Zoroastrianism: An Introduction (I.B.Tauris Introductions to Religion) Paperback – 30 Jan. 2011

The book is packed with information - much of it of a kind one does not expect or desire to find in an introduction. Far too much attention is given to archaeological and other details of little interest to those who seek to be introduced to the subject. Particularly discouraging is the way technical terms, in whatever variety of Iranian language, are introduced once and freely used forever after. Hardly a page goes by that does not force one to consult the glossary or the index at least once. Instead of 'An introduction', a better subtitle would be 'An encyclopedic guide'.On the other hand, I was disappointed in not finding a systematic discussion of the relationship of Zoroastrianism with, at least, the Mithraic cult of the late Roman empire and Manichaeism.

bought it for for a rather ignorant christian relative