Reviews (58)

Not what I expected
I'd seen this book referenced too many times to count, but never picked it up until recently. However, I was disappointed with it in comparison to Ridley's others (Agile Gene, and Genome). Although he seems to dazzle people with evolutionary psychology (Just as Miller does in The Mating Mind, Wright does in Moral Animal, and Buss does in his books), Ridley falls into the same Evo Psyche troubles as the others listed above do.
Dang it Ridley, you ruined everything!
Ok this book is awesome. However, whenever I see an attractive girl, I no longer think "wow, she is gorgeous". Now I think "hmm, the only reason i think she has great legs, a nice booty and pretty face is because my genes are programed to like that." Although, I will admit that it is REALLY interesting to know why certain traits are considered attractive and how evolution shaped our idea of beauty.
I'm Speechless
This book turns the entire concept of intelligence inside out. Seriously mind-blowing. Excellent exercise in extended mental gymnastics. You won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Evolution    2. Evolution - Human    3. Human Reproduction    4. Human evolution    5. Physiology Of Reproduction    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Sex    9. Social change    10. Social evolution    11. Human biology    12. Physiology    13. Reproductive medicine   

Reviews (12)

A question?
how now? a book written about the marginal, the "strung-out", decentered, in a stile one needs a very very expensive education to comprehend? on what side of the pasture are you on?
A landmark...
As you can already tell by the comments, there is a "clash of cultures" in the academy. It's between:
The Hindoo Empress Has No Sari
I expropriated this book from the Princeton History Department, where it was forlornly residing underneath a "Free To Anyone" sign. I got what I paid for. It's crap, and babble, and everything else that uniformly applies to anything written by a deconstructionist, structuralist, or similar academic mountebank. If you come across a copy, skim it for laughs. (Trust me: you won't have to get past the Introduction to find some uproariously awful sentences.) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Emigration & Immigration    4. Feminism and literature    5. Feminist criticism    6. History & Surveys - Modern    7. Philosophy, Modern    8. Postcolonialism    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Women and literature    12. Anthropology    13. Cultural studies    14. Literary theory    15. Social Science / General   

Reviews (5)

An Astonishing Intellectual Achievement
As the centuries long battle between religion and science unfolded in the 19th century, science became the clear winner in terms of intellectual prestige. But that fight, while leaving science victorious in the realm of the intellect also left lingering prejudices within science towards religion. As science moved forward offering us ever deeper knowledge of the cosmos, life, and ourselves, science also began to ignore its former nemesis. Despite the awesome significance of religion in human life and history, the social sciences have relatively little to offer on the role of religion in human evolution and the reasons for or mechanisms whereby religions tradition are transmitted from one generation to the next.
Not for sissies.
One of the most remarkable things of this book, is that it was written at all. Roy Rappaport (a former boss and good friend of mine) was dying of lung cancer while he writing this book and I think that is reflected in the tone.Although he had begun writing before his diagnosis I think the subject became more personal because of it. "El jefe" (my name for him) was a very religious man, but he didn't proclaim it loudly; it was shown in small ways. disasterous
Being an Anthropology major and have read many anthropological books.This is by far the worst book I have ever had to read.Rappaport rambles on and on in a meaningless train of thought, then three paragraphs laterchanges his mind on what he was thinking. After reading this book fromfront to back cover, I will never pick up a Rappaport book again.I wouldhave learned more by watching Sesame Street than this book ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Anthropology - General    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Christianity - Ritual & Practice    5. General    6. Religion    7. Ritual    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Sociology of Religion    11. Religious rites & ceremonies    12. Social & cultural anthropology    13. Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural   

Reviews (42)

A Decent Read
I thought the book had some interesting information in it. It wasn't the best book by Terrance but it was certainy a tribute to his intellectual curiosity.

