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GURU NANAK |
Book Reviews and Comments |
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Here are some of the reviews received since GURU NANAK was published in 1999. Owen Cole, World Religions in Education: 'If I were to give a young Sikh friend, or anyone aged from twelve to sixteen, a book on Guru Nanak, this thoughtfully written and thought-provoking book would be it.' Jude Meryl, The Festival Shop, Birmingham: ‘Cleverly constructed and absorbing to look at and read, this is an exploration of Sikhism by examining the life of its founder, Guru Nanak, from all sorts of angles. Striking illustrations range from storytelling cartoon-style graphics to paintings of the Guru, traditional and modern, each of which portray a slightly different aspect of the sort of person he was. The text is conversational, commenting on the Guru’s poems, sayings, beliefs and attitudes and asking the reader about their own. All in all, a thoroughly unusual and satisfyingly well-rounded journey into Sikhism which leaves you feeling as if you have learned a lot without noticing the lesson.’ Joyce Mackley, Journal of the Professional Council for Religious Education, Spring 2002: ‘The book aims to present Guru Nanak ‘in a way that opens up people’s perceptions of the Guru for discussion and reflection and relates his insights and experiences to our own contemporary concerns’. Set out in chapters addressing thirteen key questions such as ‘Does life have a meaning?’, ‘Are labels and uniforms necessary?’. ‘Are we all equal?’, ‘Do we need a sense of direction?’, the book meets a real need in the RE world – helping teachers learn about Sikhism and resourcing them to help pupils to learn from it. If you are feeling insecure about your own subject knowledge on Sikhism or are uncertain about how you can help pupils ‘learn from’ their work in this area, this is the book for you. Grounded in real experience and questions, the book relates authentic insights and understanding of Guru Nanak, his teaching and its formative impact on Sikhism in an accessible and readable way, engaging interest. It is attractively illustrated with art work, traditional illustrations and photographs providing a stimulating resource for teachers. Motivated and more able pupils would find this an accessible and stimulating text, but less able pupils would struggle with it. Discussion questions are integrated within the body of the text, the only specific teaching activities being outlined on one page for teachers at the end of the book. Highly recommended for teachers and as a thought-provoking text for more able pupils.’
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