Great overall review of religions

Rating:

A good book with tid bits of scripture from each religion, generally including some of the most important passages. Great book.

Lots of substance, little context

Rating:

This book presents basic religious texts of a variety of religions, eastern and western, with a more or less objective presentation. However, I found the introductory materials for each religion to be overly academic at times, sometimes raising as many questions as it answered. If you're looking for an entry-level survey of what the world's religions believe -- an interpretation of the doctrines these scriptures lay out -- this may not be the best resource available.

I suspect this would make a fine textbook for a college-level survey of world religions, though I was familiar with several of them by the time I found this book. The layperson, looking for an introduction to what Buddhists, Muslims, or the Shinto actually believe, may be left scratching his or her head.