Indian Epics Books

In this class, you will be learning about the two great epics of India: the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Over the course of the semester, there are THREE required books you need to purchase, plus ONE optional book. They are all mass-market paperbacks which you can easily rent or buy used at the OU Bookstore or buy used online. 

Ramayana. In the first half of the semester, you will read two different versions of the Ramayana: a short version by N. K. Narayan (Weeks 2-3) and a longer version by William Buck (Weeks 4-5-6-7). You will need to purchase copies of these two books.

Mahabharata. Next, in the second half of the semester, you will read a short version of the Mahabharata by N. K. Narayan (Weeks 9-10). This is the third required book that you will need to purchase.

Then, in Week 11, you will have a choice:

• Mahabharata option: You can read another version of the Mahabharata, again by William Buck, which will supply the reading you need for Weeks 11, 12, 13, and 14. If you choose this option, you will need to purchase a copy of Buck's Mahabharata; see purchase information below.
• Indian Folklore and Mythology option: Alternatively, you can choose to complete some weekly reading assignments related to India that are available in the Myth-Folklore class; there are 12 options to choose from: Indian Folklore and Mythology units. These readings are all online; there is no need to purchase any books for this option.

Which option you choose is up to you! As we get closer to Week 11, I'll share more information with you about that so you will have plenty of time to get a copy of Buck's Mahabharata if that is the option you choose.

For now, please make sure you get the THREE REQUIRED BOOKS. It is not important what edition you get. These books have been through several different editions and different ISBN numbers (see below). If you have an older edition with different page numbers, that doesn't make any difference at all; the text doesn't change, just the page numbering. You need Narayan's Ramayana by Friday, January 16, and then you need Buck's Ramayana by February 2, and Narayan's Mahahbharata by March 9.

OU Bookstore. You can check on the availability and prices of new and used copies, to purchase or to rent, at the OU Bookstore Online.  There are some good prices on the rent-used option there!

Cheaper books online. You can find very cheap books used online, but you need to give yourself some extra time to do that so that the books can be shipped to you before you need them for class. When I checked on December 7, you could purchase all three required books used from Amazon for $16 total, including shipping (which is cheaper than the cheapest rent-used option in the Bookstore at $26 total).

About Kindle editions: You do NOT have to have a Kindle device to read a Kindle book; you can read them on many handhelds or tablets using a Kindle app, or you can read a Kindle book using Amazon Cloud Reader in your laptop/desktop web browser. For more information, visit the Amazon Kindle Apps page (I myself don't own a Kindle, but almost all the reading I do is with a Kindle app on my iPad). A Kindle edition is very convenient because when you purchase it at Amazon, presto, it is instantly available for you to start reading!

So, here are links to Amazon, along with the ISBN so that you can search at any other online bookseller you might prefer to use:

REQUIRED:

1. Ramayana by R. K. Narayan: amazon.com - ISBN 0143039679

(current price used, including shipping: $4 ... or Kindle $10.99)

REQUIRED:

2. Mahabharata by R. K. Narayan: amazon.com - ISBN 0226568229

= new edition with Doniger introduction: amazon.com - ISBN 022605165X

= cheaper used editions are listed here: amazon.com - ISBN 8170943043

(current price used, including shipping: $8 ... or KIndle $9.99)

REQUIRED:

3. Ramayana by William Buck: amazon.com - ISBN 0520227034

= 35th anniversary edition newly issued: amazon.com - ISBN 0520272986

(current price used, including shipping: $4)

OPTIONAL:

4. Mahabharata by William Buck: amazon.com - ISBN 0520227042

= 35th anniversary edition newly issued: amazon.com - ISBN 0520273028

(current price used, including shipping: $7)

Here are the current covers for the books - but don't worry if the book you get has a different cover. The different editions have featured many different covers over the years, but the text does not change. As long as you have the Ramayana by Narayan and the Ramayana by Buck, plus the Mahabharata by Narayan, you are good to go! (Buck's Mahahbarata is the optional one of the four.)