(4) YA Understanding World Religions and Beliefs series. These primers take on each faith's history, beliefs, politics, and contemporary issues. The well-designed, accessible volumes include plenty of photos and other images; the series' broad scope results in a few errors (Judaism doesn't mention Halacha (Jewish law) or the Shulchan Aruch, which codifies the law; Christianity conflates communion with confirmation in the Catholic Church). Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Understanding World Religions and Beliefs titles: Understanding Christianity, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Buddhism, Understanding the Nonreligious, Understanding Scientology, Understanding Islam, Understanding Sikhism, and Understanding Judaism.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA Understanding World Religions and Beliefs series. These primers take on each faith's history, beliefs, politics, and contemporary issues. The well-designed, accessible volumes include plenty of photos and other images; the series' broad scope results in a few errors (Judaism doesn't mention Halacha (Jewish law) or the Shulchan Aruch, which codifies the law; Christianity conflates communion with confirmation in the Catholic Church). Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Understanding World Religions and Beliefs titles: Understanding Christianity, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Buddhism, Understanding the Nonreligious, Understanding Scientology, Understanding Islam, Understanding Sikhism, and Understanding Judaism.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA Understanding World Religions and Beliefs series. These primers take on each faith's history, beliefs, politics, and contemporary issues. The well-designed, accessible volumes include plenty of photos and other images; the series' broad scope results in a few errors (Judaism doesn't mention Halacha (Jewish law) or the Shulchan Aruch, which codifies the law; Christianity conflates communion with confirmation in the Catholic Church). Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Understanding World Religions and Beliefs titles: Understanding Christianity, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Buddhism, Understanding the Nonreligious, Understanding Scientology, Understanding Islam, Understanding Sikhism, and Understanding Judaism.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA Understanding World Religions and Beliefs series. These primers take on each faith's history, beliefs, politics, and contemporary issues. The well-designed, accessible volumes include plenty of photos and other images; the series' broad scope results in a few errors (Judaism doesn't mention Halacha (Jewish law) or the Shulchan Aruch, which codifies the law; Christianity conflates communion with confirmation in the Catholic Church). Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Understanding World Religions and Beliefs titles: Understanding Christianity, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Buddhism, Understanding the Nonreligious, Understanding Scientology, Understanding Islam, Understanding Sikhism, and Understanding Judaism.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA Understanding World Religions and Beliefs series. These primers take on each faith's history, beliefs, politics, and contemporary issues. The well-designed, accessible volumes include plenty of photos and other images; the series' broad scope results in a few errors (Judaism doesn't mention Halacha (Jewish law) or the Shulchan Aruch, which codifies the law; Christianity conflates communion with confirmation in the Catholic Church). Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Understanding World Religions and Beliefs titles: Understanding Christianity, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Buddhism, Understanding the Nonreligious, Understanding Scientology, Understanding Islam, Understanding Sikhism, and Understanding Judaism.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA Understanding World Religions and Beliefs series. These primers take on each faith's history, beliefs, politics, and contemporary issues. The well-designed, accessible volumes include plenty of photos and other images; the series' broad scope results in a few errors (Judaism doesn't mention Halacha (Jewish law) or the Shulchan Aruch, which codifies the law; Christianity conflates communion with confirmation in the Catholic Church). Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Understanding World Religions and Beliefs titles: Understanding Christianity, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Buddhism, Understanding the Nonreligious, Understanding Scientology, Understanding Islam, Understanding Sikhism, and Understanding Judaism.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA Understanding World Religions and Beliefs series. These primers take on each faith's history, beliefs, politics, and contemporary issues. The well-designed, accessible volumes include plenty of photos and other images; the series' broad scope results in a few errors (Judaism doesn't mention Halacha (Jewish law) or the Shulchan Aruch, which codifies the law; Christianity conflates communion with confirmation in the Catholic Church). Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Understanding World Religions and Beliefs titles: Understanding Christianity, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Buddhism, Understanding the Nonreligious, Understanding Scientology, Understanding Islam, Understanding Sikhism, and Understanding Judaism.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA Understanding World Religions and Beliefs series. These primers take on each faith's history, beliefs, politics, and contemporary issues. The well-designed, accessible volumes include plenty of photos and other images; the series' broad scope results in a few errors (Judaism doesn't mention Halacha (Jewish law) or the Shulchan Aruch, which codifies the law; Christianity conflates communion with confirmation in the Catholic Church). Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Understanding World Religions and Beliefs titles: Understanding Christianity, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Hinduism, Understanding Buddhism, Understanding the Nonreligious, Understanding Scientology, Understanding Islam, Understanding Sikhism, and Understanding Judaism.