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Pilgrimage: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) Illustrated Edition, Kindle Edition
by Ian Reader (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 21 ratings
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Pilgrimage is found in most religious cultures, with large numbers of sites - from globally renowned places to regional shrines - flourishing historically and in the modern day. Pilgrimage centres around the world, including Mecca in Saudi Arabia, Guadalupe in Mexico, Lourdes in France, Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Haridwar in India, and Shikoku in Japan, attract millions of pilgrims annually, while a flourishing 'spiritual tourism' industry has grown to promote
the practice. In the present day, new pilgrimage locations, including 'secular' ones with no official affiliation, such as Graceland, Elvis Presley's house, continue to emerge across the world.
In this Very Short Introduction Ian Reader explores the factors that affect how pilgrimage has changed over time, from contemporary international developments, such as mass transportation to changing social attitudes reflected in the motives of pilgrims through the ages. He demonstrates the social and international aspects of pilgrimage, showing how it has become a way of expressing social identity and cultural heritage, as well as being entwined with themes of entertainment and
tourism.
Reader explores the key issues and themes of pilgrimage through history to the present, looking at its various forms, how people take part, what is learnt from the journeys, and why pilgrimage remains popular in an increasingly secular age.
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
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ISBN-13
978-0198718222
Edition
Illustrated
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On Kindle Scribe
Publisher
OUP Oxford
Publication date
23 April 2015
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Product description
Review
a stimulating introduction to an important feature of all religions. ― Church of England Newspaper
The author has successfully written a little book on a much needed topic, especially for urban dwellers nowadays. This is a high recommended 'very short' introduction to the subject. ― Josaphat C. Tam, The Expository Times --This text refers to the paperback edition.
About the Author
Ian Reader is Professor Emeritus, University of Manchester. He has held several previous posts at other universities, including the University of Lancaster, UK, the Nordic Institute for Asian Studies, Denmark, the University of Hawaii, USA, and Kansai Gaidai University, Japan. He has published several books and numerous articles on Japanese religious dynamics and practices, including Making Pilgrimages: Meaning and Practice in Shikoku (University of Hawaii Press, 2005), Pilgrimage in the Marketplace (Routledge, 2013), an edited volume Pilgrimage in the Japanese Tradition (with Paul L. Swanson, as a special edition of the Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 1997), and several journal articles and book chapters. --This text refers to the paperback edition.
From the Publisher
Ian Reader is Professor Emeritus, University of Manchester. He has held several previous posts at other universities, including the University of Lancaster, UK, the Nordic Institute for Asian Studies, Denmark, the University of Hawaii, USA, and Kansai Gaidai University, Japan. He has published several books and numerous articles on Japanese religious dynamics and practices, including Making Pilgrimages: Meaning and Practice in Shikoku (University of Hawaii Press, 2005), Pilgrimage in the Marketplace (Routledge, 2013), an edited volume Pilgrimage in the Japanese Tradition (with Paul L. Swanson, as a special edition of the Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 1997), and several journal articles and book chapters. --This text refers to the paperback edition.
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Product details
ASIN : B00VIHT7IK
Publisher : OUP Oxford; Illustrated edition (23 April 2015)
Language : English
File size : 2120 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
Print length : 144 pages
Page numbers source ISBN : 0198718225Best Sellers Rank: 789,546 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)123 in Business Hospitality, Travel & Tourism
227 in Religious Studies - Sociology
896 in Hospitality, Travel & Tourism IndustryCustomer Reviews:
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 21 ratings
Customer reviews
4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
21 global ratings
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4 star 13%
3 star 18%
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1 star 8%
Top reviews from other countries
patti p
3.0 out of 5 stars Overview of all kinds of pilgrimagesReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 25 June 2019
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This book was written like a text. Easy quick read that covers pilgrimages all over the world and details ranging from souvenirs to the motivations for pilgrimages. It’s a broad swath of interest to anyone considering a pilgrimage.
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Amelia Carr
4.0 out of 5 stars Four StarsReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 25 June 2016
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Nice introduction, fulfills the needs of the series very well.
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Sbo
3.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction, though a bit colourlessReviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 27 March 2016
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All in all, this is a good introduction to the subject, even if the book feels a bit "dutiful ", neat but lacklustre. Perhaps it just lacks a point of view, a tone, something that would have shed a specific light on the subject.
A few examples from around the world are given in Chapter One, to show that beyond the specificities and varying contexts, pilgrimage is a global phenomenon. Chapter Two questions what pilgrimage is, defining its fundamental characteristics.
Some traditional pilgrimages are mentioned in successive chapters (Japanese Shikoku pilgrimage, the Santiago Camino, the hajj, the medieval Canterbury pilgrimage, etc), but new pilgrimage forms and goals are presented too (walking labyrinths painted on the ground, or visiting political sites such as Lenin's tomb in Moscow, or going to Elvis' home in Memphis), particularly in the book's final (and probably most original) chapter, "secular [pilgrimage] sites and contemporary developments".
I also found interesting the sections revealing the age-old relationship between tourism and pilgrimage, and its ancillary effect on local economy. Occasionally, pilgrimage has also been supported by political authorities to promote values (e.g General Franco's regime using the Santiago Camino to promote nationalist Catholicism).
However, I think that even the more innovative parts of the book or those which deal with less obvious points would have benefited from some deeper analysis, while the space given to examples from different traditions feels a bit excessive.
My slight disappointment also comes from remembering Mr Reader's excellent little book "Shinto", which I found livelier. Here it is Shinto - Simple Guide To... (Simple Guides)
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brian rowley
4.0 out of 5 stars Four StarsReviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 19 May 2015
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a good summary
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