No comments about Visions of Mughal India: An Anthology of European Travel Writing.

5 comments about Avatar of Night, Special Millennial Edition.

1. I couldn't wait to read this book because I was really seeking answers on who Sai Baba is. As a former hindu, I really needed to know, because my parents continue to believe in him. He proclaims himself to be god, but Brooke's book reveals his true nature: the modern antichrist. "The Lord of the Air", also by Brooke, is an older version of this book, but the millenial edition has more pictures and makes the reading more interesting.



2. I picked up this book in college at a friend's house. I had an hour or two to kill so I skimmed through it and found the book fascinating. I put the book down with the idea that I would get my own copy and read it soon.
   
   Well, about 15 years later, I finally got around to buying the book and reading it. First, I consider the book a credible eye witness account of the "dark side" doing false miracles and seemingly magical things, which for me is a big plus as I dive into researching the fortean realm. Tal is a Christian, and this book explains how he got saved while at the same time doesn't get to preachy, which I really liked.
   
   All in all a great and fascinating read. If you want to read about an up close and personal account of the subtile side of satanic forces at work and the power of an almighty God, but not a book full of lame christianese, this book will be for you.



3. This book drew my interest because I am old enough to remember the scene of the late sixties and seventies when Eastern religion and meditation was all the rage in American pop culture. This is the time frame of the author's account of traveling to India in search of something "real", but winding up instead with something dreadful and evil. After two years of dedicated discipling under a guru who almost completly dominated him, he was saved by the Holy Spirit through two older missionaries faithfully witnessing for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a powerful testimony, indeed.
   The story is well written; Brooke certainly has an excellent command of English and a sharp wit. He can draw an interesting picture with words that will keep the reader's interest for 400 pages. But I wish there was more about what the religious aspects of his experiences were. What the devil were you thinking, anyway?
   This is a worthwhile book to read for several reasons. It will deliver insight into the counterfeit religion of Satan in whatever form it takes, and reassure you of the overwhelming power of God's will in His sovereign act of election.



4. I read Brooke's Lord of the Air account of Sai Baba years ago and it creeped me out but didn't surprise me. Anyone who has read Watchman Nee's "Latent Power of the Soul" and read enough history, will realize that within Man resides unlocked powers and pathways to power. The fearsome reality is that those who may want to work good with soul-power are doomed to be targets for the "dark side" creatures (demons) that feed on and utilize such power. Remember the Egyptian sorceres worked copies of Moses' miracles. So Sai Baba claiming godhood and divinity is no big deal as the god he is empowered by is a fallen spiritual entity. The fact Tal Brooke escaped the powerful perversions of Sai Baba is in itself a miracle. Read this book and get hip to a MetaReality beyond so-called "holy" men and their cheap copies of the Eternal Power of YHWH.



5. Reveals the true inner side of the so called 'God' in the sub continent. But there are other Human Gods whose mask is yet to be torn.

No comments about Away From Home: Letters to My Family.

1 comments about National Geographic Traveler: India 2nd Edition (National Geographic Traveler).

1. I bought this guide thinking I was going to get an accurate view of India -more anthropology, art history, etc, than other guides in the market that cater to the non adventure types, given the author's knowledge of Indian Art and frequent travels to the subcontinent. However, the guide turned out to be kind of disappointing and although nice pictures, very hollow. It offers a rather oversimplified view on various topics ranging from women's role in society and textiles, for example, while lacking information on everyday etiquette. It doesn't offer information or approx admission charges for museums and sites (would have been useful to know that foreigners are charged more than residents and that guide books are not allowed in the Taj Mahal). The distribution of the text boxes in the guide is also a bit disturbing, I would have preferred to have all these information condensed at the beginning of the guide instead of randomly dispersed in the regional sections.
   I don't know exactly when was her last travel to India, but she misses to mention a lot of interesting spots for shopping, sightseeing and partying.

No comments about Delhi, Jaipur and Agra Travel Pack (Globetrotter Travel Packs).

No comments about Alberuni's India (Abridged) (Norton Library).

3 comments about Sherpas: Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal.

1. A very informative and readable book. The author provides a thoughtful and moving account of the Sherpas and how their community is being transformed by the forces of modernization. The book is well-researched, thorough, and balanced. The author's personal accounts and anecdotes that cover a quarter of a century, complemented by excellent photographs, are particular strengths. Excellent reading for anyone with an interest in the Sherpas of Nepal.



