By reading this book, i realised how great the city of Birkali really is, and I was impressed by all of the great innovations and technological advancements that have come about from that great city. I truely reccomend this book, and i feel you should also look at the autobiography: "Devi Singh: The life of a true innovator." Go Blue!

Knopf has compiled a typically excellent guide that will be as useful and interesting to read after the trip as it is during. If anything, the guidebook is better as a post-trip reference manual than a guide becuase it is so packed with information, photographs and drawings. The information is accurate and detailed. Because it is not a typical guide (does not list attractions in a bullet-point sort of way), should be purchased if you are deciding to go to India or in addition to a more by-the-numbers guide.

Like all the Knopf Guides, I recommend it highly.

This book is worth purchasing if just for the drawing/maps. I've rarely seen their equal. The information about each fort, palace and temple is illustrated and the sections on artists and authors related works is wonderful. You see things so clearly you can make up your own mind where to go. Aesthetically pleasing.

I read this book over a year ago, so I don't remember every detail. However...

You know how people say that women do not have a voice in male dominated societies, and one goal of feminism is to foster new voices for women, so that we may express ourselves and have a tradition of our own? Well, the idea in this book is that the women that these authors worked with do have a voice of their own. It may be subversive in their societies, it may often have to work through riddles, but it is there, and well-developed. And highly expressive.

The authors make the argument that in the study of gender relations, the subversive women's voices are assumed not to exist while in this case, they are present. If you're involved in gender studies and Indian Studies, this is a fine book and one which ought to be read frequently.

But even for someone not involved in these subject areas, these are clever women with entertaining songs and stories--I refer to both the authors and the Indian women here--which anyone can find wisdom in.

This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen...an eye opener in art and history. Worth every penny for anyone with the slightest interest in India or sculpture!

Royina Grewal and her husband Ajit chose to leave Bombay and exchange their metropolitan existence for a rural one in the village of Patan in the Alwar district of north eastern Rajasthan. Royina, who also authored Sacred Virgin about a trip on the Narmada river, and her husband have decided to rebuild a run down farm and using experimental agricultural techniques they are attempting to grow crops on arid land. While her husband tends to the farm and the reconstruction of the house Royina, aware of Rajastahn's reputation for its renowned fortresses and palaces, decides to go on a bit of a tour of the countryside. Its an amusing tour. In Rajasthan, which is one of the least modernised areas of India, it is very rare to see a woman traveling alone so her presence brings out many interesting females who are enthused by her boldness in a land where women are rarely free to choose the course of their own lives. Royina even tours the countryside on the back of a motorcycle in one scene. She claims to feel the nomadic spirit which may be true but she also feels the shopping spirit as well as she makes purchases here and there(including a pair of leather boots that are made for princes) that she is careful to note most Indians cannot afford. This is perhaps one of the problems with this book, Royina only leaves home for an eight week stretch and then writes her book. Other travel writers spend years in India before writing about it. She was born in India, given an education, and one surmises has always had a fair amount of money and freedom(she is careful to note her marriage was not an arranged one). She is one of the privileged westernized few and for her roughing it is a matter of choice and really she is not roughing it for she more often than not stays in the renovated and converted former palaces of the Rajasthan princes with their elaborate gardens. More a vacation than a tour of India I would say. Still she relates a lot of valuable and interesting information along the way and she has some good stories to tell and listens to others tell theirs. She no doubt has a real interest in womens liberation and that theme runs through the book. Nothing gives her greater pleasure than to see a woman asserting her independence(very rare in Rajasthan) and nothing hurts her more than to see a woman or girl in some form of bondage to a husband or small minded community or a religion. Royina places her hopes in the education system and she is touched to see a young tribal girl wearing a school uniform beneath her sari. As Royina says change happens very slowly in India but you have to keep chiseling away. A good book (perhaps designed to encourage tourism to the area) though compared to other Indian travel books(Norman Lewis, William Dalrymple)pretty light fare.

Royina Grewal's work is rich with imagery and balanced, sensitive observations. She evokes the atmosphere of Rajasthan to a traveller without romanticizing, never straying too far from the lives of the locals. She is always careful not to claim to speak for the people she interviews or let her preconceptions take over their stories. She describes beautifully the scenery, history and customs of various parts of the state. I've learned a lot from this book, not only about Rajasthan, but how to journey through this colorful, changing place as an outsider.

Royina Grewal's book is full of the history and grandeur of the Rajputs and the Moghul Emperors, told as the author travels through modern day Rajasthan. The book is so descriptive in parts you can almost feel the heat and dust as if you were there yourself. A wonderful read and highly recommended, especially if you are fascinated with India and her colourful history as much as I am.

This book is truly a treasure of many facets of Indian history through the ages. The modern story line is an intriguing hunt for treasure in a Rajput fortress, palace and archaelogical ruins of Mangarh. This story is interspersed with independent historical tales of the area, dating from ancient days(1500 BCE) to 1567 CE; they passionately weave a historical, artistic, political and religious foundation for the modern day raid (treasure hunt) at Mangarh. Notes, maps, character lists, and glossary help to make reading an enjoyable and enriching experience. I look forward to reading the upcoming sequel!

