Product Description
Self-published in 2003, Hilary Thayer Hamann’s Anthropology of an American Girl touched a nerve among readers, who identified with the sexual and intellectual awakening of its heroine, a young woman on the brink of adulthood.  A moving depiction of the transformative power of first love, Hamann’s first novel follows Eveline Auerbach from her high school years in East Hampton, New York, in the 1970s through her early adulthood in the moneyed, high-pressured Manhattan of the 1980s. 

Centering on Evie’s fragile relationship with her family and her thwarted love affair with Harrison Rourke, a professional boxer, the novel is both a love story and an exploration of the difficulty of finding one’s place in the world.  As Evie surrenders to the dazzling emotional highs of love and the crippling loneliness of heartbreak, she strives to reconcile her identity with the constraints that all relationships—whether those familial or romantic, uplifting to the spirit or quietly detrimental—inherently place on us. Though she stumbles and strains against social conventions, Evie remains a strong yet sensitive observer of the world around her, often finding beauty and meaning in unexpected places. 

Newly edited and revised since its original publication, Anthropology of an American Girl is an extraordinary piece of writing, original in its vision and thrilling in its execution.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 Amazon.com Review
Amazon Best Books of the Month, June 2010: Eveline Auerbach, the heroine of Anthropology of an American Girl, observes at one point that "pain becomes its own story." That may be the best way to begin talking about Hilary Thayer Hamann's arresting and provocative coming-of-age novel, set against the twilight years of Eveline's adolescence and the dawn of the 1980s--a decade made all the more infamous by books like American Psycho and Bright Lights, Big City. Hamann's 600-page epic is a worthy and welcome successor to those novels, as it charts the wistful and unsteady course of a girl experiencing the often brutal paradox of being a woman. Eveline is a curious soul. Much of her story unfolds in interior monologues that display how acutely--and how honestly--she observes herself and the men who lay claim to her, and no thought of hers is left unturned: she reflects with great tenderness both the guileless narcissism and the strange liberty of being young. Anthropology of an American Girl is an accomplished and absorbing work of fiction, resonant and romantic in the grandest sense, that will remind you what a great American novel really is. --Anne Bartholomew ... Read more

Customer Reviews (100)

Refreshing New Author, Opinion from a man...
There are some critical reviews of this book which I think is surprising.I enjoy many books from many genres, and subscribe to the email list "very short list" which recommends unusual remarkable finds.Here is another example of how they have not disappointed me yet.Unlike a similar comparison from another reviewer, I would say that for her first novel Hilary set the bar high and surpassed it with flying colors.This is not a book for women, both sexes have equally different perspectives to see from and take away in the enjoyment of this book.

Hilary's character development is simply remarkable in her writing.In fact it is not very often that you set a book down after having felt so immersed in its characters that you could think of them as people that you know as you have experienced so much with them in this story.I the description of places in time is fantastic.The nutshell comparison is easy but not entirely straightforward, imagine the premise of Catcher in the Rye in vibrant color and detail from the perspective of a girl. A girl whom any man reading this book will easily fall in love with......

Self-indulgent, pretentious, boring
Here's the upside to slogging your way through this 624 page book:generally good writing, vivid depictions of certain places and times, and some interesting characters. Here's the downside:to get to these nuggets, you have to spend many hours with the main character, Eveline, a self-involved, pouty, fainty, faux-artistic seventeen year old whom the author seems to believe is the most fascinating girl we've ever encountered.But in fact the author makes Eveline both tedious and annoying.

