On the Verge of Lunacy

The book is an exhaustive treatise of the creation and evolution of the concept of the dragon. It is divided into three chapters which discuss  incense and libations, dragons and rain gods, and the birth of Aphrodite. The titles of the chapters might be confusing and irrelevant at first glance but the author did more than just explain the various appearances and characteristics of the dragon. He went so far as to discuss every possible theory of its creation, purpose, and models. He even included topics which are remotely related to minor subjects discussed throughout the book.  The author has a tendency to extend the discussion of even the minor topics because he considered every theory that was extant during the creation of this book. The title might be misleading and the reader disappointed in the writer's style but his exhaustive method at arriving at his conclusions is praiseworthy. His uses comparison and verification to form his own opinions and does not wholly...

The book is a condensed and translated version of the Hindu epic of a war of the kingdoms in Northern India caught in a scheme of a jealous cousin and five brothers struggling to reclaim their kingdom. Mr. Dutt provided introductions and summary for each chapter. The summary might spoil the story for the first time readers of the epic but keep in mind that this is a condensed version. Some of the less important scenes were omitted. The contents of these chapters are in English verse form. The translator explained in the epilogue his method in selecting the passages and included here as well as his approach to its translation. This gives the reader an idea how much information was not included in this book. The translator was able to pick out the story of the Pandavas and Kurus buried in all the material added to the original epic. The information provided by Dutt in the epilogue is an excellent guide and introduction to the entire epic itself. There is also a glossary of terms a...