Rise of the Goddess in the Hindu Tradition, The

This book is a must-read for anyone serious about studying the Goddess traditions of Hinduism. The writing style is lucid and dense, so while she makes really interesting connections, she also assumes a working knowledge of Hinduism. This book is not for beginners, and it's not a quick read - but it's worth reading if you already have a grounding in Hindu traditions, understand Hindu concepts and keywords, and have a basic knowledge of Hindu theology, cosmology and cosmogony.

Pintchman begins with the feminine principle in Vedic literature (including the Upanisads and Brahmanas), where she explores the Goddess in relation to the elements, focusing primarily on earth and water. The second part of the book focuses on the three main manifestations of Goddess in Hindu theological and philosophical discourse - Prakriti (nature), Maya (illusion) and Shakti (power) - with a thorough review of the relevant literature. Finally, she explores the Puranas, focusing primarily on the Devi Mahatmya, but also surveying Vaishnava, Shaiva and Shakta puranas. Her discourse on cosmology/cosmogony and the introduction of the feminine principle of creation as the consort of the masculine God is particularly interesting to those studying the Shakta branch of Hinduism.

Again, this may be a challenging book to read if you're not well-grounded in Hindu studies, but it is a wealth of scholarly insight into a fascinating and growing field.