Lonely Planet Sacred India

Amazon.com

Sacred India is a close-focus view of spirituality in India with a very God-is-in-the-details approach. Lonely Planet tackles a bafflingly large subject with admirable grace in this loosely structured, accessibly sized coffee-table book. A florid painting of Ganesh, a hundred capped heads bowed in prayer, weather-beaten flags whipped in the Himalayan wind: all are diverse glimpses of India's spiritual cultures. India's four major religions--Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, and Buddhism--are gathered in an impressionistic collage of vibrant photos and text. Christianity, Jainism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, as well as tribal religions and gurus are also covered in smaller sections. The book's photos are lavish in color and pungently evocative--but decidedly not opulent. They excel at the intensely personal (a lotus flower, a turban-swathed camel trader, a Muslim woman reading the Quran), but their zoomed-in style sometimes falls short of capturing the sense of awe and grandeur we like to associate with religion. Sacred India offers brief glimpses of a wide-ranging and multicolored land; but unlike the fable of the blind men and the elephant, the picture formed in the mind's eye from these richly textured details will be greater than the sum of its parts. --Jhana Bach

Book Description

From a humble postal worker performing puja for the safe passage of a parcel to people who believe they are gods, religion suffuses every aspect of daily life in India. Sacred India explores the presence of the divine in the mundane, through breathtaking photography and the equally intriguing stories of the people involved. Sacred India is the perfect book for anyone who has ever travelled to India and wondered at the worship of holy cows or the discipline of Ramadan fasters. It is also perfect for those who may have never travelled anywhere, but who like to explore the different paths of the inner world. Above all, it is a book that will delight the eye and enrich the soul.

The birthplace of both Hinduism and Buddhism, India also boasts the world's largest Islamic population and one of the world's oldest Jewish communities. Tribal religions, Jainism and the esoterica of Zoroastrianism add to the seemingly bewildering array of faiths jostling for space. That India has mostly been able to contain the inevitable frictions is a miracle in itself. Seeking out the thoughts of a young bride at a Hindu wedding, a Sikh woman on a pilgrimage to the Golden Temple at Amritsar, or the impressions of Western visitors to the holy site of Pushkar, Sacred India is a lavish affirmation of the strength we derive from our spirituality - whatever its form.

Contents: Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, Christianity, Gurus & Ashrams, Jainism, Judaism, Tribal Religions and Zoroastrianism.

Customer Reviews:

Overview with gorgeous photos.......2004-11-08

India is a place where you'll miss A LOT if you don't have some understanding of the religious traditions. This lovely book covers the great religions--Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, etc.--with an admittedly broad brush, but it's enough to give you a taste of what you'll see and hopefully whet your appetite for more. Not quite a coffee table book, not really a guide book--but Lonely Planet generally does a good job of conveying culture as well as travel facts. Would also make a nice gift.

An introduction to religions in India.......2002-11-23

India is a secular country that respects all religions. It is the birthplace of both Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism. It also has one of the world's oldest Jewish communities (though it is fast depleting thanks to emigration to Israel). The tolerance and acceptance of each other's very different beliefs is a part of the Indian psyche. Whatever one may read about religious violence in that country is more a result of manipulations by politicians than anything else.

This coffee-table format book offers a simplistic high-level introduction to the very complex subject of religions in India including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, Christianity, Jainism, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism- some more detailed than the other. It contains color photographs on every page. Rather than the photographs complementing the text, each text block describes a specific photograph. Some pictures and text associated with Hinduism are very region specific and are not a general representation of the religion. E.g. picture of the Bride and the practice described is very specific to Bengal state. This may be as much as 95% different for other brides, depending on the state. Since an attempt has been made to cover a very complex subject in a few pages, the result is surface grazing of the subject rather than deep insight or detailed treatment. The impact of religion on daily life is well represented and explained. This book by Lonely Planet is a decent starter book for introduction to various religions.

