This is a good first introduction to some of the major (by number of followers) world religions. It does not teach you everything (it is a slim volume), but it gives a more than basic overview of 5 major religions.

It has provided me with some information I did not know and peaked my interest to explore individual books on several of the world’s religions. I had extremely little knowledge of some of the religions before reading this book.

The author is up front about his views and own religion and I believe presents all the religions well.

I did not think he fairly represented pluralism. Here pluralism is the idea that all religions are taking their own route to a higher understanding, and so the answers and even the questions are different, but are not so far apart. I found the author did not seem to take as much time to understand this approach and seems to dislike any scholars of this position, as he believes they think they know the higher truth that all religions are searching for and thus are pompous. I do not believe this is the case and feel the author did not give this view the research and understanding that he did to each of the religions.

Recommended as an introduction. ( )