Reading Feedback

Week 5.
This week I chose the Public Domain Edition Mahabharata. I really liked this option because it allows me to work on the readings from anywhere. I have a busy schedule so it is very difficult to find time to go to Bizzel to accomplish the readings. I also like this because it gives you a nice reading guide that provides a little summary of each episode and gives little hints like "he will be one of the most important characters of this epic". My favorite part of the readings was the Bhima and the nagas section where Bhima's cousins attempt to murder him but it ironically ends up making up more powerful. I was a little confused on why Vysa did not immediately become king after his father had made that part of the deal for allowing King Pandu to marry Kunti. It took me a little over an hour to complete these readings. For the Reading Diary, I use a bullet format because I find this the easiest way to jot down pieces of information that don't necessarily flow completely.

Bhima fights Duryodhana: Wiki Commons

Week 6.

I chose the Public Domain Edition Mahabharata again for this week. I just love these online editions because they are so flexible and come with awesome Reading Guides. I love skimming over the reading guide and getting the broad over view into the story. Sometimes the stories can be confusing, so if you go back and read the reading guide you get the bigger picture and it connects the dots for you. Another awesome aspect of the PDEs are the links they include on certain characters, places, or things that are important to the story. I have never been familiar with Indian Epics prior to this class, so by clicking on these links you can go to a website that gives you the scoop on the who/why/what on whatever you are researching. I am a huge fan of these PDEs.

"That was easy" : Wiki Commons

Week 10 

This week I chose to read the online version of "The Life of Buddha" by Andre Ferdinand Herold from the Sacred Texts website. I chose this because I have always been intrigued by the story of Buddha. I have read a little into Buddhism, but had never learned anything about the background story. This provided a perfect way for me to learn about it. The readings are concise, but not too long, and made for an easy read. However, I do miss the reading guides form the PDE Mahabharata. I think adding Reading Guides for this would further solidify the understanding of the story. Overall, I really like this option. I think it is nice to have some options to chose from like this. 

The Death of Buddha: Sacred Texts

Week 12. 

This week I chose to read the Twenty Jataka Tales by Noor Inayat. I absolutely loved these stories. This was recommended to me by Professor Gibbs after my week 10 reading on The Life of Buddha. I always love when animals are used to place of people, it gives the story a more playful atmosphere and almost makes it easier to understand that when you're reading about the complexity of people. I really liked this because it was super easy to access with its online site and it was also very easy to navigate. The link takes you to PDF of a book, so it feels like you are reading out of a Kindle or something. I am very glad I chose to read these stories. 

Bhutanese painted thangka of the Jatakas: Google Images