Ruthless compassion

Library Journal

Isolated and mysterious, Tibet, a million-square-mile plateau in the center of Asia, is currently the subject of much attention even as its culture fades under pressure from its Chinese occupiers. These two volumes examine Tibetan culture via the analysis of religious painting and sculpture. Abundantly illustrated, both books offer extensive textual discussions of individual art works as a way to understand the intricacies of esoteric Buddhist philosophy. Linrothe's study (which began as a doctoral dissertation) is, not surprisingly, narrow in scope and academic in tone. And, unfortunately, his mostly black-and-white illustrations, which he took on location under less-than-ideal circumstances, vary in quality. His extensive bibliography and a short glossary of Sanskrit and Tibetan terms are helpful, but, alone, they can't save the book from its disappointing unevenness. Rhie and Thurman's wide-ranging, scholarly work (a catalog of the extensive collection of New York collectors Shelley and Donald Rubin) is far more consistent. More than 200 high-quality color images are accompanied by page-length descriptions of their religious meaning and cultural significance, three long essays explain broader aspects of Tibetan art, and excellent, illustrative maps place Tibet in its larger Asian context, providing a feel for the remote monasteries scattered throughout the Tibetan mountainside. An extensive glossary explains key concepts of Buddhist thought. Though both books are important and timely, Worlds of Transformation is recommended for all academic libraries and Ruthless Compassion for those with subject concentration.--David McClelland, Philadelphia Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Tricycle Magazine

Another great tabletop gift, Linrothe uses color and black-and-white images, to trace the evolution of the wrathful-deity motif in India and Tibet.