THE HINDUS: AN ALTERNATIVE HISTORY

Book ID/图书代码： 04332808B25438

English Summary/英文概要： An engrossing and definitive narrative account of history and myth that offers a new way of understanding one of the world’s oldest major religions.

Hinduism does not lend itself easily to a strictly chronological account: many of its central texts cannot be reliably dated even within a century; its central tenets—karma, dharma, to name just two—arise at particular moments in Indian history and differ in each era, from gender to gender, and caste to caste; and what is shared among Hindus is overwhelmingly outnumbered by the things that are unique to one group or another. Yet the greatness of Hinduism—its vitality, its earthiness, its vividness—lies precisely in many of those idiosyncratic qualities that continue to inspire debate today. In this groundbreaking work, Wendy Doniger elucidates the relationship between recorded history and imaginary worlds, the inner life and the social history of Hindus.

Wendy Doniger is one of the foremost scholars of Hinduism in the world. With her inimitable insight and expertise Doniger illuminates those moments within the Hindu tradition that resist forces that would standardize or establish a canon. Without reversing or misrepresenting the historical hierarchies, she reveals how Sanskrit and vernacular sources are rich in knowledge of and compassion toward women and lower castes; how they debate tensions surrounding religious violence and tolerance; and how animals are the key to important shifts in attitudes toward different social classes.

The Hindus highlights a narrative that includes alternative people and is alternative both to the histories presented in most surveys in English and to the history promulgated by some contemporary Hindus on the political right in India. It brings a fascinating multiplicity of actors and stories to the stage to show how brilliant and creative thinkers—many of them far removed from Brahmin authors of Sanskrit texts—have kept Hinduism alive in ways that other scholars have not fully explored. In this unique and authoritative account, debates about Hindu traditions become platforms from which to consider the ironies, and overlooked epiphanies, of history.

Chinese Summary/中文概要： 印度教是人類最古老的宗教之一，屬於一種多神信仰，其不只是宗教，更深入現代文明與文化生活的各環節。Wendy Doniger是全世界研究印度教的重要學者之一，深入且生動地介紹對主要宗教之一的印度教。(VC)

Awards/获奖情况：Advance Praise
“This is history as great entertainment! Unlike the usual, arid accounts of dynasties, Wendy Doniger’s double vision of Hinduism is about women, merchants, lower castes, animals, spirits and, of course, Dead Male Brahmins. This lively, earthy account explains why ancient India is the world’s richest story-telling culture.
—Gurcharan Das, author of India Unbound

"Wendy Doniger’s enthralling and encyclopedic book reveals her vision of a Hindu culture that is plural, varied, generous, and inclusive. Hinduism, in her view, is an intricate weave of the diverse localities and communities of Indian culture. This is a rich text that will encourage dialogue and conversation amongst a wide range of scholars."
— Homi K. Bhabha, Anne F. Rothenberg Professor of the Humanities, Harvard University

“With her vast erudition, insight and graceful writing laced with gentle wit, there is no one better than Wendy Doniger to convey the richness, depth and diversity of Hindu texts and traditions to international audiences. The Hindus is destined to become a classic that will be discussed and debated for many years to come.”
— Sudhir Kakar, author of Indian Identity

About the Author/作者介绍： WENDY DONIGER holds two doctorates in Sanskrit and Indian Studies from Harvard and Oxford. She is the author of several translations of Sanskrit texts and many books about Hinduism, and has taught at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London and at the University of California at Berkeley. She is currently the Mircea Eliade Distinguished Service Professor of the History of Religions at the University of Chicago.

Format:TRADE PAPERBACK

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