Koller's book was my first serious introduction to Asian philosophy, and I though I read this as a busy high school senior trying to juggle classes, college applications, and extra-curriculars, I did not begrudge the time spent on this book.
Koller looks at the various Hindu, Buddhist, Chinese and Zen traditions, and gives serious outlines of their thought. What I found so entrancing was how he would select pieces of art which help exemplify the worldviews that he analyzes, whether it be a dancing Shiva or Chinese landscape, we see how philosophies can inform how a culture works, and it makes the book much more vivid and engaging. The ideas come alive.
The Asian perspective is becoming more important for Americans to understand, and I commend this book as a valuable tool in appreciating the East.

This collection of information on Asian philosophies, from the earliest Hindu verses to the latest modern spins on Buddhism and Confucianism, is for students, not enthusiasts. It is competent, well-researched, contains ample material for personal study, but, as the discussion questions at the ends of chapters indicate, is a college textbook.

The drawback of this, is a dispassionate, sometimes tedious delivery. The discussions of the various schools of Hinduism, are mind-boggling in their implications, but also difficult. The advantage of this, is the direct converse. The subject matter demands careful attention, not adulation.

I recommend this book for students and perhaps those with an interest in culture, but especially for those who think Western thought is too logical and lifeless. Asian philosophies have a rigor all their own, and this book should tease the proselytes from the enlightened.