Customer Reviews:
 I'm very impressed with the research December 3, 2003
18 out of 23 found this review helpful
I'm very impressed with the amount of research that was presented in this book. It is interesting and one of the few nonfiction books that I could not put down once I started reading it. So many things I've wondered about and questions I've had were answered here by the information that made a lot of sense to me.
There are all kinds of bits and pieces of evidence scattered throughout numerous books and articles on the widespread influence of Vedic culture, and Stephen has collected a large amount of this to present in this one condensed volume. As he mentions in his Preface, which most critics don't seem to read, he has compiled the information from many sources and researchers who have been studying this for many years, and you can decide what evidence is most agreeable or not. However, whether you agree with it all or not, the credibility is when the numerous references and researchers that are mentioned all allude to the premise that the area of India was far larger, and Vedic culture far more influential, hundreds of years ago, creating a global culture. And this book points out why and how it can be recognized.
Personally I found the book to be fascinating and well documented and referenced. There's a lot more here than a few points of comparative linguistics. You can see the connections of the different areas of the world and religions to Vedic culture, which is the real point of the book. So if you want to get an idea of how Vedic culture had spread around the world and had been a worldwide influence, this book will certainly give you insights into this. As others have said, this book is a must read.
 Origin off word Australia December 3, 2003
7 out of 12 found this review helpful
I agree with Knapp. The word Australia denotes a land lying to the south. If man is at the northern pole, he sees the sun rising (only once a year) from 'south' - this is a geographical fact howsoever wierd it may appear.
B.G.Tilak who wrote the 'Arctic Home in the Vedas' has explained in his book how the words Australia - Eostra - Ushas (the goddes of sunris) are related. Further only man at north pole would see the Ushas or Eostra rising from 'south'. Hence the origin of the word Austr.
 Think carefully before accepting this man's theories! September 6, 2003
17 out of 29 found this review helpful
I've recently bought a copy of this book, and quite frankly I was appalled at the sheer number of factual errors, mistakes, howlers, etc. To quote a few:(i) "In England we find towns such as Lancashire, Pembrokeshire, Hampshire and Wiltshire" - these are NOT towns, they are counties, and in any case Pembrokeshire is in Wales!; (ii) He tries to make out that Canterbury is connected to the Sanskrit word 'Sankarpury' - it is NOT : it is derived from the Roman name for an indigenous tribe in that part of Kent, the Cantiae; (iii) "The 'Pound Sterling' is a corrupt form of the Sanskrit term Poundra Sterling - it is NOT: the word "Sterling" originated with the 'Esterlings', members of the Hanseatic League in Mediaeval England; (iv) mistakes with translations of Russian - "malka" is SMALL and does not mean 'Mother'; (v) lack of references to most facts, all too often completely unsubstantiated; and on , and on, and on, and on. . . . .the review by a fellow Englishman from Cheshire, singles out Mr. Knapp's predilection for changing letters around to make words sound more Sanskrit, rightly drawing comparison to those amateur historians of 200 years ago, who so desperately wanted historical facts to fit their theories that they were not adverse to "bending the facts". If I, as a Vaisnava 'Hindu' living in England, can recognize the errors and irregularities pertaining to references to Britain, then I wonder how much more has he perhaps written of other countries in like manner? A great pity, for his other books are inspiring.
 Good book on vedic culture December 2, 2002
12 out of 16 found this review helpful
This is a great book for anyone who has slightest interest in the old vedic civilization. It refutes the fallacy in the old historical books about aryan invasion etc and gloriously proves vedic culture as one source of all religions in the present world. This book is full of some very intriguing facts which really makes one think and believe the author. However, sometimes the associations of different words/names of places to a sanskrit word seems far fetched. Even then, this book is a must read for anyone interested in the subject.
Question For Dr. Newbrook... May 19, 2002
4 out of 20 found this review helpful
"One fairly typical case involves the name Australia, which is a modern coining transparently derived from Latin, where it would mean 'southern' (land, etc). On p 76 SK states that it is from Sanskrit Astralaya, meaning 'land of missiles'; he suggests that the pilots of vimanas practised firing their missiles in Australia, thus creating the deserts! This is just not true"This is just not true... don't the authors have the same right to say it is true as you have to say it is just not ture?
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