Eastern University Books

The Heart of Dogen's Shobogenzo offers the complete translations of nine of Eihei Dogen's most important works.

These translations, initially published in the journal, The Eastern Buddhist, are considered by many scholars to be the most reliable English translations to date. Each translation is prefaced with an introduction and provided with complete, detailed notes that explain terms, highlight implications, and draw the readers attention to Zen sources as well as Dogen's own unique handling of language.

Eight of these works come from the Zen master's magnum opus, Shobogenzo. The Shobogenzo (Treasury of the True Dharma-Eye), Eihei Dogen's masterpiece, is considered one of the most important works of Buddhist literature, and even one of the highest achievements of world literature. The translations from the Shobogenzo that are included here represent eight of the most essential chapters making up this voluminous work.

Bendowa (Negotiating the Way)...

is a detailed examination and explanation on what Dogen considered as the authentic message, and practice Zen Buddhism. Much of this chapter consists of a "question and answer format" wherein Dogen outlines the authentic teaching of Zen, while simultaneously debunking some of the major aberrations of the Zen teachings of his day.

Ikka Myoju (One Bright Pearl)...

is one of Dogen's most creative, yet accessible expressions on the nature of life and death according to the Mahayana teachings of nonduality and emptiness. Dogen uses a classic Zen koan as the foundation of his exposition that the "whole universe is one bright pearl."

Genjokoan (Actualizing the Fundamental Point)...

may be the most direct expression of Zen practice and enlightenment in all of Dogen's work. Dogen's 95 chapter Shobogenzo was defined by one Zen master as, "simply footnotes to Genjokoan." Louie Wing's commentary (in The Flatbed Sutra of Louie Wing) refers to the Genjokoan as, "Skeleton Key" to the Shobogenzo, claiming it presents all of the major points of the entire Shobogenzo.

Uji (Being-Time)...

is Dogen's remarkable explication on the nature of time and existence, being and time. Demonstrating the nondual quality of time and existence, Dogen reveals the profound implications this has for practice and enlightenment.

Bussho (Buddha-Nature)...

is a beautiful and complex work. In this essay, Dogen takes up and examines nothing less than the essential nature of reality itself. This is easily the most challenging (and rewarding) fascicle of Waddell and Abe's, The Heart of Dogen's Shobogenzo. The detailed notes on this masterful translation are alone worth the price of the book. Truly a profound analysis of Dogen's majestic treatment of the function and essence of Buddha-Nature.

Sammai-O-Zammai (The King of Samadhis Samadhi)...

is an in-depth treatise on what it means to actualize the authentic method of Zen meditation. This unique treatment on the methods and implications of the enlightened mind includes detailed instructions on how to apply ones consciousness in the actual experience of meditation.

Shoji (Birth and Death)...

is the shortest essay in the Shobogenzo; it is also one of the most profound. Here, Dogen uses one of the classic Zen koans to reveal a most sublime truth: the nondual nature of samsara and nirvana. In this explication by Dogen, we are shown how viewing the cycle of birth-and-death (samsara) through the Buddhist teaching of dependent origination, one realizes the truth of no-birth-and-death (nirvana).

Zazengi (The Principles of Zazen)...

is Dogen's most direct teaching on the physical aspects of sitting meditation (zazen). It describes precisely how, where, and when to sit in clear and lucid language that even a total beginner can understand.

The ninth translation, is the vastly influential Fukanzazengi, an independent work outlining the fundamental characteristics the keystone of Zen practice and enlightenment.

Fukanzazengi (Universal Promotion of the Principles of Zazen)...

outlines what Dogen considered to be the very heart of Zen practice and realization. Boldly asserting the essential nature and function of Zen, as well as prescribing detailed, practical instructions of actualizing it in our lives here and now.

Anyone that takes the time to carefully study Waddell and Abe's, The Heart of Dogen's Shobogenzo will be deeply rewarded. If this study is augmented by experimentation with some of the meditation techniques detailed within it, so much the better.