The author gives us pages and endless pages of Eveline's Deep Thoughts, which mainly involve herself, sprinkled with pretentious and artificial reflections on nature.The novel focuses on Eveline's relationships with three different lovers, and nearly all of Eveline's endless ruminations have to do with these men and how they make her feel.She seems to have no curiosity about anything else in the world, no interest in other people, no goals, and no ability to accomplish anything.Oh, and no girlfriends.Any girls who show up in this novel are there to be contrasted unfavorably with Eveline, as less attractive than she, less sincere, less "deep", and above all less desirable to the boys.The author reminds us continually and somewhat hilariously that Eveline is superhumanly beautiful, with all male eyes on her everywhere she goes, with every guy who knows her falling in love with her, with random men feeding or clothing her for free, and even "dogs and small children solemnly watching" as she and her equally super-gorgeous boyfriend walk by on the beach.Eveline has low blood pressure and faints a lot, presumably due to her intense sensitivity and deep feelings, and other people are always having to pick her up or towel her off or otherwise minister to her.Periodically, the author inserts some clunky reference to Eveline thinking about being "an American girl", presumably to make the character or the novel seem iconic and profound, but the references are superficial and fail to evoke anything more profound than "golly I am profoundly tired of reading this nonsense."

In the course of five or six years in the life of Eveline, the author lets us glimpse some interesting characters - her childhood best friend, her brilliant but fragile first boyfriend, her hippieish but strong-willed mother, a New Jersey numbers guy and his family, classmates both rich and poor from her high school.But these characters are squandered as mere backdrop for the Eveline character and we aren't allowed to see or learn enough about them.Some of the author's descriptions of place and time, like growing up in a beach community on Long Island, or the high-living yuppie haunts of New York City in the early 1980s, are well written and evocative.But the book's virtues are far outweighed by its annoying and unrelatable "heroine" and its high degree of pretentiousness.

A Captivating Coming of Age Story
This is a long book with a large cast of characters to remember. That being said, the writing is superb and the people are all well drawn. It's easy to see why this book was such a sensation when Ms. Thayer self published it and why it was eventually picked up by Spiegel & Grau. Ms. Thayer knows how to use words. She knows how to make you care for her people, even the ones you don't like.

Young Eveline "Evie" grows up in a small beach community in New York. Her mother is divorced and doesn't do the mom stuff very well, so Evie gets that attention from her best friend Kate's mother, who dies early on from cancer and Kate moves in with Evie, who is having it on with Jack, her self-destructing boyfriend who has a horrible father. And by then, I was thoroughly engrossed in this coming of age novel.

There's more, to be sure, Evie has some horrible things happen to her in high school, but it's not all bad and it shapes the young woman she is to become. Sadly, her choices in men aren't all they should be. No chick lit this, this is a story so true to life that you'll go to sleep thinking about these people. Some of them you'll really like and some -- like Rourke and Mark, a couple of those bad men choices Evie makes -- you'll not like so much, but you'll enjoy them all. This is a captivating coming of age story and it'll keep you thinking about it's people long after you've finished it.

A modern classic
This is a great coming of age book. It follows the main character, Eveline from high school through college but more of her experiences were out of school with her friends, relatives and lovers. I will try not to disclose too much of the story because I want you to read it. There were some scenes that brought me tears because they had happened in my life too. I think that this is truly a book immersed in themes for all American women.
I appreciated the sensitive way, Hilary Thayer Hamman has Eveline see the world through the sounds, smells, textures and deep inner feelings as the artist that she was in the book. She was more introspective than an extroverted person. Eveline is easy to identify with in so many ways. Her character interprets life sometimes incorrectly, but always deeply. Her friend Jack is at the same time ultra sensitive and intuitive but also a very lost soul. As, you read, I think that you will agree that there are Jacks, Rourkes, Dans and Robs in all our lives. The author works each character thoroughly. The women in her book, her best friend, Kate, Kate's mother, Maman, her own mother are all fully developed too. And the situations are very memorable like writing a deeply personal letter over and over again and yet not sending it. How many of us have had that situation?
But what I gained the most from this incredible book is the author's insights that she put into the character's words, thought and feelings. I had to stop every once in a while and think about them and how they appeared in my own life. Something I had not thought about in my life now make sense! There are very few books that can make that claim. There is a very painful scene close to the end where it seemed most of the characters grew in their perceptions and understanding of people. I think that it teaches the true meaning of love.I think this book ranks as a modern classic. I recommend it to all American women and any man who thinks that they understand them. This book is a treasure.

