The Book Am I a Hindu? The Hinduism Primer by Ed Viswanathan is aimed primarily at people of Indian descnt who have been brought up in the west. It is written as a dialogue between an Indian-born father and his teenage son who has been brought up in the west. The son questions his father about Hinduism and Hindu traditions.
Despite not being part of the target audience, I found the book very useful, enjoyable and informative. I particularly appreciated the fact that the book did not avoid difficult areas. It gave honest answers about tantric practices, sati and the historical possibility of human sacrifices. Though sati and sacrifices have no part in modern Hinduism, and very little through history these subjects are often brought up by critics of Hinduism, and avoided altogether by many supporters.
Rather than just being a dry list of questions and answers, Ed Viswanathan’s love for Hinduism shines through. The book covers such a wide range of subjects, from practices and advice to Hindu scriptures and philosophy that I will be using it as a reference for some time to come.
Available for less than £3 this book is also excelent value. I would not hesitate to recomend this book to anyone, whether they are Hindus by birth, conversion or just interested in Hinduism.
Western Hindu 