All of Dogen's writings require active focused study, but anyone that truly perseveres, and masters the essential teachings in this book will be well on their way to a true appreciation of Eihei Dogen's Zen. They may even discover that when they get thirsty, Dogen himself drinks a cup of water.

Eihei Dogen Zenji (1200-1253), founder of the Soto Zen school, is one of the greatest prose stylists and thinkers in the history of Buddhism. His best works are penetrating and beautiful, vivdly and directly evoking the realized state of a Zen meditation master. His main legacy of writings is contained in the many-volume Shobogenzo, or Treasury of the True Dharma Eye. Shobogenzo is a collection 90 fascicles of short writings spanning his teaching career.

This new collection of Dogen's writing contains eight key fascicles from Dogen's Shobogenzo, superbly translated by Norman Waddell and Masao Abe. These translations were gathered for publication after being issued independently in the scholarly journal The Eastern Buddhist. These translations have long been praised by Dogen scholars for their clarity, accuracy, and erudition.

This is a very important collection for the Dogen enthusiast, whether scholar, practitioner, or interested reader. It brings together translations of several of the most important fascicles, including Genjokoan (Manifesting Suchness), Bendowa (Negotiating the Way), Uji (Being-Time), and Bussho (Buddha Nature). They are masterfully translated by two scholars who have spent many years studying and clarifying their grasp of Dogen Zenji's thought.

This book is particularly important for its footnotes, which are invaluable for the student who has found Dogen to be inpenetrable or incomprehensible. The footnotes provide an unobtrusive but crucial commentary, explaining the wealth of subtle allusions and references that abound in Dogen's writings. These stock images would have been recognized immediately by the monks Dogen spent his life with, but for us they can be (mis)taken as enigmatic and meaningless. Waddell and Abe roundly dispell this misapprehension and convey a Dogen who had something important to say, and who used every means he had at his disposal to say it. In brief, he points to the non-dual nature of all things that resides beyond the breaking point of words and ideas.

There are several published translations of part or all of Dogen's Shobogenzo available. Because of the great difficulty in translating Dogen into English, it is worthwhile to own several translations. The four-volume Nishijima and Cross translation of the entire work is serviceable and consistent, but rather wooden in style. Kaz Tanahashi has translated many important fascicles beautifully in Moon in a Dewdrop and Enlightenment Unfolds.

Bauer presents an excellent ethnographic and historical analysis of the changes the people of Dolpo have encountered since 1959, and he demonstrates to us that cultural survival and cultural change are not antithetical to one another. His examination of the resilience and adaptability of Dolpo-pa brings to life the practical importance of local environmental knowledge, human agency, and cultural innovation. As founder of the grass-roots organization DROKPA (meaning "nomad" in Tibetan), Bauer also directs his excellent analytic understanding of pastoralism toward working along with pastoralist populations to respond to the many political, economic, and environmental challenges they face in the 21st century. Very fine research and writing.

High Frontiers makes the landscape and the people of Dolpo come alive. Kenneth Bauer's descriptions are vivid, accurate and heartfelt. His observations in the chapter A Tsampa Western about the filming of Caravan/Himalaya and its impacts on the villagers is timely and thought provoking. One does not need to have an academic background to absorb and enjoy this timely book.

Hindu Scriptures is good for beginners. Another useful link is http://www.hindujagruti.org go to Dharmic Scriptures. This has been compiled by His. Holiness. Dr Jayant Athavale, a popular Saint in India.
Of course fanatical Christians will find it useless.

Wonderful translation and interpretation. For a non hindu, its a nice way to start the study.

This is a very good and balanced look at the very complex topic. What is enjoyable about this work is the ease in which the author makes the material available to the reader. One of the main benefits I found was the use of the Hologram to discuss the Orthodox View of the Church. In addition this is a great reference piece for additional studies/writings. I think anyone how is looking at this issue would do well in reading His Broken Body. Ejoy.