A good view of the Terence McKenna phenomenon
This book provides a good overview of reflections of the late Terence McKenna, a celebrated icon of the contemporary psychedelic scene and discussion, comparable perhaps with Timothy Leary in the 1960's.For the curious reader, "Food of the Gods" offers a rich insight into his thought and its appeal. But that appeal turns out to be rather narrow and limited, unfortunately. Like Leary, McKenna commanded considerable attention, reaching a wide audience and achieving some degree of celebrity. But as reflected in the pages of this book, his analysis and views turn out to be surprisingly (I would even say disappointingly) weak, and fatally biased, with no solid substance.
Classic thesis on consciousness & more
Regardless of your views on drug use, this book is a must read for anyone with an open mind. It will challenge fundamental beliefs, and force you to make new ones. This is one of the best books I've ever read. Note, you can skip the middle half (e.g. the history of drug use among various societies) of this book and still come away with the essence of what McKenna is proposing.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Drug abuse    3. General    4. Hallucinogenic drugs and religious experience    5. Health/Fitness    6. History    7. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    8. Religious aspects    9. Substance Abuse & Addictions - General    10. Cooking / History    11. Modern fiction   

Reviews (10)

More insightful than Macchiavelli
This is a short book whose pages have a far greater impact than the title might suggest. As many reviewers have already noted, the book simply explains the mechanisms that guide the popualr imagination and outlines the simple principles that enable the few who grasp them to hold control over vast populations. What struck me particulalry was how the recipes for power suggested by Gustave Le Bon are reflected in contemporary neo-liberal economic and socio-cultural agendas. Those who are involved in developing education policies will find the book especially useful. Writing over a century ago,Le Bon criticized the liberal education system and advocated the more common sense practical type of learning that neo-liberal agendas have been pushing for since the late 70's. It also makes a strong case for the impact of simple messages over crowds. Common sense arguments, logic and thoughtful concerns, LE Bon argues, are lost on the masses. Indeed, it is widely believed that this was one of Benito Mussolini's favorite books. We are living ever more in an era of simplistic thinking. By reading this book you will understand how this has occurred and how demagogues rise to power. As with another reviewer, I also stay away from crowds. This book unraveled the unconscious instincts that always make me avoid crowds and anything that is too popular.

9/11 and 'The Crowd'
I think the reviewer Derek Pillion summed up this book rather well.But I want to relate something that came into my mind after reading the following passage from chapter III: Why I Avoid Large Groups of People.
_The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind_ by French social theorist Gustave LeBon is a short treatise on the principles of large gatherings of people.As the disclaimer on the title page notes, the ideas in LeBon's book were popular at the time of the late 19th century but are no longer in vogue today.The reasons for this are obvious, as LeBon unpretentiously puts to fault all the rhetoric about "democracy," "equality," "fraternity," and "equality" as being mere catchphrases that self-serving demagouges use to control the spirit of the masses.He cites the French Revoloution and the demands of Socialism and Communism during his time.LeBon outlines the way crowds tend to think (in vivid images illogically connected), how they reason (they don't for all practical purposes), how they express exaggerated emotion, how they are very quick to take action without coherent thought and of the general extreme-conservativism and intolerance of crowds.The individual who becomes part of a crowd tends to loose himself, and feels invincible as he is aware of the similarity of mind and purpose of all those surrounding him.LeBon notes how individuals become unthinking entities of the Herd, and can be unconsciously made to do acts, which can either be of great criminality or heroism.The reasoning of the solitary individual is superior to that of a crowd which has no individuality.All are "equal" in a crowd where, for instance, a mathemetician is caught up in the same spirit as a laborer and class and intelligece differences fall to the lowest common denominator.One advangage of crowds is that they can express the spirit of a class, caste, or race of a people better than the individual can, and that crowds are capable of great deeds such as victory in a war or the spread of a religion that would be beyond simply one person's effort.The back title of _The Crowd_ mentions that Hitler, Mussolini in addition to Freud were familiar with LeBon's work, and it is readily apparent that their followers acted very similar to the behavior that LeBon describes.The basic point of _The Crowd_ is this: For Bettor or Worse, Never Underestimate the Power of Stupid People in Large Groups. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crowds    2. General    3. Social Psychology    4. Social Science    5. Sociology    6. Sociology - General    7. Anthropology    8. Social Science / General   

Reviews (3)

Very solid contribution!
Rarely does one edited volume do such a good job of covering the essential essays about a topic.Counihan and Van Esterik do just that in their well-wrought _Food and Culture_.They skillfully offer food in an anthropological and historical perspective, giving attention to feminist, structuralist, semiotic, and other approaches.The essays themselves are effectively trimmed down by the editors, and the resulting book is consistently rewarding. A useful text
I assigned this text almost unseen as a course book because it included so many of the classic essays which one might have ended up xeroxing.The students found the book very useful. I would have liked a more historicalfocus but that's because of my own training. I will assign the book again.