2. A very informative and readable book. The author provides a thoughtful and moving account of the Sherpas and how their community is being transformed by the forces of modernization. The book is well-researched, thorough, and balanced. The author's personal accounts and anecdotes that cover a quarter of a century, complemented by excellent photographs, are particular strengths. Excellent reading for anyone with an interest in the Sherpas of Nepal.



3. James Fisher worked with Edmund Hillary in the early 1960's to establish the early Sherpa schools in Khumjung and Jung Gompa (Junbesi) as well as the medical supplies landing strips at Lukla and Phaplu. Thus he learned first hand the basics of Sherpa culture and economy; he had a good working understanding of Sherpa moral values, too.

   Returning to USA for PhD in Anthropology, Prof. Fisher developed a theoretical understanding of human society. He then coupled theory with his practical knowledge of Sherpa life, and did several outstanding studies of Sherpa culture which ask the right questions of the appropriate spokespeople resulting in culturally accurate answers.

   Sherpa Friendship Association always recommends Sherpas: Reflections on Change as the first book anyone should read to answer the vital questions: what is happening to Sherpa society now? Is Sherpa religion dead? Have Sherpa values collapsed into generic materialism? Many folks recently returned from Himalayan trekking or those studying vajrayana buddhism, as well as Sherpa leaders, are very concerned to find these answers. You will find Prof. Fisher's answers accurate and positive, because he does not ask random informants (or informants with mischievious motivation) like many other anthroplogists who go on to write books on Sherpas.

   Essentially, Fisher's interviews show that Sherpa culture remains vibrant, moral, and strongly religious. Great book, highly recommended!

No comments about Travellers Maldives: Guides to destinations worldwide (Travellers - Thomas Cook).

No comments about India (Rough Guide 25s).

5 comments about Burmese Looking Glass: A Human Rights Adventure and a Jungle Revolution.

1. Edith Mirante's travel goals are pretty much similar to mine - see and report honestly, ignore travel hype, live as the locals, learn about political constraints, try to be sensitive to my gigantic country's effect on people in places where there are few American eyes. Are the people I meet in danger? Are they happy? Are they above the level of survival? Are they threatened by officials? For the reader who routinely asks such questions, Edith Mirante is the ideal travel guide. She rewrites the definition of "intrepid." She goes where no Americans are allowed, walking for days on blisters to visit Karen tribespeople, traveling clandestinely in hill country for the chance to meet a famous druglord and understand how the "Myanmar" army thugs have forced hill tribes to grow opium in place of crops. She braves Thai jail in order to push the envelope, sensing the most profound truths may lie just beyond those travel restrictions. They often do. Everywhere she manages to go, she tells us whom she sees, and what she hears. Everything Edith does stems from relationships. Edith brings gifts to her hosts. She is polite. She is properly outraged when she discovers mistreatment of the people she visits. And most of all, she goes the extra distance to return and hold her own American government responsible for mishandling the regional situation to the point of destruction. Most of us will never be able to travel to the places Edith takes us. If we did, there would be still fewer of us who could understand what we found when we got there. Since I read this book a year ago I have been surprised by how often I hear news items about Burma. What I hear often echoes the book. There are the accounts of farmers enslaved by the Burmese government to dig a pipeline for an American oil company - the farmers are now suing the oil company for enslavement in American court. Two young Karen brothers have had their pictures on the cover of a large-circulation American magazine for their desperate attempts to win back their lands and safety from the "Myanmar" army, which demands the complete destruction of all hill tribes. A much-beloved Burmese leader remains under house arrest. And, of course, American citizens are regularly requested to boycott American firms doing business with the brutal Burmese government. Burma may be half a world from the West. But it is no longer sufficient for westerners to rely on ignorance. It may be argued that increased worldwide communication allows us to be compassionate in new ways. We cannot all go to Burma to find out what is happening there. That is why a book like this is so valuable. Edith Mirante has already been there. She has done some of the preliminary footwork for the rest of us.



