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The quest for paradise : visions of heaven and eternity in the world's myths and religions
John Ashton and Tom Whyte
In every culture, in every epoch, human beings have yearned for heaven -- the dwelling place of the gods, mirror of our hopes and desires. Now, in The Quest for Paradise, renowned scholar John Ashton and his colleague Tom Whyte offer an intriguing look at how we have thought of and envisioned heaven and the afterlife, from the ancient cultures of Egypt, Greece, and Rome, to the Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims, as well as the indigenous peoples of the Americas, Australia, and Africa...
Lavishly illustrated
with extensive depictions of heaven in art from around the world, and
drawing on scriptures, myths, epics, poems, novels, philosophy, and
other writings from many cultures, The Quest for Paradise
illuminates the vast spectrum of beliefs about the world beyond. The
book also explores the concept of utopia, or paradise on earth, from the
perspective of such diverse thinkers as H.G. Wells, D.H. Lawrence,
Margaret Mead, and Aldous Huxley.
Ashton and Whyte present a
fascinating array of ancient and modern views of heaven. Included are
extraordinary inhabitants and geographical features, representing scenes
from works such as The Odyssey, the Bible, the Quran, and the Sukhavativyuha Sutras,
and from the works of writers such as Hesiod, Ovid, Virgil, Dante,
Milton, and Yeats, highlighting both the diversity and the universality
of reflection on heaven.