Alice B. reviewed on + 3731 more book reviews
This is more than a beautiful very large, coffee table book. It is a beautiful historical great Color photography of Petra, The Holy Land and the Far East Shrines.
This wonderful Book illustrates the human story is made up of powerful ideas and beliefs, not of economy, industry and mere survival. This should be clear to anyone who takes the time to consider the enormous energy which was naturally put into the building and ornamentation of temples and monuments of all ages and places, an energy far beyond all purely practical purposes.
This atlas of holy places and sacred sites gives us a much more qualitative picture of the world than any purely geographical, statistical or political representation ever will. However, readers without some foreknowledge in world traditions, comparative religion, archaeo-astronomy and the like are unlikely to see how each site fits into a more universal whole and so might feel a bit lost in the myriad of places (and periods) the book visits. But then, of course, one can hardly pretend to be a connoisseur in a more complex thing than the history of civilization.
Also, readers will inevitably think that something important was left out or that the author was either too cautious or too daring in his interpretations of the origin and use of specific sites, mainly the older ones. But, by taking on himself the impossible and thankless task of pleasing every seeker and lover of our spiritual legacy, Colin Wilson has produced a beautiful book (gorgeous pictures, layout and binding) with a very helpful gazetteer (takes more time to make than one thinks!) to which or from which each reader can add or subtract whatever he feels is incumbent.
Yes, this book is "more than just another pretty coffee-table book"; in fact, there is no reason why you should not have this work of reference on your shelf.
This wonderful Book illustrates the human story is made up of powerful ideas and beliefs, not of economy, industry and mere survival. This should be clear to anyone who takes the time to consider the enormous energy which was naturally put into the building and ornamentation of temples and monuments of all ages and places, an energy far beyond all purely practical purposes.
This atlas of holy places and sacred sites gives us a much more qualitative picture of the world than any purely geographical, statistical or political representation ever will. However, readers without some foreknowledge in world traditions, comparative religion, archaeo-astronomy and the like are unlikely to see how each site fits into a more universal whole and so might feel a bit lost in the myriad of places (and periods) the book visits. But then, of course, one can hardly pretend to be a connoisseur in a more complex thing than the history of civilization.
Also, readers will inevitably think that something important was left out or that the author was either too cautious or too daring in his interpretations of the origin and use of specific sites, mainly the older ones. But, by taking on himself the impossible and thankless task of pleasing every seeker and lover of our spiritual legacy, Colin Wilson has produced a beautiful book (gorgeous pictures, layout and binding) with a very helpful gazetteer (takes more time to make than one thinks!) to which or from which each reader can add or subtract whatever he feels is incumbent.
Yes, this book is "more than just another pretty coffee-table book"; in fact, there is no reason why you should not have this work of reference on your shelf.
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