Review by Choice Review
This volume treats of six religious traditions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism) in separate chapters. Each chapter consists of an introduction of about ten pages and a selection of primary texts, each with its own brief introduction. Each tradition is allocated about 75 pages and is covered by a separate author/editor. The introductory material is well done, and for many readers will be the main interest of the book. The introductions to both Christianity and Buddhism are of special interest, as both traditions have long entertained a tension between family and higher spiritual aspiration. The primary texts vary considerably in their form, from dry legal codes to lively stories, and sometimes myths. Enumeration of what constitutes proper or illicit marriage, divorce, and sexual conduct makes for useful reading, but only a lawyer could love it. Indeed the study grew out of a project undertaken by the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University. Unfortunately, the computerized spell-checker approach to proofreading has served the editors poorly, as there are far too many typographical errors (e.g., peer for seer, department for deportment, and roan for man). Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and graduate students. A. L. Miller emeritus, Miami University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
