advocates of most cuisines, especially the Italian, French, Chinese, and Japanese rhapsodize about how important food is to their respective cultures, the Indian culture outdoes all of the others with the depth to which religion and culture affects the food mores of the Indian subcontinent. In fact, if I am to believe this author, food choices are even more important to the Hindu than it is to followers of Jewish holiday and kosher traditions. The best known and deepest strictures are those which encourage vegetarianism, based on the Hindu doctrine of reincarnation, where it is believed that animals contain souls of past or future humans. In addition to this doctrine, there are associations of particular foods with various Hindu deities, such as the devotion of Lord Krishna with milk, butter, and yogurt. These traditions are not unlike the associations of the ancient Greeks who, for example, linked Athena with olives. On top of the religious connections, there is the Ayurvedic system of nutrition that has the weight of both religion and `science'.

I have reviewed many books on Asian ingredients covering Japan, China, and Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Burma, but virtually none of them include specifically India. Even Bruce Cost's classic `Asian Ingredients' stops at the border between Thailand and Bangla Desh. Therefore, this book is a great addition to a culinary library that aims to cover the world.

While the book is not quite as detailed as Cost's book on linguistic and scientific matters, this volume does include the very important scientific names of plants which yield the herbs, spices, vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and other products featured in the book. This may not seem like much to the casual reader until they try to match up European and Indian ingredients. The very first item, dill, it turns out, has both a European and an Asian species. Fortunately, unlike basil, the differences between European and Indian dill are small, so one can easily be substituted for the other. The scientific name is essential when comparing items in this book to similar books on Western produce.

Each section devoted to a particular plant has the following items:

How it Grows: geographical distribution, size, harvesting, and whether it is an annual, biennial or perennial
Appearance and Taste: Weight, aroma, and important components
Buying and Storing: How and what to select and how to store in the pantry.
Medicinal and Other Uses: Folk remedies and non-culinary uses. It is probably worth warning the reader at this point that the virtues attributed to many of these herbs are probably as much due to a placebo effect as to any genuine pharmacological efficacy. I suggest you do not take these suggestions at face value and only rely on suggestions that are corroborated from a more scientifically oriented source.
Culinary Uses: What kinds of recipes use these ingredients.

Each section also offers one or more recipes in which the highlighted ingredient is used. Each recipe is introduced with a brief headnote on the recipe's source region. Each section also has at least one or more good photographs of the product.

By far the most useful chapter of this book is the second that deals with the famous Indian spice mixes. There are many more named combinations than the simple `curry powder' rubric. There is garam masala from Northern India, Sambhar powder from Tamil Nadu, Goda Masala from Bombay, tandoori masala from the Punjab, panch phoron from Bengal and Kholombo powder from the southwestern coast. Aside from its regional specialities, each mixture has a speciality. Few of these mixtures are `hot' in the way chili powder is hot from dried capsicum.

The first item which gave me the sense that this was a useful and accurate source of information was when I saw the treatment of cinnamon and cassia as two different spices, in spite of the fact that practically everything labeled cinnamon in the United States is actually ground cassia.

Next to the spice mixes, the most interesting chapter is the last, dealing with miscellaneous products. While I know little in detail about Indian cuisine, I was surprised at the number of items I found where of which I had never heard. Among these are the little crackers named appadams, sago, a starch similar to tapioca made from tree sap and subja seeds from a plant in the basil family. I was also surprised to find edible silver foil. This was a surprise not because I had not heard of it before, but because there was no section on edible gold foil, as gold has an enormous role in Indian culture.

Possibly my only disappointment from this book is that unlike the spice mixes, there was no chapter dedicated to chutney recipes. There are several in the book, but they are distributed across sections for various different ingredients.

As this is the very first book on Indian cuisine I have reviewed, I recommend it with the caveat that while I am sure this is better than many, there may be others that are as good or better. But, this is an attractive, high quality trade paperback that is worth the money if you are really interested in Indian ingredients.

