The Joy of Sects

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

This is a guide to the world's religious traditions, not only for the devout follower, but also for the interested outsider and the curious unbeliever. The book contains narrative histories of the six great religious traditions of East and West - Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam - along with information about related traditions, including Sikhism, Confucianism, Gnosticism, Zoroastrianism and the various elements that compose the New Age.

Author Bio

Peter Occhiogrosso began his writing career as a jazz critic and interviewer and was the first journalist to cover the emerging "loft jazz" scene in downtown Manhattan in depth. As music editor for the Soho Weekly News, he also immersed himself in the burgeoning punk rock and new wave movements. Accordingly, he wrote his first book about the fictitious British metal band Spinal Tap, and collaborated with Frank Zappa on his unconventional autobiography, The Real Frank Zappa Book. But by the 1990s, Peter's interests had grown to encompass spirituality, following his initiation into the American group Eckankar, where he learned to practice intensive dream work. That started him on a trail of spiritual exploration that led to the study of Tibetan Buddhism, Sufism, Zen, Kabbalah, and many years of practice with the Chinese qigong master Kwan Saihung.