Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure
Ranked #8,061 in Culture & Society, #163,846 overall
Book review of an upbeat introduction to India and its spirituality
Great book if you want to go to India yourself - especially if you're interested in India as the home of spirituality.
I read the book in one go: couldn't put it down. It's interesting as a story of personal and spiritual growth and as a catalog of some of the spiritual teachings India has to offer.
I read the book in one go: couldn't put it down. It's interesting as a story of personal and spiritual growth and as a catalog of some of the spiritual teachings India has to offer.
India in pictures
The storyline
Going to India just married
The book starts with Sarah just before her plane leaves and she can get out of India (which she's hated). A begger tells her she'll be back: following love.
The next scene, ten years later, is Sarah coming back to India because her new Husband, Jonathan, has a job here as a journalist. She has given up her own high profile job as a journalist to be able to follow him there.
We follow Sarah as she gets close to death, dives into the main religions India has to offer, tries to learn Hindi, makes friends, follows Indian fashion and watches Bollywood movies.
Sarah leaves India pregnant and sad to leave India for her native Australia. Even though she knows how much easier things will be there.
The next scene, ten years later, is Sarah coming back to India because her new Husband, Jonathan, has a job here as a journalist. She has given up her own high profile job as a journalist to be able to follow him there.
We follow Sarah as she gets close to death, dives into the main religions India has to offer, tries to learn Hindi, makes friends, follows Indian fashion and watches Bollywood movies.
Sarah leaves India pregnant and sad to leave India for her native Australia. Even though she knows how much easier things will be there.
Who was your favorite person in the book?
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India - a complicated country
My review: a balanced picture
India is a country like other countries: it has bad people and good people. It has poverty (lots of it) and wealth (lots of that too). It has technological innovation and people living in hunter gatherer type groups.
India is the largest democracy in the world. It's also the home of yoga, Buddhism and Hinduism. These religious/spiritual traditions have moved west in the last century.
Some of the people who describe India just ignore one or another aspect of it. It's all divine yogi's, or all poverty, all technology or all Dalai Lama type Buddhists.
Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure actually gives a decently balanced picture, even though it can be seen as too superficial. Well - there isn't a book out there that can do India justice, there's just too much of it. But this book does do a good job of introducing India to Westerners in a way that does it justice enough, I feel.
India is the largest democracy in the world. It's also the home of yoga, Buddhism and Hinduism. These religious/spiritual traditions have moved west in the last century.
Some of the people who describe India just ignore one or another aspect of it. It's all divine yogi's, or all poverty, all technology or all Dalai Lama type Buddhists.
Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure actually gives a decently balanced picture, even though it can be seen as too superficial. Well - there isn't a book out there that can do India justice, there's just too much of it. But this book does do a good job of introducing India to Westerners in a way that does it justice enough, I feel.
The main Indian religions
- Sikhism in India
- A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. Sikhism (Sikhi in Punjabi) primarily originated in 15th century India and now constitutes one of the major religions with adherents throughout the world. The term “Sikh” has its origin in the Sanskrit term
- Tribal religions in India
- Among the 68 million citizens of India who are members of tribal groups, the religious concepts, terminologies, and practices are as varied as the hundreds of tribes, but members of these groups have one thing in common: they are under
- Hinduism, Sanatana Dharma
- Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of South Asia. Hinduism is often referred to as San%u0101tana Dharma (a Sanskrit phrase meaning “the eternal law”) by its adherents. Generic “types” of Hinduism that attempt to accommodate a variety of
- Islam and Sufism in India
- Islam is second-most practiced religion in the Republic of India after Hinduism, with more than 13.4% of the country’s population (over 138 million as per 2001 census and 160.9 million per 2009 estimate) identifying themselves as Muslims. India’s Muslim population
- Christianity in India
- Christianity is India’s third-largest religion, with approximately 24 million followers, constituting 2.3% of India’s population. Christianity was perhaps introduced into India by Thomas the Apostle, who visited Muziris in Kerala in 52 CE to proselytize amongst Kerala’s Jewish sett
- Buddhism in India
- Though Buddhism started out an Indian religion, it died out in what’s now India in the 15th century. Buddhism in India today is the result of Dalits converting to Theravada Buddhism and the immigration of Tibetans to India following the
What was your favorite spiritual teacher or tradition in this novel?