Perhaps only once in a generation something comes along that is so unique as to be a potential catalyst for history-making and world-changing events. His Broken Body - Understanding and Healing the Schism between Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians by Laurent A. Cleenewerck might just have that potential! At least, that will be the likely view of anyone who sincerely professes faith in Christ and believes that His Church is integral to their salvation but is saddened and disturbed by the visible disunity of those claiming ancient and apostolic Christian roots. Fr. Laurent (he is both an Orthodox Priest and Professor) has attempted to cut the Gordian Knot between Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians, and it appears that he has at least partially succeeded in this brilliant and unique book.

His Broken Body may be the sui generis among books on this subject due to its novel approach. Because it attempts to provide "both sides of the story" in a comprehensive and detailed manner under one cover, it offers a unique contribution to this discussion. New light is shed on a multiplicity of concurrent (and competing) early church viewpoints and practices such as Eucharistic vs. Universal Ecclesiology and Petrene Succession in (every) bishop as well as the bishop of Rome. Then there is the fascinating concept of "The Church as Hologram."

For many readers, seeing this material for the first time will seem like an epiphany. It was for me. Though not all the concepts covered are new, I know of no other source that addresses all of this in one place. I've had to dig for years through both Roman Catholic and Orthodox resources to even gain an inkling of what is now available in His Broken Body.

Both uncritical ecumenists and unyielding traditionalists will likely be surprised by things addressed in His Broken Body in such a balanced, truthful and faithful way.

Surprisingly, unlike many "theological-historical" books, His Broken Body is not boring or pedantic but a real page-turner. Fr. Laurent's style is relaxed and almost conversational. Outstanding in both its directness and charity, it doesn't get bogged down in obscure details but sticks to the point like a laser, all the while remaining irenic in its approach. In my humble opinion, it's an example of "speaking the truth in love," par excellence.

Make no mistake about it; its goal (though lofty and long-reaching) is progress towards unity. Nevertheless, it remains rigorous and does not succumb to wishy-washy theology in order to make its point.

Most of us are not anxious for another book addressing hypothetical and theoretical reasons why Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians are still separated to this day but offers little in the way of suggestions for real progress toward healing the schism. This is not that kind of book. Nor is Fr. Laurent writing as an apologist, but rather as someone with a critical mind who is more interested in elucidating the truth than defending a particular position. For this reason, he gets to the heart of the matter with unprecedented clarity and with practical suggestions that may, God willing, lead to genuine healing and unity through humility and a love for the Truth.

For some of us the outcome may not seem to matter, but perhaps out of a love for the (whole) truth we might consider reading this book with an open mind. By doing so we may just find ourselves surprised by something both familiar and new because this book presents, perhaps for the first time, an image of the Church as it understood itself during the first millennium -- with all its glory (and shame), in unity (and schism), and replete with concurrent differences and agreement.

Not everyone will agree with Fr. Laurent's conclusions and perspectives, but his analysis will be hard to fault and his obvious desire to move in a forward direction with concrete steps is worthy of admiration and emulation.

His Broken Body deserves wide readership.

This is a vivid chronological history of the civilization of ancient Egypt from its foundation some 5000 years ago to its conquest by Alexander the Great in 332 BCE - effectively the first half of written human history. It is based on Professor Hornung's unrivalled knowledge of archaeological and documentary evidence, and provides as straightforward a story as the varied nature and extent of that evidence allows.
From 3050BCE through to around 642CE Egyptian culture developed and evolved, leaving the modern student with so much to decipher and understand that it might just take a lifetime! This book is ideal for anyone who wants to enrich their knowledge and understanding of Egyptian magick and religion through an understanding the history of this ancient culture.
The book works through the different stages of cultural and political development in ancient Egypt, working from the Archaic period through the old, middle and new kingdoms and the late period. The Chronology at the start of the book provides an excellent time line reference guide. Both the author and translators are distinguished Egyptologists and this book is evidently the result of much research and work, and is as such highly recommended for all interested in history and particular Egyptology.