Interesting collection.
Food and culture are examined in 28 essays by noted anthropologists and other social scientists in this uneven but valuable survey.Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Customs & Traditions    3. Food    4. Food habits    5. History: World    6. Social Science    7. Social aspects    8. Sociology    9. Anthropology    10. Cultural studies    11. Food & Drink / Cookery    12. Social Science / Anthropology / General   

Reviews (10)

Truly the best

Ethiopia: Deep History
A land now wracked by famine and war, the region of Ethiopia and the surrounding countries which make up the Horn of Africa, have a rich and diverse cultural history. The coastal areas have been in close contact with the outside world for centuries, linked by trade with Arabia, China and India.Ethiopia itself is situated in more remote highlands and has enjoyed protection from foreign influences, for an even longer time. The are archaic forms of Christianity and Judaism, pastoralist groups, hunter-gatherers and farmers and they have lived undisturbed for hundreds of years.Until the twentieth century, Ethiopia was the only African country to have successfully avoided Western imperialism. For Lovers of Photography
If you are interested in Ethiopia, this book provides a pictured guide to the country, its history and its sites. The photography is amazing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa, Northeast    2. Anthropology - Cultural    3. Ethnology    4. Ethnology And Ethnography    5. General    6. History - General History    7. Photo Essays    8. Social life and customs    9. Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural   

Reviews (11)

cheaper than at the college book store
This book was in the same quality as if i would have bought it at the college book store, but about $10.00 cheaper. It is a good read, and helps create a better idea of how to view a things with cultural relativism.

Classic example of exploitation of a native people
This (so called) interactive CD is a classic example of 2 unfortunate characteristics of Western anthropology: 1) It sees human beings as specimens to be examined, filmed, held up for cultural di-section, for the interest of westerners with no intention of doing good for these people; 2) It inevitably skews the perception of the culture it depicts. Obviously there are degrees of accuracy with any ethnographic description, but in this case we are left with a very distorted picture. For example, we are not told that the Yanomamo have for decades now been willingly seeking and embracing different methods of conflict resolution - rather than killing each other, resolving issues like who "owns" a woman by negotiation rather than by killing those who disagree with you. Many of these constructive and helpful developments, which the yanomamo have embraced of their own free choice (having had a gut-full of the alternative) were introduced by well-meaning missionaries, and yet it seems the anthropologists want the yanomamo to stay frozen in time and keep killing each other. Meanwhile, Chagnon and others go merrily on their way making big $ out of depictions like this and trying to stop missionaries (and others) from helping these people to help themselves.
a different culture [in danger]
this book is a good introduction to the Yanomamo people of the Amazon rainforest, in Venezuela & Brazil.There's so much literature on these people; this book really is just an introduction.One thing Chagnon communicates very well in it is how terribly tragic he thinks what's happening to them now is, with western influence, especially in the last chapter.Anyway the way he writes is great. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Social Science    4. Sociology    5. Yanomamo Indians    6. Anthropology    7. Social Science / Anthropology / General   

Reviews (1)

satisfaction guaranteed
this item arrived in a timely manner and even though it was used it was in great condition ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Anthropology - Physical    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Mammals    5. Physical anthropology    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Biological anthropology    9. Social Science / Anthropology / General   

Reviews (1)

A wealth of information on an African hunter-gatherer group
This 1979 book contains the findings of four years of fieldwork done in the 60s and early 70s by the well known American anthropologist Richard Lee (and others) among the !Kung San, a hunter-gatherer group living on the border of Botswana and Namibia in Southern Africa. All realms of !Kung life are documented in great detail, including the Kalahari desert environment they live in, its plant resources and animals, the tools the !Kung use, their hunting skills, the division of labour between men and women, and much more. It doesn't stay with written descriptions of the !Kung (which always have the danger of subjectivity), but the information is supplemented with a large number of tables and figures with quantitative information, like relative hunting success of !Kung men, caloric and protein levels in the !Kung diet, and !Kung homicide statistics. Some of the information might surprise you. The lives of hunter-gatherers are often thought of as "nasty, brutish, and short", but the !Kung show hardly any signs of malnutrition, it turns out they need to work only 12 to 21 hours a week to get enough food, and there are quite some !Kung over 60 years of age. Studying a hunting and gathering lifestyle is very important because humans have lived like this for about 95% of their existence and so it contains valuable information about were we come from. Unfortunately, in the world there are hardly any people living like this anymore. Lee reports that at the end of his fieldwork even the !Kung were, for better or worse, changing their way of life quickly with the arrival of agriculture, shops, beer, and a cash economy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. !Kung (African people)    2. San (African people)    3. Sociology    4. Social & cultural anthropology    5. Social Science / Anthropology / General   