If you're a spice hound, and/or you enjoy Indian curry, this is the book for you, because it's one of the few books available that focuses primarily on spices.

STRENGTHS:
* Lots of interesting photos.
* Varied recipes.
* A wonderful assortment of exotic flavors.
* A decent introduction to working with spices, and making your own blends.

WEAKNESSES:

* Spice Blend Deficiencies: The authoress only covered some of the most well known "marsala" spice blends. There are plenty more that she omitted. Also, she typically only provides one recipe for each blend, which is a vast oversimplification of reality, in which each region has it's own style, and even each household has it's own version of (for example, Garam masala). Most home cooks won't mind the lack of depth, and will find this book to be an excellent introduction ... but intermediate and advanced cooks who are more serious in their quest to learn more about the cuisine are apt to be somewhat disappointed.

* Recipe Selection: it appears that some recipes were selected NOT because the specific spice in question is the star player, but merely because the recipe has a tiny quantity of it. Just to provide a non-indian example to illustrate what I'm talking about - if I were, say, writing a chapter to explain the use of limes and showcase a few recipes, I'd probably include recipes in which lime is the key player (like limeade, mojitos, keylime pie, ceviche, chilean seabass with lime-infused buerre-blanc sauce, etc) and omit recipes in which lime plays a relatively minor role (like guacamole). The author too often resorted to the latter, when she should have looked harder and provided the former.

* Not enough recipes: I'm sorry, but a mere 200 recipes is NOT NEARLY enough to cover a topic of such great breadth.

Bottom line: This is a great introductory book for people who are new to the cuisine ... but more experienced cooks will be disappointed by the lack of depth and selection. It covers a lot of ground, but not in very much depth. This book could, and should, have been at least 2-4x longer than it is.

This book looked as if it was going to emphasize the glossy photos, but in fact it is very heavy with valuable information. It is very thorough and exhaustive about most every spice, presenting alternate names and usages. The recipes are also quite wonderful and, as far as I am able to judge, fairly authentic -- the real value of the recipes is to hilight typical usages of featured spices.

I too am another satisfied reader of this wonderful book. It has so many appealing features. First of all, the book is worth the price just for the information it contains not only on spices but also on rices, legumes, flours, etc. But in addition it gives you many outstanding recipes that are well thought out, easy to make, and most importantly, achieve the desired results: delicious Indian food.

I am a Novice Indian cook with a capital N and yet I have succeeded in turning out great-tasting dishes one after the other. I have tried 8 so far and I am pleaseed with them all. I will definitely try many more.

Now on top of all this, the book is filled with mouth-watering and artfully presented color photos that are in themselves a treat for your eyes. All in all I can recommend this book as a valuable addition to any cookbook collection.

The Indian Spice Kitchen is one of my favorite cookbooks and I have scores of Indian cookbooks, as I'm sort of a gourmet chef. I wrote a cooking column for a sailing magazine for a couple years and one of my favorite articles was my "Two Ways to Tandoori" which you can read in one of my "Amazon So You'd Like to Guides," if you want. Tandoori chicken is just delicious. Anyway, while I was making the guide, I listed fifty cookbooks from my collection. I have more. I know, I know, one would think a couple books would be enough, but it's sort of an obsession with me, making food taste great and I just love to see how others have done it.

While I was doing the guide, I pulled out all my Indian Cookbooks, had them all stacked around me. Then I decided to pull out all the ones I didn't think I could live without. It came to an even dozen and The Indian Spice Kitchen was one of the books. The recipes are just divine. I've never been to India, been a lot of places, but never there. Delhi, Bombay, Ganges, names that just ring with adventure. I imagine I'm there every time I cook up something Indian. I can feel the smells as they wrap their delicious flavors all around the kitchen, or galley, if I'm cooking on board the sailboat my husband Dub and I live on half the year. You won't go wrong with this book. Check it out. Check out my other eleven too. Cook up something from India tonight, taste the adventure.

Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne