First, please look at my pictures I've included: you can see the nice small size of the book in relation to a quarter, and in relation to my keyboard. That should give a good context for you. Then, please notice the font and the font size; I think that it is a perfect font size for this size of book. Contrary to what one reviewer wrote, it is an easy size to read, so don't worry about that.
Next, I want to talk about the physical quality of the book itself. The book has a solid construction with a strong binding. The cover is rigid yet flexible, and it retains its shape well after being opened. Finally, the pages are pretty thick and NOT see-through, which is great. They don't have a problem with moisture from your hands, for example, and they don't stick together, which makes turning them easy. They also have a nice red outline around each of them, which is very aesthetically pleasing.
Ok, now to the contents of the book. Well, it is the Dhammapada, so it is wonderful of course. Byrom's rendering is truly beautiful and highly readable; I read the whole book in about two hours the day I got it! There have been some who complain that it is not an accurate translation, however. All I can say is that the same message is there; the same images are there. One get's the same teaching from this as from other more literal translations--this one is meant to be more poetic on purpose of course, so it must be credited for that. If one wishes to get the more formal translation, then they are easy enough to find elsewhere. The way I see it, this is a great way to get a unique reading of the same great message, in a wonderful little book that is portable and well made. So, why not go with both? And if you have to really only go with one, I think you would be fine with this one for your own meditations, thoughts, pondering, etc.. Maybe not for formal research where you need to cite the verse numbers (as this one doesn't have the verse numbers), or where a more literal translation is required for quoting the text, but outside of that small group of people who want to use the Dhammapada for research, this rendering by Byrom is a joy to read.
Overall, I highly recommend this little book--a little book with a big message. Just remember what it's written for and you won't be disappointed! "Better than a thousand hollow verses is one verse that brings peace."
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About the author
One of the Best Purchases I've Made!
First, please look at my pictures I've included: you can see the nice small size of the book in relation to a quarter, and in relation to my keyboard. That should give a good context for you. Then, please notice the font and the font size; I think that it is a perfect font size for this size of book. Contrary to what one reviewer wrote, it is an easy size to read, so don't worry about that. Next, I want to talk about the physical quality of the book itself. The book has a solid construction with a strong binding. The cover is rigid yet flexible, and it retains its shape well after being opened. Finally, the pages are pretty thick and NOT see-through, which is great. They don't have a problem with moisture from your hands, for example, and they don't stick together, which makes turning them easy. They also have a nice red outline around each of them, which is very aesthetically pleasing. Ok, now to the contents of the book. Well, it is the Dhammapada, so it is wonderful of course. Byrom's rendering is truly beautiful and highly readable; I read the whole book in about two hours the day I got it! There have been some who complain that it is not an accurate translation, however. All I can say is that the same message is there; the same images are there. One get's the same teaching from this as from other more literal translations--this one is meant to be more poetic on purpose of course, so it must be credited for that. If one wishes to get the more formal translation, then they are easy enough to find elsewhere. The way I see it, this is a great way to get a unique reading of the same great message, in a wonderful little book that is portable and well made. So, why not go with both? And if you have to really only go with one, I think you would be fine with this one for your own meditations, thoughts, pondering, etc.. Maybe not for formal research where you need to cite the verse numbers (as this one doesn't have the verse numbers), or where a more literal translation is required for quoting the text, but outside of that small group of people who want to use the Dhammapada for research, this rendering by Byrom is a joy to read. Overall, I highly recommend this little book--a little book with a big message. Just remember what it's written for and you won't be disappointed! "Better than a thousand hollow verses is one verse that brings peace."
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2021
First, please look at my pictures I've included: you can see the nice small size of the book in relation to a quarter, and in relation to my keyboard. That should give a good context for you. Then, please notice the font and the font size; I think that it is a perfect font size for this size of book. Contrary to what one reviewer wrote, it is an easy size to read, so don't worry about that.
Next, I want to talk about the physical quality of the book itself. The book has a solid construction with a strong binding. The cover is rigid yet flexible, and it retains its shape well after being opened. Finally, the pages are pretty thick and NOT see-through, which is great. They don't have a problem with moisture from your hands, for example, and they don't stick together, which makes turning them easy. They also have a nice red outline around each of them, which is very aesthetically pleasing.
Ok, now to the contents of the book. Well, it is the Dhammapada, so it is wonderful of course. Byrom's rendering is truly beautiful and highly readable; I read the whole book in about two hours the day I got it! There have been some who complain that it is not an accurate translation, however. All I can say is that the same message is there; the same images are there. One get's the same teaching from this as from other more literal translations--this one is meant to be more poetic on purpose of course, so it must be credited for that. If one wishes to get the more formal translation, then they are easy enough to find elsewhere. The way I see it, this is a great way to get a unique reading of the same great message, in a wonderful little book that is portable and well made. So, why not go with both? And if you have to really only go with one, I think you would be fine with this one for your own meditations, thoughts, pondering, etc.. Maybe not for formal research where you need to cite the verse numbers (as this one doesn't have the verse numbers), or where a more literal translation is required for quoting the text, but outside of that small group of people who want to use the Dhammapada for research, this rendering by Byrom is a joy to read.
Overall, I highly recommend this little book--a little book with a big message. Just remember what it's written for and you won't be disappointed! "Better than a thousand hollow verses is one verse that brings peace."
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- Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2013
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