Extremely well translated by American Egyptologist David Lorton, Hornung's book covers the history of Ancient Egypt from its Archaic to its Late Periods. It provides a concise description of important events through historical facts. A thorough yet brief explanation of political, economical, social, literary and artistical changes of Ancient Egyptian society leads to the development of the kingdoms. Black and white photographs, an excellent bibliography and a glossary explaining commonly used Egyptological terms accompany the main body. Recommended for professionals and amateurs.

Goodwin's A History of Ottoman architecture was first published in 1971. Since then it has been the primary reference book on Ottoman architecture. Every student of this architectural tradition from first year university students to emeritius professors still use this book whenever they need information on a certain period or building. This book not only gives encyclopedic information, but also provides the reader with a certain point of view and masterfully done interpretation on specific issues. Goodwin's rich terminological and conceptual tools make the book valuable in respect to its scientific definitiveness and narrative. Each chapter contains drawings, plans and photographs of the buildings and of urban settings. Since Goodwin's book comprises the history of Ottoman architecture from its beginnings to its end, the reader should not expect to find the illustrations of all buildings. On the other hand, Goodwin not only deals with the primary Ottoman buildings of istanbul, but also gives descriptions and comparative evaluations of some of the minor buildings outside of the capital city. This last treat is generally lacking in other general histories of Ottoman architecture. Therefore, I highly recommend this book to anybody who is interested in great architectures of the world.

One cannot lavish enough superlatives on this work. The astounding, encyclopedic knowledge of the author of his subject matter, his loving dedication to it, and the insight and inconoclasism that permeates this tome all make for a wonderful reading. While every chapter of this book has something to recommend (especially the earlier chapters), I found the three chapters on the famous 16th century Ottoman master architect Mimar Sinan to be exceptionally poetic. I have recently carried an earlier edition of this book with me on a pilgrimage of sorts following the Sinan mosques in Istanbul from the earliest (Haseki Hu'rrem Mosque) through his more grand masterpieces such as the Sulaymaniae and his later sublime works such as Rustem Pasha and Sokollu Pasha mosques. All the details of interest were there as was the more arching overview of what the architect was up to and how he met or failed to meet the challenges at hand. The book covers the entire Anadoul plateau and some examples from the provinces. It is very informative on the influences of different architectural genres (the Byzantine and the Seljuk to name two obvious ones) on the Ottoman example. If art and architecture are windows into understanding and appreciating accomplishments of cultures and societies you would be hard put to find a better guide to Ottoman architectural and cultural achievements.

The reader is provided with what can only be described as a scrupulously documented and indispensable reference, that is a must read for any individual interested in a complete history of Palestine - especially in relation to the period dating from the Muslim conquest until that of the Crusaders.

Drawing on many historic Muslim, Christian and Jewish sources/texts/references, this study proceeds to reveal how the Muslim conquest of Palestine began before the death of Muhammad and how it subsequently subdued the population of Jews and Christians.

For the purposes of a review, it is impossible to refer to all the issues covered in a study of this depth and magnitude that spans nearly 1,000 pages, so for those interested I shall select only a few.

Early in this work, brief reference is provided to the events surrounding the Jewish revolt against Roman rule which culminated in 135AD with the "Diaspora", the renaming of the Jewish homeland as Syria Palestina (eventually anglicised into `Palestine') and the renaming of Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina..

The book documents how the period AD135 until AD638 saw the enforced separation of the Jews from Jerusalem and their most Holy site. Reference also being made to how this purportedly formed the integral basis of the convictions held by the "early Church Fathers" which resulted in so much anti-Semitism (hatred of the Jews).

At the time of the Muslim conquest the book illustrates how, despite the Diaspora, the majority of the population was indeed Jewish who referred to the Land as al-Sham (the Samaritans also being inclusive in this majority). The Jewish population itself is shown in this work, to not only be "survivors from the revolt against the Romans", but also to consist of the "direct descendants" of the generations of Jews who had lived there since the days of Joshua bin Nun.

In other words, a continual Jewish presence spanning some 2,000 years prior to the Islamic conquest.