Sacred India.......2000-04-11

Beautiful evocation of the many religions that make up India. The book focuses mainly on the tenets and customs of the four major religions in India...Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, and Buddhism...but touches on the other religions as well, if more briefly. The juxtaposition of the photographs, history, explanations of religious practices, and the words and experiences of the faithful brings these religions to life with great clarity. My only complaint is that the pictures are too small...although a "coffee table" size book might have proved a bit more unwieldy to read, the photographs would have had greater visual impact had they been larger. Yet overall, I would recommend this book as a good introduction to the spiritual life of India and its people.

Book Description

Li Mu Bai achieves a new kung fu level and gains enormous power. He and Yu Shu Lien lead the royal army to strike back and defeat the foreign invaders. Li finds out that Jade Fox, who tried to kill him before, may be working for Governor Yu's family. This battle makes Li and Yu very famous and everybody knows the invaders will not come again!

Average customer rating:

Great Gag Gift
If only I could give a zero
Beautiful artwork and an interesting story
Top of the list of best movie-based graphic novels.
Beautiful.. Delicate worký

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Vol. 1
Wang Du Lu , and Andy Seto
Manufacturer: ComicsOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1588999998

Book Description

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a beautiful story filled to the brim with fast paced action, well-developed characters, trials of loyalty, deception, ambition and intrigue. Set against the gorgeous backdrop of Ancient China, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon takes the reader on an exciting allegory of epic proportions. Rejoin warriors Shu Lien and the legendary Li Mu Bai as they fight the love they feel for each other as well as many highly skilled and elaborate kung fu masters.

Customer Reviews:

Great Gag Gift.......2004-08-16

If you have friend who's a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fanatic, manga/comic book lover, this would be a great gag gift. Page after page of hilariously bad dialogue. Spitting out horrible line after horrible line. The drawing isn't the greatest either. the characters have huge foreheads and bodies sometimes out of proportion. If nothing else, the only redeeming quality about this horrible exploitation of a movie franchise, is the main male character proclaims something along the lines of: 'She is sixteen, She is Perfect!'

If only I could give a zero.......2004-08-14

The translation was melodramatic at best. The cultural note stating that an ancient chinese coin was worth about $1.40 was painful. My question was: "Is that in Ancient American Dollars?"
The artwork was good, but could not compensate for the piss poor narration and atrocious dialogue. I did not find the action to be particularly imaginative.

Beautiful artwork and an interesting story.......2003-01-12

Contrary to what most people seem to think, this comic is not based on the movie of the same name. The movie was based on the fourth in a series of five novels by Wang Du Lu. The comic begins with by adapting book three and, if I've heard correctly, will adapt all the way through book five.
Anyway, the comic itself is definitely a sight to behold. There is so much detail and the art is so fluid and the colors are so vivid it just demands a second read to take everything in. The story is very interesting, beginning with two thieves attempting to steal the Green Destiny (a sword with great power) which of course results in some truly beautiful fight sequences. The pacing is perfect. It never seems rushed or too slow. Once you sit down and start reading, you won't stop until it's finished. And that leads me to my only complaint: it's too short, especially for the price. Though it is a very entertaining read and the production values seem to be pretty high (it is in full color) the story itself is only about 80 pages long, and those 80 pages go by really fast. I finished it in only about 20 minutes, maybe less.
Overall, an excellent and entertaining graphic novel. I'm highy anticipating the next volume.

Top of the list of best movie-based graphic novels........2003-01-02

This is a stunning example of Andy Soto's dedication to both his art and the material. The result is profound, inspiring and a delight to read.

Mr. Soto excels under the pressure from meeting the Author's wife to research the book. This dynamic approach to interpreting the material provides a fresh story. Soto's illustrations create an intricate level of character design and rendering.

This is only book one. I greatly anticipate book two, but worry that this isn't being marketed to the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon movie fans.