Sarah finds the most famous spiritual teachers and spiritual traditions in India and gives each a try. Which inspired you most?
Mata Amritanandamayi
The hugging Amma. Her unjudgmental love for everyb more...2 points
Sufi Love in Pakistan
The center of spirituality for Sarah is Love for a more...2 points
Ganga - the sacred river
Sarah is both repulsed and fascinated by this sacr more...1 point
Astrologer Rakesh
Who prophesies the year Sarah and Jonathan have co more...1 point
Satya Sai Baba
The guru who supports various charities, has great more...0 points
Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure
by Sarah Macdonald
I loved this book and read it out in three nights of reading. I've studied India in college and went there myself some time ago - yet I could not find many mistakes. Given the size and variety of the country - that's quite an achievement.
This book really is great for those who are thinking of going to India to grow spiritually - it will get you out of your romantic haze. It's also great for those who've been there - a feast of recognition. And if you aren't spiritually inclined - this may just change your mind.
This book really is great for those who are thinking of going to India to grow spiritually - it will get you out of your romantic haze. It's also great for those who've been there - a feast of recognition. And if you aren't spiritually inclined - this may just change your mind.
Zoroastrianism / Parsis
This is the only religion where the descriptions went off a bit. I was taught, in my ancient religion class, that Zoroaster lived around 1000 BC. Certainly not 600 B.C. Also - the Parsis are in trouble and deal with their dwindling numbers in a variety of ways. Sarah is most sympathetic to the people who marry outside the tribe. But their choice makes it even harder for the rest to keep going.
What was your favorite moment in the book?
Please add your own favorite scene/moment from the book.
When the Twin Towers get hit
Sarah and Jonathan face the horrors religion can b more...1 point
What did you think about this description of India?
Write a review, add a comment, or debate someone who disagrees with you.
Was this book good, or too superficial, or something else? Tell me.
Was this book good, or too superficial, or something else?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byInspiring read, good book, well written.
NAnand says:
Couldn't put it down. I was done reading the book in two sittings. Hilarious and informative. I wouldn't call the book inspiring or superficial but just a honest take on India and the enigma it portrays.
Posted 8月 11, 2011
Mac33 says:
My wife loved it. A couple friends of ours who have visited India really enjoyed reading it also.
Posted 4月 25, 2008
spirituality says:
I loved it. Gave me some ideas of what to do and where to go when I go back to India in a few years.
Posted 4月 16, 2008
Too superficial, read something else to get to know India and its relgions.
Got inspired to got to India yourself?
Here's how.
The Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Perhaps the quintessential ashram today: the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Below my review of a biography of its founder: Sri Aurobindo.
If you read this book: what is your review?
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NAnand Aug 11, 2011 @ 8:37 am | delete
- Excellent portrayal of a personal journey. Every person who comes in touch with India cannot help but notice something deep be it the abject poverty, the confusion, the simplicity of life or the daily struggle with a deep philosophical attitude and the list goes on. This book is just that.
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dvpwli
Jul 21, 2011 @ 7:56 am | delete
- I think you are not Hindu, if you are, then you cannot above Shiva image with goggles
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vohraaish
Feb 25, 2011 @ 5:19 am | delete
- Thanks for the recommendation!:) I did not know about this book..
even though I'm an Indian and I live in India, I would love to read this book..
Most westerners have extreme views about India, it's good to know there's a book which offers a balanced review about the country... However I wouldn't exactly know how balanced till i read it:)
Thanks again!:)
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JohnCurio
Apr 13, 2010 @ 8:41 am | delete
- It was awesome. Got me really infatuated with Indian culture, cuisine, and Indian tv.
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JenOfChicago
Sep 14, 2009 @ 12:34 pm | delete
- This is one of the greatest travel books I've read!
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More on the spiritual traditions Sarah was investigating
Did you like the taste Sarah gave you of Indian Religion? Here is more about Buddhism, Sufism, Alternative ways of looking at Christianity and Jiddu Krishnamurti. More religion and spirituality resources.
See also my spiritual blog: All Considering on India and my own plans for a spiritual trip to India.
See also my spiritual blog: All Considering on India and my own plans for a spiritual trip to India.
Recent pages on Hinduism, Yoga and India
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