The book also illustrates how the Jewish connection with the Temple Mount , Moses, David and Solomon was present in the minds of the Muslims during the conquests and that the prior injunction preventing Jewish access to Jerusalem and the Temple Mount (which had been used as a rubbish dump) was even initially revoked by the Muslims. Having said this, the book refers to some conflicting/contradictory information in relation to these issues.

The Muslim conquest of Palestine is described as opening an entirely "new page" in Palestine's history, amid a period that is shown to witness almost "unceasing warfare". The study stressing that the goal during the initial phases of the Islamic invasion of Palestine was to compel the nomadic tribes around the border to accept Islam and consolidate around Muhammad. The study citing numerous campaigns that are described as being "cruel" and accompanied by "rebuke and chastisement".

The reader is provided with references throughout. Having access to such detailed historical credentials it is difficult to weigh any Arab/Islamic/Palestinian claim to this land against that of the Jews who preceded them. The land being shown in this study to have been systematically and violently "de-populated" through Jihads, and then re-populated with Muslims/Arabs etc.. The Jewish and Christian populations described herein shown to have been subjected to the regulations imposed on the non-Muslims that were "vanquished" by jihad ("holy war") during which many Churches and Synagogues are cited as having been destroying by the invading tribes.

Indeed, the book provides some attention to the aforementioned "dhimmi" status afforded the non-Muslims and the adverse affects imposed upon their lives.

Amongst the outward manifestations detailed herein that are described as portraying the purported inferiority and humiliation suffered by non-Muslims, is the enforced wearing of distinguishing yellow marks by Jews and blue by Christians. The reader is provided with an ominous foretaste of what awaited the Jews in the 20th Century during the Holocaust.

The book culminates in the effects upon the population of Palestine, including the slaughter of the Jews, during the ensuing "Crusades".

Might I also respectfully recommend the following books to anyone interested in a detailed history pertaining to the region.

"Empires Of The Sands; The Struggle for Mastery in the Middle East, 1789 - 1923" by Inari & Efraim Karsh.
"From Time Immemorial; The Origins of the Arab - Jewish Conflict Over Palestine" by Joan Peters.
"A Peace To End All Peace; The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East Peace" by David Fromkin.
"The Palestine War 1948" by Efraim Karsh.

Thank you for your time.

Middle East scholars have lauded "A History of Palestine, 634-1099" as the most comprehensive historiography of Palestine from the initial Arab Muslim conquests, until the arrival of the Crusaders in 1099. Remarkably, despite the constraints of academic annotation, and the uncertainties of translation (i.e., from Hebrew to English), Professor Gil's narrative is eminently readable for the non-professional student of history. Through the clear, dispassionate presentation of a rich profusion of data, he captures the stark, unromantic reality of Muslim ruled Palestine during this 465-year period.

Professor Gil begins with a survey of events before the Arab Muslim invasion. He also notes the singular centrality that Palestine occupied in the mind of its pre-Islamic Jewish inhabitants, who referred to the land as "al-Sham". Indeed, as Gil observes, the sizable Jewish population in Palestine (who formed a majority of its inhabitants, when grouped with the Samaritans) at the dawn of the Arab Muslim conquest were "..the direct descendants of the generations of Jews who had lived there since the days of Joshua bin Nun, in other words for some 2000 years..". The 465-year period carefully surveyed by Gil comprises the following stages: the Arab Muslim conquest and establishment, from 634 to 661; the Umayyad-Damascene rule, from 661 until 750; the Abbasid-Baghdadian rule, from 750 through 878; Turco-Egyptian rule- Tulunids and Ikshidids- from 878 until 970- "interrupted" by Abbasid-Baghdadian rule again, between 905 and 930; nearly two generations of war including numerous participants, the dominant party being the Fatimids, from 970 through 1030; just over 40-years of Fatimid-Egyptian rule, between 1030 and 1071; and a generation of Turkish rule encompassing most of Palestine, from 1071 until 1099.

