India Books

It is not as detailed as Frommer's but I like the color photographs and just the highlights it points out. I was in a group so I didn't need the complete detail other books gave. I really like all Eyewitness Travel Guides...I always look for their books first!

As I first-time traveler to India, I spent much time searching for a travel guide that would offer the perfect combination of history and culture, while providing insightful advice. The Eyewitness Guide provided both excellent and detailed information, while offering regional and cultural snapshots of the "Golden Triangle." This piece proved extremely helpful and insightful to a first-time traveler.

i liked this book...i picked it up cuz i had nuthin better 2 do. the stories r nice..i recomend it 2 any1 who wants a gd read...

I thought some of the stories were very funny. The author does a nice job incorporating Pakistani-American themes into the book. Being of similar background, I could relate to the stories.

The Devi Gita means "The Song of the Divine Mother Goddess" and truly it is! This scripture sings so sweetly to my heart, and of all the translations i have read, none even come close to this translation by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. It evokes devotional bhava within me, and as i chant it, each word is a nectarous mantra that tastes so sweet on the tongue. i can feel my heart opening like a blossoming lotus hungry for the morning sunlight.

Through this translation i hear the voice of the Goddess singing me out of worldliness and into Her Divine Realm of Cosmic Awareness.
In this scripture, She gently teaches us how to worship Her Deity form and then guides us into meditation upon the Cosmic Divinity beyond all Forms and Names...beyond all knowledge and words.

The deeper we fall in love with our Divine Mother, the more we find we want to learn about Her; finding new ways to worship and praise Her until we dissolve in the True Union of Divine Awareness.

Swamiji Satyananda Saraswati's whole life is worship, and sharing his love of the Goddess with all the sentient beings who are perceptive enough to receive these precious teachings.
All the books Swamiji has written and translated are a priceless treasure trove of spiritual tools that will continue uplifting and guiding sincere devotees for immeasurable years to come.
If you want to really experience the joys of worship, read and practice the teachings that are found within any of Swami Satyananda Saraswati's books. Jai Maa! Blessings!

This is an excellant rendering of the Devi Gita with the original Sanskrit(Devanagari)and English transliteration and translation.

It is often difficult to translate Sanskrit into English due to the multilevel language that it is. Swami Satyananada Saraswati has done an excellant job of conveying the rasa of the Sanskrit.

I always wondered what the meaning was of all the instruments the Goddesses carry were and here they are in this Gita. This is a translation and not a commentary, but with the clarity of the translation a commentary is not needed.

I would recommend reading the English translation first, then move on to the Sanskrit to get the sense of great poetry and rythm of this work.

Chandi herself will blight the asura of "too much" who is charging $45.70 for this book.

"Digging a Well to Heaven" is the authentic journey of one woman into the heart of India and the ultimately into the Heart of All. Jadeine Shives, a lover of God and all things Eastern, Hindu and yogic takes us along with her as she discovers some her deepest truths, which in turn shows us a path to do the same. An inspiring book; a must read for anyone on a "spiritual path" to use as inspiration to create one's own personal goals to help uplift humanity.

An incredibly moving story of spiritual growth written with surprising honesty, humbleness and humor. I felt as if I was standing next to Jadeine throughout the journey filled with laughter, tears, rage and finally peace.

The author's look inside herself gives me encouragement for my own inner pilgrimage of the heart. It's reassuring to know that I don't have to be a saint to experience mystical experiences.

I also really like that the proceeds are going to fund digging freshwater wells in India. It's nice to spend money on something that benefits others and I appreciate the opportunity to participate.

This is a great read for a great cause!

Sharon N.

This movie is beautiful. It is a long movie, but you will never know it because you become so engrossed in the story. The actress is beautiful and you really feel for her character. The gentleman who plays her father is great! The singing, dancing, and clothing are wonderful. I watch this one as often as I can.

The only thing I did not like - the special features did not have English captions, so you really couldn't enjoy them.

I also purchased the soundtrack to this movie. It is excellent and has more songs that were used in the movies.

As an American who only recently discovered Bollywood movies, I absolutely loved the classic Hindi movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge so much that I bought this book about it. The book is intended to be used as a college textbook for critical studies of the film in the context of motion pictures as an art and entertainment medium in contemporary culture. While I am not a student, I am interested in movies as a medium of art, and I am very interested in the Indian film industry in particular. This book helped satisfy those interests.

I found this book very helpful in understanding the movie's effect on Indian people, both those who have dispersed to other countries and those who remain in India. It also gave me insight to the actual making of the film and some history of Indian cinema and the careers of the cast and crew who made the film. Most importantly, it gave me greater understanding of Indian movies in general and the meaning of metaphors typically used in those films.

I would recommend this book to 1) students studying films and the film industry, 2) Bollywood enthusiasts, and 3) fans of Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and director Aditya Chopra.

