Sacred Symbols: A Visual Tour of World Faith

I bought this expecting this to be something like a symbols catalog with explanation for each symbol, but it is a visual tour, it shows pictures from different cultures and explains how they were interpreted and used in those cultures, but more as a description of the culture and the symbol as a product of that. Good book if you are interested in learing about human cultures thorough time (who wouldn't :) ) but I am stil looking for a symbols catalog :(.

This book is about 6.5" w x 7 "L and 2.5" thick. I know that may be a strange way to begin this review, but when I ordered this book, I thought it would be a lot larger than it was. Sacred Symbols is just what the title says, a visual tour of world faiths. This is more of a curiosity book since they don't go into the explanations about the symbols in any depth. I was hoping for a more detailed text. However, it's a beautiful hardcover book, well made, using beautiful heavy glossy paper and the photos and reproductions are very nice. It would be a lovely gift for those who like the Eastern arts (though there are Christian and Jewish symbols represented as well) and it's a great coffee table book. The kind of book you can read while waiting in an office, since you can start anywhere in the book and explore. The cover is beautiful and I enjoy seeing it on my coffee table every day. Oh yes, I should also mention that this is more of an adult book as it does cover sacred sexuality.

I guess my only "complaint" would be that the book isn't bigger. In some cases, it would have been nice to have a larger picture of the given symbol/flag/carving/etc. But then, it was designed to have one per page, and the book is pretty thick and heavy as it is...Overall, they did a great job with this book. I got to page through a copy at a local coffee shop and was very impressed with the presentation, so I picked up a copy for myself. As is usually the case, Amazon knocks a few $$$ off the list price for you. But this book is worth the list price, there really isn't anything out there like it, as far as I know.As an overall study of the various religious symbols of the world, and throughout history, this book covers it all. And the pictures are amazing. This is definitely the type of book you do NOT get on the Kindle, you really do need to see the full color pictures.I actually wish Amazon would include a few sample pages, it's really hard to understand what this book contains until you see it for yourself, and I think that for anyone interested in the symbolism of the worlds religions would add this to their collection.

This little 'big' book (it measures 7 1/4" x 6 5/8" x 2 1/4 ") is a visual and mindful treat. Abrams has given us a special voyage through cultures that are familiar but in ways that gently and respectfully present art, myth and spirituality through artifacts and symbols - all separated with papers of color. Each has a short and easily read summary. Each tradition represented points to more to explore. I find this a rare visual presentation in a format that is so unusual that it feels more like a box than a book.This, in my mind, is the best reason I can imagine for still having the option that I fear may one day disappear... the option of handling the actual book and not a virtual reality. I would love to see Abrams do an art history series in this form.In addition, I hesitate to say, that if the book were to be printed and bound in the U.S. instead of China we would not be able to afford it.

This book is exactly what its cover suggests: a visual tour of the world's religious symbols--the religions of the ancients and those of today. On the right-hand page is a pictorial image of the symbol and, on the facing page, an explanation of that symbol. Of course, you won't get a detailed history on one page, but it's enough to arouse your curiosity if you want to delve into it further. The main value of the book is its elaborate production values, with glossy paper and splendid images. Definitely a bargain at this price!

This book is absolutely beautiful. It was everything you could think of from religion to ancient civilizations to astrology. I am thrilled with this purchase!

This book has some nice pictures and surprisingly good text to go with the pictures. I saw it at a friends house and had to buy it.

the book size was ridiculous all this interesting info packed into a tiny little space if i had known i was ordering a mini book never would have made the purchase in short the person who designed the layout and size should be fired

Very informative

This is beautifully illustrated and could be a reasonably useful reference book but it is seriously let down by the lack of an index. This reduces "Sacred symbols" to the level of a coffee table book.

Completely in love with this book