Gil offers a particularly revealing assessment of dhimmitude (i.e., the regulations imposed on the non-Muslims vanquished by jihad), and its adverse impact on these conquered, indigenous peoples, in chapter 3 pages, pages 139 to 161. For example, excessive, arbitrarily imposed taxation in the first quarter of the 11th century lead to the destitution, imprisonment, torture, and death of many Jews living in Jerusalem. However, the clearest outward manifestations of this imposed inferiority and humiliation were the prohibitions regarding dhimmi dress "codes", and the demands that distinguishing signs be placed on the entrances of dhimmi houses. During the Abbasid caliphates of Harun al-Rashid (786-809) and al-Mutawwakil (847-861), Jews and Christians were required to wear yellow ( as patches attached to their garments, or hats). Later, to differentiate further between Christians and Jews, the Christians were required to wear blue. Finally, in 850, consistent with Koranic verses and hadith (sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad) associating them with Satan and Hell, al-Mutawwakil decreed that Jews and Christians attach wooden images of devils to the doors of their homes to distinguish them from the homes of Muslims.

Near the end of his extensive, scrupulously documented presentation, Gil offers this sobering assessment: "..These facts do not call for much interpretation; together they simply form a picture of almost unceasing insecurity, of endless rebellions and wars, of upheavals and instability..".

Jamil M. Abun-Nasr's History of the Maghrib in the Islamic Period is a finely detailed tapestry which sweeps from the early days of the Al-Moravids in Morocco to the post-colonial regimes in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. While the book is academic in tone, it is so well written as to be accessible to the casual reader, so long as one is willing to come to grips with the intracacies of Maghreban dynastic politics.

While I learned more from the first half of the book, which discusses pre-Modern Maghreban history; the second portion covering the modern era was particularly relevant in light of the recent rioting in France. Abun-Nasr vividly describes how the European powers - under the guise of bringing civilization - ruthlessly exploited their North African colonies, and to some degree continue to do so to this day. Although the fruits of their policies were most bitter in Algeria, it is clear that throughout the Maghrib the European powers' short-sighted pursuit of commercial gain had long-term repercussions for everyone involved.

This is one of the few books that you can buy on the history of North West Africa that can be read again and again. There is a wealth of information contained in this book which covers (as the title suggests) North West Africa's history from the 7th century Arab conquest until the recent present day.

The information contained within the book is concise and straight to the point. The author has obviously spent a great deal of time amassing a wealth of information on North West African history from a variety of Arabic, French and English sources for example, his extensive use of the great historian Wansharisi is of particular benefit when discussing the development of Islamic culture in North West Africa.

The book covers the various Islamic dynasties in the Maghrib, the society and culture of the region, the French, Portuguese and Spanish conquests of the region including the colonial period, independence and the nations struggle for self identity.

This is a first class book for students of Islamic history or African history and I would strongly recommend the book to University students studying subjects related to the region.