2. Edith Mirante's travel goals are pretty much similar to mine - see and report honestly, ignore travel hype, live as the locals, learn about political constraints, try to be sensitive to my gigantic country's effect on people in places where there are few American eyes. Are the people I meet in danger? Are they happy? Are they above the level of survival? Are they threatened by officials? For the reader who routinely asks such questions, Edith Mirante is the ideal travel guide. She rewrites the definition of "intrepid." She goes where no Americans are allowed, walking for days on blisters to visit Karen tribespeople, traveling clandestinely in hill country for the chance to meet a famous druglord and understand how the "Myanmar" army thugs have forced hill tribes to grow opium in place of crops. She braves Thai jail in order to push the envelope, sensing the most profound truths may lie just beyond those travel restrictions. They often do. Everywhere she manages to go, she tells us whom she sees, and what she hears. Everything Edith does stems from relationships. Edith brings gifts to her hosts. She is polite. She is properly outraged when she discovers mistreatment of the people she visits. And most of all, she goes the extra distance to return and hold her own American government responsible for mishandling the regional situation to the point of destruction. Most of us will never be able to travel to the places Edith takes us. If we did, there would be still fewer of us who could understand what we found when we got there. Since I read this book a year ago I have been surprised by how often I hear news items about Burma. What I hear often echoes the book. There are the accounts of farmers enslaved by the Burmese government to dig a pipeline for an American oil company - the farmers are now suing the oil company for enslavement in American court. Two young Karen brothers have had their pictures on the cover of a large-circulation American magazine for their desperate attempts to win back their lands and safety from the "Myanmar" army, which demands the complete destruction of all hill tribes. A much-beloved Burmese leader remains under house arrest. And, of course, American citizens are regularly requested to boycott American firms doing business with the brutal Burmese government. Burma may be half a world from the West. But it is no longer sufficient for westerners to rely on ignorance. It may be argued that increased worldwide communication allows us to be compassionate in new ways. We cannot all go to Burma to find out what is happening there. That is why a book like this is so valuable. Edith Mirante has already been there. She has done some of the preliminary footwork for the rest of us.



3. While I enjoyed reading this book, I was continually confused by it. I am one of a few Americans who lived in Burma for several years during the same time period. I found many of the author's descriptions compelling, yet rather sensationalistic. Was she telling a fictional story or a factual one about the tribes and political causes of Burma? Unfortunately, I came away disappointed by this confusion. However, for a reader who has has spent little or no time in Burma, the book would definitely be an exciting read.



4. I read Burmese Looking Glass about one year ago, after I had visited the Thai-Burmese border refugeee camps. I wish I had read it beforehand! This is an immensely informative narrative covering many aspects of the complicated and tragic situation in Burma, from underground pro-Democracy activists to drug lords to jungle warfare and women warriors. Its somewhere between political intrugue, war journalism, and travelogue. Much of what she reports is consistent with what I have learned from Burmese students in exile and pro-democray activists in the US and Thailand. I admire her chutzpah and honesty in painting this portrait of a horrendous and confusing situation as well as of herself. I found it totally readable, exciting, and inspiring.



5. It took we a while to warm up to Ms. Mirante. As the story unfolds, one has cause to suspect a liberal, bleeding-heart hand wringer. But, this isn't any emotive flutterer afraid to mar her pedicure. This is a jungle-tramping, malaria-be-damned, human rights activist commando.

   In the late '80's, Mirante traveled to Thailand to enhance her art career. She soon became aware of the human rights abuses perpertrated in Burma at the hands of the Tatmadaw, the Burmese government army under the control of socialist despot, Ne Win. Putting her art aside, she quickly adopts the cause of the Burmese hill tribes subject to brutal repression and in fear of cultural obliteration. Mirante courageously risks life and limb as she illegally moves among the Burmese tribes recording their stories for disbursal to the outside world. Undaunted, intrepid, unfailingly committed, Mirante catalogs the abuses of Ne Win, offers hope and assistance to the refugees, and battles valiantly to make their story known.

   Though she casts some political aspersions stateside that she fails to adequately defend, Mirante manages to write this story without recourse to the shrill and idle finger pointing one might typically uncover in such a book. In fact, any doubts of this woman's admirable pragmatism are shattered when she admits to loathing the song, "We are the World". One is left thinking that she finds the song a piece of overwrought theater blissfully (and, perhaps, all too conveniently) ignorant of life in the human rights trenches.

   Edith T. Mirante is a remarkable woman deserving the esteem of every lover of liberty. She writes a good book and fights a good fight and, for that, I say more power to her.