Beautiful.. Delicate worký.......2002-12-27

Beautiful.. Delicate work...

In what I hope is going to be a long run of books, Andy Seto takes Wang Du Lu's classic martial arts series "The Iron/Crane Pentalogy" and transfers them into some beautiful Chinese manga.

If you ever wondered what happened before and after the movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" this will be the series to watch.

Up until now Wang Du Lu's books have never been translated into English. Seto does an excellent job with the translation and captures the look, romance and spirit of the film with his outstanding delicate art.

This is a MUST buy for anyone who loved Crouching Tiger and would like to know more about the characters and story.

Book Description

The start of Episode 2! New story, new characters and new kung fu now show up on the scene! Two new warriors, Jen and Lo, are going to join the kung fu world. Will they affect the status of Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien? Li will renew his swordplay with his master Nan Chiang - what new height of power will he reach? On the other hand, Jade Fox is going to steal the secret treasure of the Wudan Society. What exactly will it be? How will it help to enhance her swordmanship to the extreme and conquer the others?

Customer Reviews:

Romantic.......2005-07-05

I just LOVED reading about Jen Yu and Dark Cloud! It's great when they had a duel and fell in love. Compared to the part about them, the stuff about Yu Shen, Mu Bai, and all the other characters were boring. I highly recommend this book, except when Jen Yu and Dark Cloud are in the cave...ew. But anyway, it's a cool book with beautiful illustrations.

crouching tiger hidden dragon #5.......2004-11-25

This book was totally cool. I loved it when the book got to show Jen Yu as a girl and show her as an adult. I loved the drawings which are SO detailed. But I didn't really like the ending where this bandit wanted a match with Jen Yu because I wanted to read more!

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon #10 (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)

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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon #10 (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Wang Du Lu , and Andy Seto
Manufacturer: HK Comics Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 9628527886

Book Description

Jen Yu asks Jade Fox to inform Lo that he should devote himself to the government and fight the enemy. However, Jade Fox wants to maintain control over Jen Yu and does not relay the message, sabotaging Jen Yu's original plan. Lo receives no recognition from the government, despite his effort and superb skills in martial arts, which breaks Jen's heart. Jade Fox, jealous of Li Mu Bai's reputation, comes up with a venomous plan; she divulges secret information to the enemy regarding the national security, and sets a trap to kill Li Mu Bai...

Operation Crouching Dragon (Twilight: 2000, 2nd edition)

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Operation Crouching Dragon (Twilight: 2000, 2nd edition)

Manufacturer: GDW
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1558781358

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon #9 (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)

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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon #9 (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Wang Du Lu , and Andy Seto
Manufacturer: HK Comics Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 9628527878

Book Description

When foreigners invade China, the city of Xin Jiang becomes an important military base due to its location. Under the order of the emperor, Sir Te leads the royal army to Xin Jiang to defend the city, retaining Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien to work for the government, where they became famous for their kung fu abilities. But when the royal army is defeated several times by the foreign invaders, Jen Yu proposes a plan to her father, Governor Yu: Summon the bandit "Dark Cloud" Lo and demand that he surrender and fight for the government! Jen Yu hopes that Lo can have a successful career if he works for the government, and that they can be together...

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Volume 4 Revised & Expanded Deluxe (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon)

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Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Volume 4 Revised & Expanded Deluxe (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon)
Wang Du Lu
Manufacturer: HK Comics Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 9889843730

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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon #3
Andy Seto , Wang Du Lu , and Masahiro Shibata
Manufacturer: ComicsOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1588991768

Book Description

The search for Shu Lien's fiancé continues. But first Li must deal with the famous kung fu raider, Little Lubu - Phoenix Wei. Also, we get to meet a new enemy, again for the first time. This, plus more of the Green Destiny Sword!

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: A Portrait of Ang Lee's Epic Film

Average customer rating:

Great... For all dedicated fans.
Just buy the dvd
Is that all?
A beautiful companion to a great film
A World of Tigers and Dragons...