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA World Religions and Beliefs series. This uneven volume highlights six mystics and psychics, from the historical (Hildegard of Bingen, Nostradamus) to the contemporary ("Edgar Cayce: The Sleeping Prophet," "Peter Hurkos: Psychic Detective," "Jeane Dixon: A Controversial Psychic"). It's an odd marriage, and there are some factual inaccuraces (e.g., Rome didn't exist as such in 1200 BCE). Photographs and artwork reproductions illustrate the otherwise well-documented series entry. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) YA World Religions and Beliefs series. In this uneven series, Islam and Christianity provide fairly useful overviews in terms of religion and history; Faith is a little shakier, occasionally making questionable assertions (e.g., including Krishna, one of the incarnations of Vishnu, as the "founder" of Hinduism). Maps (some with tiny type), photographs, and artwork reproductions illustrate the well-documented volumes. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these World Religions and Beliefs titles: The Birth of Christianity, The Birth of Islam, and Founders of Faith.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) YA World Religions and Beliefs series. In this uneven series, Islam and Christianity provide fairly useful overviews in terms of religion and history; Faith is a little shakier, occasionally making questionable assertions (e.g., including Krishna, one of the incarnations of Vishnu, as the "founder" of Hinduism). Maps (some with tiny type), photographs, and artwork reproductions illustrate the well-documented volumes. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these World Religions and Beliefs titles: The Birth of Christianity, The Birth of Islam, and Founders of Faith.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) YA World Religions and Beliefs series. In this uneven series, Islam and Christianity provide fairly useful overviews in terms of religion and history; Faith is a little shakier, occasionally making questionable assertions (e.g., including Krishna, one of the incarnations of Vishnu, as the "founder" of Hinduism). Maps (some with tiny type), photographs, and artwork reproductions illustrate the well-documented volumes. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these World Religions and Beliefs titles: The Birth of Christianity, The Birth of Islam, and Founders of Faith.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) YA Religions of the World series. These textbook-like studies document the history of a religion, discuss its impact on its followers, and offer a world view. The dense text covers sacred places, writings, traditions, and teachings, as well as prominent figures, past and present. Text boxes with supplemental information and an eight-page color insert are included. Reading list, timeline. Bib., ind. Review covers these Religions of the World titles: Judaism, Christianity, and Confucianism.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) YA Religions of the World series. These textbook-like studies document the history of a religion, discuss its impact on its followers, and offer a world view. The dense text covers sacred places, writings, traditions, and teachings, as well as prominent figures, past and present. Text boxes with supplemental information and an eight-page color insert are included. Reading list, timeline. Bib., ind. Review covers these Religions of the World titles: Judaism, Christianity, and Confucianism.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) YA Religions of the World series. These textbook-like studies document the history of a religion, discuss its impact on its followers, and offer a world view. The dense text covers sacred places, writings, traditions, and teachings, as well as prominent figures, past and present. Text boxes with supplemental information and an eight-page color insert are included. Reading list, timeline. Bib., ind. Review covers these Religions of the World titles: Judaism, Christianity, and Confucianism.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) YA Religions of the World series. With chapters on Shinto stories, rituals, and shrines, this encyclopedic description of Japan's indigenous religion contextualizes Shinto beliefs and worldview for western readers. Although the gray design and text-heavy pages are a bit daunting, report writers will find plenty of clearly presented material. The book contains charts, sidebars, a section of color photos, and a timeline. Websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) YA World Religions series. Describing each faith's principal beliefs and rituals, the origin and development of the religion, and their contributions to civilization, these two series books provide readers with objective, detailed, and clearly written information about Baha'i and Buddhism. Buddhism has primarily been updated in one chapter, "Buddhism Today." Dark, poorly reproduced black-and-white photos are included. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these World Religions titles: Baha'i Faith and Buddhism.]

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA World Religions series. This exhaustive text contains in-depth analysis of the foundations, rituals, and beliefs of Judaism, as well as an extensive history that places the Holocaust in a larger context. The dry text, broken up occasionally with black-and-white photos and reproductions, will be useful to those seeking to learn more about the religion. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) YA World Religions series. Describing each faith's principal beliefs and rituals, the origin and development of the religion, and their contributions to civilization, these two series books provide readers with objective, detailed, and clearly written information about Baha'i and Buddhism. Buddhism has primarily been updated in one chapter, "Buddhism Today." Dark, poorly reproduced black-and-white photos are included. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these World Religions titles: Baha'i Faith and Buddhism.]

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA World Religions series. The focus of these detailed and well-documented profiles of the second and third largest world religions is on history, beliefs, rituals, and religious literature. Black-and-white reproductions of paintings, artifacts, and drawings accompany the narratives. The main revisions to the original editions are limited to modifications made in the last chapter of each book, updating events in the last decade. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these World Religions titles: Islam and Hinduism.]

Reviewer: Jack Forman