Entertaining but not an award winner
heard about this book on NPR. This book first came out in 2003 when Hilary Thayer Hamann self-published it.Then, recently, it really took off and hit the mainstream press. It is 620 some odd pages and covers some years in the life of Eveline Auerbach, a girl that lives in East Hampton, NY and New York City in the late 70's and early 80's. She is raised by her divorcee, professor mother and sometimes, her father takes part in her upbringing - he lives in New York city after all. During her junior year in high school, she meets and falls in love with Jack. Jack is a rebel in every sense of the word, and is, in particular rebelling against his father, a wealthy man who seems to ruin everything that he touches. When that relationship ends, Evie meets and falls in love with Harrison Rourke during her senior year in high school. Harrison is a substitute drama teacher at her high school who also boxes professionally and has ties to the New Jersey mafia. After spending a magical summer together, Evie and Harrison split up and Evie enrolls at NYU for college.She also ends up moving in with Mark, a rich stockbroker type who is als very, very slimey and reptilian and just rubs everyone the wrong way. Mark hates Harrison with a passion that is almost unseen in other people.Evie lives with Mark for three long, unhappy years.

This book was pretty good - I can see why it became popular so quickly. It tells a really good story of a girl whose voice is absolutely authentic and true.Her opinions regarding relationships - romantic and otherwise - all seem so true. She's also very charming and beguiling, particularly at the beginning of the novel.We've all been in high school and had relationshps while we're there, so this part is interesting and easily related to. The second part moves a bit more slowly and perhaps tries the patience more so than the first part of the novel. It annoys the reader that she doesn't get herself out of what is obviously a bad situation that is continuously getting worse.

While this isn't going to be on any prize winning lists, it is an entertaining read that is addictive and distracting. Worth the read for sure.
... Read more

Product Description
1921. This is an intensive study of the witch cult in Great Britain. The author uses French and Flemish sources to obtain a clearer understanding of the ritual and beliefs, as the witch cult appears to be the same throughout western Europe. The sources from which the information used within are the judicial records and contemporary chroniclers. In the case of the chroniclers, the author studied their facts, not their opinions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A caveat for the credulous
Readers should be warned: this book, and the "Murray thesis" itself, have been thoroughly discredited for a generation.This book is most useful as a demonstration of the power of dishonest scholarship and the willingness of people to believe a collection of lies.Murray, an Egyptologist, has been shown to have misquoted, misused and abused the sixteen sources that make up the basis for this study.Her methods have been discredited, her deliberate ignorance of contradictory evidence has been illuminated, and her refusal to consider that the confessions of convicted witches were gained through torture and were scripted before the fact mark her as a dangerous and unprincipled scholar.In Witch Cult, Murray founded a myth of an earth-based cult, surviving alongside the official Church, sustained in the covens of witches who worshiped at the "sabbat."This picture, conjured from the scripted confessions of witches, had and has a powerful appeal to Wiccan and other neo-pagan groups, who gained through it a historical provenance that simply does not exist. So powerful was its appeal that Murray rode this book to a sort of scholarly noteriety, gaining print-space for a few years in the Encyclopedia Britannica as cutting-edge witch scholarship. It wasn't long, though, before real historians began a re-examination of Murray and her sources. One cannot now find a serious scholar who still accepts the Murray thesis, nor can anyone who has seen the archival records accept that the poor individuals who died a very painful death for the crime of witchcraft be guilty of adherence to an alternative religion.I have no problem with neopaganism or any of the other harmless groups who claim to have magical powers or some deep connection with earth-based wisdom.I do, however, deeply resent wiccan or other adherents of "witchcraft" who claim a relationship to the thousands of innocent people who died in the European Witch craze.It is simply wrong to call them as witness to and ancestors of a purely modern irrationality.Buy this book as a study of the present, as a text in the long litany of deeply-felt and deeply-flawed ideas, but do not buy it as a serious study.It is wrong, it is misguided, it is dangerous.