Gary Worthington's India Treasures: An Epic Novel Of Rajasthan And Northern India Through The Ages is an engaging and entertaining sequence of eight dynamic novellas about Rajasthan and Northern India across the length of human history, all connected by a modern-day treasure hunt. Incorporating crucial events of Indian history seamlessly into the story, India Treasures brings the reader before the wisdom of the Buddha, the canvas of a medieval artist, the throne of the Sultan of Delhi, and many more wondrous places. An utterly absorbing historical. Also highly recommended is the sequel, India Fortunes.

For a first time author, Worthington, does a splendid job of embracing a momentous topic. As stated by the previous reviewers, this is a fictional book based on India's history from "ancient times to post-Independence." Worthington weaves his story from present to past, making the locations come alive with historical tales. This is really a book of short stories told through one present-day story. Each story was interesting on its own. I highly recommend this book to even a novice reader of books on India, it kept my interest from the Get-Go!

This is an excellent guide. I saved a lot of money on hotels and transport thanks to it. Its compact size allowed me to put it in my passport pouch. Virtually every foriegn tourist in Rajasthan had one with them.

Sarina Singh and Michelle Coxall's guide to Rajisthan is a well written reference for any Western traveller. Detailed information on the history and cultural context of a region or country gives any travel buff an insightful introduction into their travels. In addition, Singh and Coxall include up-to-date information (with convenient currency converters) on places to stay and eat, regional attractions (inluding listings of museums), regional events (such as festivals and fairs), etc. However the book's strength lies in the inclusion of several detiled maps of the region and of major cities in Rajisthan. The maps guide tourists to important locations such as hotels, banks, hospitals, post offices, police stations, etc. The color pictures and the black and white sketches well support the book's narrative and give travelers mnore than a brief glimpse into Northern India and its unique lifestyle. Other travel guides such as Frommers and Lets Go, while offering strong information, are unable to paint as clear a mental picture as the Lonely Planet guides are so adept at.

The guide to Rajisthan is perfect for unseasoned travelers unused to the hustle and bustle of Asia. The book guides tourists through the murky waters of regional customs, while highlighting invaluable cautionary information on health (e.g., food and water), local scams, etc. In addition, the book devotes an entire section to travel and transportation information including useful hints on visa applications, drivers permits, etc. The book conlcudes with a glossary of important terms and a phrase book that helps toursists navigate through simple phrases imperative for travelling through foreign countries.

If you've read the three previous books in the series ("Forests of the Night", "Emperors of the Twilight" and "Spectres of the Dawn"), you know about what to expect - a mystery plot that leads to several twists and surprises, and a lot of action and suspense, all set in the late 21st century Earth where many of the inhabitants are genetically engineers animal-morphs (Moreaus) who were originally created to fight wars but who still survive and are treated as second-class citizens by most humans. In case you haven't read the previous installments, Swann does a pretty good job of filling in the relevant background information, but be aware that much of that information will be spoilers if you later go back and read the first three books, especially the first, "Forests of the Night", which also features Nohar Rajasthan as the lead character (the other two have different main characters).

The book was hard to put down, and all the action and plot twists worked pretty well, to a point, but starting somewhere around three fourths of the way through the book it felt like the author was overreaching, trying too hard to escalate the tension, pushing things too close to the edge, and as a result the ending didn't work as well for me as it could have. But boy!, what a thrill ride this book was. If you like sci-fi action thrillers, read this book. Read the other three of the series while you're at it.

The moreau books can be read individually, but this is the only direct sequel in the series (so far). Picking up about 15 years after the first, things start off bad and only get worse. Swann seems to have a bit of a formula here, and his books are almost predictable in ther chaotic messiness, but you know what? It works.

My heart sank when I found out that my favorite part of the first book, Nohar and Stephie's love story, didn't make it. But the book was still next to impossible to put down. I read it and the first book in just a few nights and was exausted. The tension just sucks the life out of you. And if you thought the first book was intense (and painful), HA! You haven't seen anything yet. The punishment Nohar takes in this book is unreal. You practically have bruises just from reading it.

Secrets and people from the past emerge to make Nohar's life hell, and as a character I feel that he grows just as much here as he did in the first book. And while the future looks bleaker than ever, there still seems to be a ray of hope.

Let's see. We've got genetic engineering, action, millitary tech and strategy, gripping characters, and a strong plot line. Swann writes some powerful stuff. The plot line (for which you will have to buy the book and read for yourself) would not only be believable if it were set in the present, but also would work with human characters as well. Though it seems that Swann believes that genetically engineered animal human hybrids are a given for the near future, I tend to disagree (then again, seeing as scientists have succeeded in cloning sheep, and developing mice with human antibodies and pigs with human blood, he might be right). Nonetheless, I like the book. I like Nohar's character even more. I am eagerly waiting for the next book.

very ba