Reviews (2)

The other side of American history
Spring's thesis is that white Anglo-Saxon Protestants have systematically denied educational access to ethnic minorities in order to establish and perpetuate their own system of privilege. This powerful, concise book covers historical injustices against many groups. The book falls short only when the author attempts to extend his analysis to the present day. In his understandable indignation at historical wrongs, Spring fails to acknowledge the extent to which most Americans' beliefs thankfully have changed.

Deculturalization and the Struggle for Equality
This book gives us a lot of examples of how the minorities in this country have had their cultures altered to fit the American version. There are examples of most of the major minority groups and how the education systemhas played a major part in the pattern of deculturalization.This book is amust have for any student who wants to know the real history, the stuffthey leave out of the text books, for any parent or teacher who wants togive their children the truth instead of white washed history, and anyperson who is interested in the truth. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Discrimination in education    3. Education    4. Education / Teaching    5. History    6. Minorities    7. Multicultural Education    8. Philosophy & Social Aspects    9. Segregation in education    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. United States    13. Education / History    14. Multicultural studies    15. Organization & management of education    16. Teaching of ethnic minorities    17. USA   

Reviews (59)

It was a great help!!
For anyone who is going to take a CLEP test in order to skip a course, buy one of these study guides!!It helped me greatly in passing the exam with effortless ease.But still, one should study other books before taking the CLEP test.Regardless, these study guides are must.They are a little expensive, but they will save you hundreds, even thousands, of dollars by skipping the course.I highly recommend it.

Good
I used this prepbook and "Sociology : A Down-to-Earth Approach (7th Edition)" (w/ study guide) by James M. Henslin.Studied and finished both books in about a month.Got a 77 (needed a 75 to pass).
Great study guide
These guides are fabulous! Each gives just enough information to pass the test. I like the practice tests, they really help ensure you know the material. They are well written and really pretty interesting.I guess they would also be a great short introduction to the subject. I've used sociology and US history both are highly recommended. With almost no pre-requisit knowelge you could study these books and pass, you do need to know the information in here though, since the test will have stuff that the REA guide doesn't cover, but these are enough to pass if you know it well. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Book Notes    2. Cliff's/ Monarch / Barron's Book Notes    3. College Entrance Examination B    4. College Entrance Examination Board.    5. College-Level Examination Prog    6. College-Level Examination Program    7. Education    8. Examinations, questions, etc    9. Sociology    10. Sociology - General    11. Study guides    12. Sociology, Social Studies    13. Study Aids / CLEP (College-Level Examination Program)   

Reviews (4)

e-book is a mess
I bought and downloaded the eBook of this famous book for my research.
Read this before "Science in Action"
Latour's book "Science in Action" is more trendy... but I suggest you read this earlier book instead.It's clear and makes its points in a compelling fashion.

A classic in the philosophy of science
It seems to me that the previous reviewer is either a wooly-head theoretician or that the previous reviewer hasn't actually done any research in a laboratory. Because in this book, there are many sparkling insights into the way that science is practised.Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Biology    3. Life Sciences - Biology - General    4. Methodology    5. Research    6. Science    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Anthropology    10. Biological Sciences    11. History of Science and Medicine, Philosophy of Science    12. Science: General Issues    13. Social Science / Anthropology / General   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Colonies    3. Ethnic Studies - General    4. Europe    5. Human Geography    6. Imperialism    7. Minority Studies - Race Relations    8. Race relations    9. Sex customs    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. World - Colonial Studies    13. Anthropology    14. Colonization & independence    15. Gender studies    16. History / General    17. Racism & racial discrimination    18. Social history   

Reviews (2)