TERRIBLE Work & Research Methods
This book is a terrible source. Murray's premise is based on the records of confessions of "witches" during torture and trial. The book consists of false pseudo-information. It's like someone defining the truth of the Spanish Inquisition on what the victims said during their "confessions." I've seen this book referred to again and again, during years of anthropological research, and can't believe Murray has any credibility. One can't write seriously about this subject, and use this terrible information, extracted under duress by the Church. Murray actually postulates that the consistency of the practices described in the confessions is evidence of a widespread witch religion. Yes, it is evidence, but evidence pertaining to the consistant beliefs of the Papal Bull of Innocent VIII against witchcraft. Instead, aquire the worthy series of six volumes edited by Bengt Ankarloo, called "Witchcraft and Magic in Europe." Try works on shamanism by Wade Davis and/or Richard Evans Schultes.

Holy crap.
I give this two stars only because it's historically important as a Wiccan/Neopagan foundation document.I don't know how anyone ever took Murray's "theory" seriously because it's so incoherent.Having read this book twice, I'm still not sure exactly what she meant to prove; her "thesis" only becomes clear when filtered through other authors.Murray seems to have assumed that if she kept lobbing enough "witch trial evidence" at readers (especially if such documents were in foreign languages), they'd believe her through sheer exhuastion.Judging by this tome, Murray would not pass a college level elementary logic course today.She would certainly never have been admitted to a basic cultural anthropology class.

Please don't tell me anyone actually takes this seriously!
One of the groundbreaking works in the study of witchcraft, Margaret Murray's _The Witch-Cult in Western Europe_ argues that accounts of the witch trials of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Britain provide evidence of a pre-Christian fertility cult persisting underground through the millennium of Christian domination, a cult wrongly persecuted by Christian authorities as Satanic. At the center of this cult was the worship of a god, and the cult itself Murray describes as worshipping "in well-defined rites; the organization . . . highly developed; and the ritual . . . analogous to many other ancient rituals" (p. 12). It is from the contemporary accounts of the witch trials that Murray extracts her picture of the rites and practices of the witch-cult, a cult apparently engaging in, among other things, worship of the Devil, the working of nefarious magic, child and animal sacrifice, and sexual orgies.

Is it possible that these activities were not what they seemed on the surface to be, but were instead the survivals of a more ancient religion? You would expect that if this were the case, two things would be in evidence: One, that Murray would draw her conclusion based on the similarity of the witches' activities to exant descriptions of the pre-Christian religion of the British Isles, and two, that reports of this cultic activity would surface with regularity before the time of the great witch-craze. Inconveniently, though, neither holds true. Murray herself admits at the outset, "Of the ancient religion of pre-Christian Britain there are few written records, but it is contrary to all expectation that a cult should die out and leave no trace immediately on the introduction of a new religion" (p.19). Thus, though she has almost nothing with which to compare the activities of the witches she examines, she a priori assumes that what she finds must be the relics of the ancient religion. At times she does happen to be correct in her assumption:Some of the activities attributed to the witches, such as the taking of familiars or flight through the air, we can certainly believe to be the lingering memory of pre-Christian superstition, but these are just those aspects of the witches' alleged doings which are the most clearly pure nonsense. We may, then, indeed say that indeed the old religion did survive, but only as folkloric superstition attached to the witches, who served as those scapegoats for a world in chaos (more about this later).