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: A Portrait of Ang Lee's Epic Film
Linda Sunshine , and David Bordwell
Manufacturer: Newmarket Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

ASIN: 1557044570

Amazon.com

Every movie should be as kinetic and romantic as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and every tie-in book should be as smart and lovely to look at as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: A Portrait of the Ang Lee Film. It has sumptuous color photos of the otherworldly locations, from the Gobi desert to Anji's bamboo forest; an ace essay by Time's Richard Corliss, the best prose stylist among film critics; and it's studded with scads of factoids and reminiscences from the director, the stars, and--most helpfully--the film scholar David Bordwell.

Bordwell explains what the heck the title means (dragons denote hot, rebellious youth, characterizing the lovers Jen and Lo, and the repressed passion smoldering within the older, thwarted lovers, Yu Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai), the film's place in Chinese cinema history (wuxia martial-arts films are a titanic tradition rooted in folk tales), and all manner of intriguing arcana briskly noted in a lively style. Lee tells how the film squares with his other works like Sense and Sensibility: "In a family drama, there is a verbal fight. Here, you kick butt." Though one does wish it were longer, this thoughtful, beautifully laid-out book moves the spirit--plus, it kicks butt. --Tim Appelo

Book Description

The winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Foreign-Language Film, Art Direction, Cinematography, and Original Music.

To coincide with the Sony Pictures Classics release--this elegantly illustrated moviebook captures the beauty, spirit, and extraordinary talents behind what TimeAsia heralded as an "instant classic...a rule-bending master-piece that weds martial arts with sense and sensibility." The latest film from Sense and Sensibility director is an epic love story and a thrilling action drama set against the breathtaking landscapes of ancient China, filmed entirely on location. Based on a five-volume Chinese novel by Wang Du Lu, the project was scripted by Wang Hui Ling (Eat Drink Man Woman), James Schamus (The Ice Storm), and Tsai Kuo Jung. Marking Ang Lee's first Chinese-language feature since 1994, the film is punctuated by beautifully choreographed fight scenes and dazzling stunts masterminded by Yuen Wo-Ping, who worked on The Matrix. The actors include the two most popular Asian actors in the world, Chow Yun Fat (Anna and the King, The Replacement Killers) and Michelle Yeoh (Supercop, Tomorrow Never Dies). The Newmarket book includes the screenplay, stunning full-color photographs before and behind the cameras, interviews and notes with filmmakers, features on the history and tradition of martial arts storytelling and filmmaking, and articles by Time's Richard Corliss and world renowned film scholar David Bordwell.

"A breathtaking epic love story set in mythical China, where saber wielding Taoist masters--most of them women--save the day."--Lee Yanowitch, Reuters

"A sweeping romantic epic with a strong feminist backbone [with] a generous offering of seriously kick-ass action sequences that make The Matrix seem downright quaint by comparison."--Michael Rechtshaften, Hollywood Reporter

[The film is] "a blending, not a collision, of Eastern physical grace and Western intensity of performance, of Hong Kong kung fu directness and British attention to behavioral nuance."--Richard Corliss, TimeAsia cover story (7/10/00)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is produced by Sony Pictures Classics, Good Machine International, and Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia.

Customer Reviews:

Great... For all dedicated fans........2001-06-11

This is a GREAT book... It includes the screenplay of the film, which, is nice to read once in awhile when not watching the DVD. It's filled w/ wonderful photos from the movie and set, and has many quotes and commentaries from actors and Ang Lee about certain situations while filming... and about the film. It's very entertaining to read, but I just wish there was more information about the actors included in the pages. There are comments about them and their performances here and there... and the quotes are great, but the background info on all of the actors is just not there. But all dedicated crouching tiger fans should get it, b/c it's just so nicely laid out and is such good quality. I mean, who cares if they leave a little out? It's so fun to look at!