Reviewed by Johanna Granville, Clemson University, Clemson, SC USA

James Forsyth's History of the Peoples of Siberia: Russia's North Asian Colony, 1581-1990 is a much needed addition to the extant literature on Soviet history. The policies of glasnost and end of censorship after the 1991 Soviet collapse have led to greater interest in the history of non-Russian nationalities. The dearth of reliable historical information on Russia east of the Urals is becoming increasingly clear as Siberia and the Russian Pacific littoral develop into a significant geopolitical and economic entity. Russia's expansion eastward may have been as defining for Russian society as was the United States' advance westward for American society. Thus, it is surprising that historians are just beginning to concentrate on this vast landscape. This is not to say that Western scholarship has completely overlooked Asiatic Russia, but there is still much work to do. In this ethnohistory of Siberia, Forsyth attempts to "narrate and interpret the stages in the conquest and exploitation of Siberia" (defined as "everything lying east of 60 degrees E and 50 degrees N") and "the place of this process in Russian and world history." Forsyth's narrative tends to emphasize the role of ordinary people--the inhabitants of Siberia--rather than of prominent decision makers. He raises several questions about the indigenous peoples of Siberia (e.g. Buryat Mongols, Yakuts, Tatars, Samoyeds, Tunguses, and Chukchis). What was the role of the native peoples, who up to the 18th century, inhabited Siberia? Who were they, and how did they live before the Russian invasion? How did the Russian invasion affect their lives? Has the fate of the Siberian natives been similar to that of the Indians and Eskimos of North America? Forsyth's main argument is fairly simple: despite the Leninist rhetoric that the Russian occupation of Siberia was a peaceful process and that it brought the indigenous peoples into contact with a "higher culture," the Siberian peoples in reality suffered a great deal from collectivization, "denomadisation," and the consequent destruction of their traditional cultures and occupations. The book is particularly strong on the early Russian conquest of Siberia after 1456 and the folk heroes like Yermak Timofeyevich who emerged in the process. Forsyth attributes the Russian success in subjugating the indigenous tribes to a number of factors: demanding tribute, trading ruthlessly for furs, dominating by superior numbers, spreading disease (especially smallpox), exploiting intra-tribal conflict, and employing superior firepower. For centuries after taking control of a certain Siberian tribes' land, the Russians would exploit that tribe by requiring them to pay "yasak" (a Turkic word meaning tribute). Yasak was often collected in the form of furs, such as sable, fox, and marten---as precious to the Russians as gold to the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico and Peru. Russian Marxist historians have made Yermak and the Cossacks into folk heroes comparable to the pioneers of the American West. (Just as the Soviet media routinely sanitized news about Soviet society, so historians also self-servingly rewrote history.) However, the actual record of the Cossacks and "voyevodys" may be closer to the genocidal campaigns of the Nazis in the occupied regions of Belarus and the Ukraine. According to Forsyth, these interlopers were "courageous but ruthless men-of-action, mainly belonging to the petty nobility." Both tsarist and Soviet regimes abused the Siberian territory and its aborigines. Whereas the tsarist regimes extracted yasak, furs, and minerals, the Soviet regimes built vast projects in the region that disrupted the environment and local way of life. Gold dredging threatened rivers, industrial pollution affected Lake Baikal, and projects such as the Baikal/Amur railway (BAM) caused ecological damage, while the KGB harrassed local people who complained. Overall, the book is grim on the future of Siberia. The native ethnic groups are still minorities in their own land. Forsyth believes that some communities may resort to creating reservations akin to the ones for Indians in Canada and the United States. The book is solid, but not flawless. Although it synthesizes multivolume ethnographic and historical works of German, imperial Russian, and Soviet scholars in one volume, the extensive bibliography will not benefit those who read neither Russian nor German. Moreover, Forsyth apparently has not worked with recently declassified archival documents, and his balance is skewed a bit toward the seventeenth century. Readers may also find the beginning section on geography extremely dry, and the multitude of ethnic groups confusing. Nevertheless, since the scope of this finely produced book is vast, and its subject very timely, it will indeed benefit both nonspecialists and general readers. It contains twelve useful historical maps of the Siberian region and fifteen illustrations.

Johanna Granville, Clemson University

This book may well be the very best history of the native peoples of Siberia and their conquest by the Russians in the past centuries.
Though the title is exaggrating a bit - with Siberia today having an overwhelmingly Russian majority population I don't find it more of a "colony" than the USA, Canada, or Australia, where natives have been even more outnumbered by European settlers - the book itself is very thoroughly-researched, amazingly up to date and is even fair enough to compare the current situation of the Siberian peoples to that of Northern minorities elsewhere.
No doubt, it is a somewhat disturbing read - but then so is the situation of these often diminishing ethinc groups even today.

The most readable and trustworthy account of the history of the Sikhs yet. Sikhism has stood the test of time and stands for universal brotherhood. Here is a book that narrates the history of this glorious religion without emphasizing its recent dirty and divisive politics (as opposed to Patwant Singh's attempt at 'history')

Highly recommended for uninitiated westerners, serious scholars and history buffs.

there millions of sikhs all over the world, who would like to know about their heritage, in a nondistorted way. there is no reliable text that one could refer to. kushwant singh probably is the most reliable source at this point.we should not be deprived of this source of enlightenment.