This book was "written" after the events that took place in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End from the perspective of the surviving members of the East India Trading Company. It has dossiers on Captain Jack Sparrow, the young Jack Sparrow (from the book series), Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, etc. It is like a pop-up book in a way as there are letters you can open, a set of pirate flags (from the Pirate Lords), a replica of one of the cursed Aztec gold pieces (not really a coin as it is more like thick cardboard), etc. If you are a fan of the films, you will NOT be disappointed!

My 8 year old nephew couldn't put this book down with all the secret compartments, maps and surprises. Actually my 4 year old daughter couldn't put it down either, I had to tell her it was her cousin's christmas present and she would have to let him show it to her. Great gift for Pirates of the Caribbean lover's.

I think it did a great job of explaining India and getting things done in India. Lots of good points, nicely put. It was fun to read. I think it makes any foreigner much more knowledgeable and confident about how to deal with the Indian market and people.

Even though my interest is specifically in doing non-profit work in India, not necessarily business per se, I was still able to benefit a lot from this book.

It is a great introduction to India in general for Americans like me, helpfully summarizing elements of the country's history, politics, and law that one needs to know to operate there, and most helpfully helping you recognize potential difficulties you and your Indian co-workers will face in communicating with one another, and how to overcome them.

I will for sure require my India team members to read this book!

This book is a great way for people to learn how to do simple math problems (arithmetic operations) in their heads. Unlike some other books in the same genre that simply give you gimmicks without explaining how or why they work, W. J. Howard offers tricks that have a solid basis in mathematical logic and explains the rationale. Another problem that many other mental math books have is that they require you to memorize a lot of rules that aren't easily relatable to common sense. Dr. Howard's book, however, only gives you a few rules which are easier to remember because they have a logical basis.

Even if you aren't interested in mental math, this book is a great refresher for those who have forgotten how to do arithmetic without a calculator. So toss out your calculators, sharpen your pencils, and buy this book. You won't regret it.

Howard's book is the perfect addition to the homeschoolers' curricula. This book teaches you all those techniques your old fashioned math teacher used to teach and that aren't in the standard math text. It gives an overview of each idea and follows with sample problems. Tremendously helpful in getting your student to make that leap between concrete math of elementary school and the abstract math of Algebra. Works with even the math-shy student. Should be a part of every parent's arsenal of math aids. Helps the parent remember these as well.

Dropped From Heaven has become our standard Mother's Day and graduation gift. This many layered collection of short stories is many stories wrapped in one. It is a story of a vanished and reborn community, it is story of two world cultures the Indian and the Jewish. As large as the scope is, the collection is humane and paints a loving picture of humanity with all its faults and glories. The stories made me laugh out loud and cry as well.
This book will be our main gift going forward for birthdays and other occasion for our curious, sensitive and adventurous friends and relatives.
Mrs. Judah please write more!!

This book of connected tales that take place in the Bene Israel community in India offers a sense of timelessness, despite the stories being grouped by date. Judah's writing is deceptively simple, like the Tao te Ching, and she creates a community in the same way Damon Runyon evokes Broadway hustlers and Giovanni Guareschi's Don Camillo novels give us an aperture to view the lives of the people who live on the River Po.

Having known nothing of the Jewish community in India, I was fascinated by the concept...but found myself caring about the characters even more than the unique setting. You'll find yourself respecting the fiercely honest Joseph and rooting for Hannah and Benny to live a long life together. These are characters and stories and truths that will take up house room in your memory even after you finish the book.

This lavishly illustrated volume gives an excellent view of the East India Company - the experiences of the British in India, the spices and goods of interest to the West, and the history of the company over the centuries.

This book is deserving than more than just 5 stars.

As a historian myself, the biggest problem in expressing yourself is making "old" topics informative and interesting to modern generations. Antony Wild has succeeded beyond any scale of recognition in his book The East India Company: Trade and Conquest from 1600.

This book, which details the English East India Company's history will appeal to anyone with an interest in British, Indian, Asian, American, military, nautical, or commerical history-- it is that wide-ranging. This book is also a must-read for anyone interested or concerned over the so-called modern phenomenon of "globalization." After reading Wild's account, one can see that globalization has been around for nearly four hundred years, if not longer.

The English East India Company, acting under a royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I, sought entry into the Spice Trade in Asia. Soon, however, it found itself involved with Indian piece trade and trade from the Middle East and Arabia. Its trade interests in India eventually led to de facto conquest and colonization on that subcontinent-- all with the tacit support of the crown. The company reached into China and even North America-- it was East India Company tea that got dumped into Boston Harbor during the Tea Party.

The company exported and imported goods, laid the foundations for three important Indian cities, fought land wars and naval battles with other European merchant powers or local natives, and brought a host of new products and new words into the consciousness of the English-speaking world.

India proved to be the company's lasting legacy, and not always a positive one. However Wild provides a well-balanced account that does not paint the company as either completely ethical traders or imperialistic devils. No matter one's opinion, India proved to the company's (and Britain's) largest asset and also the cause for the company's eventual dissolution.

The book is well-illustrated and is an easy but very informative read. I would rank this amongst the top 10 books I have read in the last 5 years.