Just buy the dvd.......2001-04-12

the book does not tell you much about the actors, the director, the genre, or other related subjects. its okay to browse through while your at a bookstore but not for purchase.

Is that all?.......2001-04-05

Ok, I liked the movie, and as the book is like the script from the movie I liked it too, but...

Is that all? the script from what we already saw? I realy hoped to find more insight in the story, on the philosophy. Something that explanes a few eastern philosophies used in the movie wich are not that clear for western people.

Well, the photos look great and so on, but I realy hoped for something I didn't already saw in the movie itself...

A beautiful companion to a great film.......2001-03-23

Like many filmgoers, I fell in love with "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," the Ang Lee film which blends historical drama, martial arts action, romance, and spirituality into a breathtaking cinematic experience. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: A Portrait of the Ang Lee Film" is a visually stunning book which captures the spirit of the great film. The book contains the complete screenplay (in English), a foreword by director Lee, and many interesting notes and sidebars by those who crafted the film.

The book is rich in full-color photos that celebrate the sumptuous beauty of Ang Lee's vision. Looking at the book, I gained an increased appreciation for the artistry and attention to detail that went into the design of the costumes, props, and sets for the film. There are many excellent portraits of the film's superb cast, particularly of Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chow Yun Fat, Chang Chen, and Cheng Pei Pei.

The sidebars are particularly fascinating. Many of them give insights into Chinese history and culture. One sidebar tells a little about Wang Du Lu, who wrote the novel upon which the script was based; another sidebar explores the relationship between "Crouching Tiger" and Ang Lee's 1995 film "Sense and Sensibility." The other sidebars are similarly informative.

This book is a beautiful keepsake that will allow you to relive one of the most enchanting films ever made. Ang Lee, screenwriter James Schamus, and all others who contributed to this book have given a wonderful gift to the film's fans.

A World of Tigers and Dragons..........2001-02-17

Ang Lee's film, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is an absolute masterpiece; it's one of the best films I've ever seen, and I'm not easily impressed. This book, which includes the entire screenplay, is a worthy- if somewhat slight- companion to it.

The book contains a number of beautiful color photographs, and commentary from Ang Lee, co-writer James Schamus, critic Richard Corliss (his Time magazine review, actually) and some background on the wuxia pian film genre the film's story is rooted in. If you're in love with the movie, you'll definitely want this book; having the entire screenplay is worth the price.

What keeps it from achieving the five-star status the film surely will attain is that it really needs a bit more. I would've loved a more in-depth look at the film's production. The book has one sidebar on the beautiful costumes, and glosses over certain production problems (weather, digital wire-removal difficulties); at one point, Ang Lee writes how he doubts he'll ever be fully healthy again, but there's no explanation other than he worked extremely hard on this project.

Still, it's marvelous to be able to read Jen Yu's (Zhang Ziyi) entire restaurant speech (from a particularly thrilling sequence where she battles about two dozen men) and Li Mu Bai's (Chow Yun Fat) touching valediction, delivered to Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh). The book's design work mirrors the film's antique look and is a nice match for its production design.

While the film junkie (and "Crouching Tiger" fan) in me would love to read more about how they made this magical movie, I still recommend you check out "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: A Portrait of Ang Lee's Epic Film." But only after you've watched the film.

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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon #4 - Revised & Expanded Edition
Wang Du Lu , and Andy Seto
Manufacturer: HK Comics Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon #3

ASIN: 9889797208

Book Description

Has Li Mu Bai finally met defeat by the mighty Shaolin adept - Golden Spear Cheung? It certainly looks that way. But like Li has said in the past; "Never underestimate the power of Tai Chi Sword style!" This particular sword stance is made even more fearsome with the use of the potent Green Destiny sword and ironically, a little help from Golden Spear's own robust chi! Also Jade Fox reveals a potentially crippling revelation regarding Wudan kung fu. It's Shaolin vs. Wudan!

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