The standard for field work...clear...BUT get it used
Along with "The Ethnographic Interview", this is a mainstay of field anthropologists and should be read by anyone who wants to gain a true understanding of the issues facing an Anthropologist (social).As an anthropologist working in business I have gone back to this text again and again to refocus and aid in explaining to others what I can, or actually do."Participant Observation" is often the text which accompanies a fieldwork course and can be found cheaper at any university library (I never thought I would say that!!).
Participant Observation
I think that this book is very precious to the field anthropolosist ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Anthropology - General    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Participant observation    5. Social Science    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - General    8. Anthropology    9. Social Science / Anthropology / General   

Subjects:  1. Anatomy    2. Anthropology - Physical    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Forensic Science    5. Growth    6. Human skeleton    7. Life Sciences - Human Anatomy & Physiology    8. Medical    9. Pediatrics    10. Science    11. Skeletal maturity    12. Chiropractic & osteopathy    13. Social Science / Anthropology / General   

Reviews (33)

Scott's review of Combatting Mind Control
I found the book very informative and easy to understand. I was able to relate to what Steve was talking about having been raised in a mind control cult myself. I would recommend the book to those who are working on helping someone escape this subtle nightmare to become alive again. I am persuing the same mission field as Steve and he inspired me to stay with it.

Excellent book on cults and mind control
Anyone interested in this book should go to (...) "Constructing Social Reality".The program is hosted by Phillip Zimbardo, the well know social psychologist from Stanford University and long-time president of the American Psychological Association, and features footage of Steven Hassan talking briefly about his views on cults and mind control.It should give one a good sense of the tone, intelligence and validity of Hassan's writing.

This book helped me
When I learned that L. Ron Hubbard had officially "erased" his 2nd wife, Sara, and began describing her as the Russian communist spy Sara Komkosadamanov, and then I saw the huge stack of abandoned dianetics books at a used book store, I knew something was seriously wrong. Since then I've been reading and reading. Now I've just finished a really nice and concise over-view of whole messy subject: 'Combatting Cult Mind Control' by Steven Hassan. If you're tempted to wander into the world of cults, read this book first. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Body, Mind & Spirit    3. Cults    4. General    5. Hassan, Steven    6. New Age    7. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    8. Occultism    9. Psychology    10. Substance Abuse & Addictions - General    11. Anthropology    12. Contemporary non-Christian cults & sects    13. Coping with personal problems    14. Self-Help / General   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Civilization    4. Civilization, Western    5. History    6. History: World    7. Humanism    8. Textbooks    9. World - General    10. Social Science / General   

Reviews (2)

wheres the CD ?
i purchased this book as required for a begining spanish class i am taking.i wish a CD came with it. the paperback version of this book has a CD included which further explains many of the lessons.other than that, the book is perfect for the class and for learning spanish

Arriba!
I especially like the cultural aspect that's presented. I like the historical side and find thecurrent affairs and personalities highlighted to be very interesting. Practice speaking with a partner is encouraged.That's so helpful. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    3. Social Science    4. Spanish    5. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction    6. Foreign Language Study / Spanish    7. Language teaching & learning material & coursework   

Features

• Abridged

Reviews (10)

What I got out of this book
I learned who the people closest genetically to Basques are. The French! Makes sense the French have a a portion of Basque country in their political nation of France. I'm of French background myself. French-Canadian that is.

Great book, if you can get through it...
This book is very hard to get through as someone with no backing in genetics or biology, but it is very interesting, and it shows how we humans are really just like a couple thousand breeds of dogs, all slightly different, but with the same ancestor, our distant ancestor though was probably no wolf. It is interesting when they mention the little unexplainable historical abnormalities (african genes and caucasian genes in latin american indigenous populations, perhaps?) that they see in the genes of some groups of humans.
History and Geography of Homan Genes
This work, in hardback, is written with the advanced researcher in mind. The author is world famous for his pioneering efforts in identifying traits in particular traits in ethnic groups with unique genetic markers. The color plates in the index section can be helpful to those who know how to intrepret them.Read more

Subjects:  1. Genetics    2. Life Sciences - Genetics & Genomics    3. Science    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Anthropology    6. Biological Sciences    7. Biological anthropology    8. Genetics (non-medical)    9. History of Science and Medicine, Philosophy of Science    10. Science / Genetics