The second expectation, that the cult would reveal itself with some regularity before the panic of the early modern period, is not in evidence either. There are absolutely no reports of this cult's activities before 1484, the year that Pope Innocent VIII promulgated a Bull decrying the reports of those who sought to "have intercourse with demons . . . [to] suffocate, extinguish, and cause to perish the births of women, the increase of animals, the corn of the ground, the grapes of the vineyard and the fruit of the trees" (p. 24). Murray claims that this bull is "only one of many ordinances against the practices of an earlier cult" (p.24), yet if this is so, she neglects to provide these previous ordinances, for among the eighteen cited instances of crackdowns, not one names any practice specific to the witch-cult Murray scries. Rather, these ordinances speak generally against "heathenism" and "offerings to devils," which, while indicative of the impious nature of the population, hardly provide proof positive of an organized thorn in the side of the Church. In fact, what is most striking about the examples Murray provides is that none of them connect the "heathen" with any kind of fertility cult at all, and certainly not with the blasting of fertility with which Innocent was concerned.

As a matter of fact, the cult which Murray labors to discover has, if anything, a distinctly anti-Christian--and therefore very recent--character. Excerpts of the accounts are generously provided, and over and over they speak of renouncing Christ, renouncing baptism and heaven, and substituting the Devil for God. And it _is_ the Christian Devil the accused speak of worshipping--Murray explains this as the result of the eyewitness' inability to comprehend that the witches were speaking of their God, and thus substituted "Devil" whenever they reported what had been said, but this is purely conjecture on Murray's part, and if anything, the testimonies reported indicate the witches themselves truly believed it was the Christian Devil they worshipped, and not some pre-Christian god. For example, Elizabeth Sawyer, an Edmonton witch, said that the Devil "asked of me to whom I prayed, and I answered him to Jesus Christ, and he charged me then to pray no more to Jesus Christ, but to him the Devil" (p. 30).

Further proof of the cult's more recent origins is found in one of the three "rites of admission," an "explicit denial and rejection of a previous religion" (p. 74); and one of the ceremonies Murray includes as practiced by the witches was indeed a Black Mass. Why would a cult with pre-Christian origins be so concerned with subverting Christianity, instead of practicing its own ceremonies? (Incidentally, Gerald Gardner, coming a little later than Murray, and claiming to have been initiated into a coven of British witches supposedly carrying on the ancient traditions of a pre-Christian fertility cult, contradicts all this testimony, saying that the witches he knew had never practiced the renunciation of Christ, nor the Black Mass, nor child sacrifice.)

Did the cult, in fact, engage in any demonstrably "pagan" activities at all? At first glance one might answer yes; many of the witches reported that the Devil often appeared in animal guise, which Murray takes as evidence of the cult's continuing practice of pre-Christian shamanism. But if the cult were indeed a fertility cult, it must be asked why the Devil appeared in guises not linked to those of the traditional British fertility gods. Cerunnon, for example, the "horned god" of Celtic Britain, was identified with the stag, and yet the Devil rarely appeared in his likeness, preferring instead to appear more frequently as a dog. Once again, we can certainly believe that the suspicion that the Devil appeared in animal form was the result of the lingering memory of pre-Christian mythology, but that an organized shamanism was actually being practiced doesn't ring true.

In fact, the more evidence Murray provides about the doings of the cult, the more difficult it becomes to believe it to have been what she claims. Take the evidence of the "witches' mark" and the supernumerary nipples. Witches were said to be identifiable by a mark somewhere on their body; that the majority of accused witches (those that Murray selected as evidence, anyway) possessed this mysterious "mark" she takes as proof of a members' mark tattooed on the body. The witches, however, not only attributed the origin of their marks to the Devil's having bit them (how does one get tattooed and mistake it for biting?), but were discovered to have the mark in highly variable spots, such as the thigh, the shoulder, the hand, etc. That this mark apparently turned up in any old place is much more suggestive of their having been merely birthmarks, which any given accused was almost certain to possess if the accusers only looked hard enough.

As for the supernumerary nipples, this bit of evidence is so ludicrous one wonders how Murray even relates it with a straight face. Witches were said to possess extra nipples by which they suckled their familiars (demons in animal form which did the witches' bidding). Murray includes many outrageous accounts of the discovery of these nipples, and what's noticeable about the alleged deformity is that they were most frequently said to have been discovered in the witch's "privie parts." This accusation, besides being highly unlikely, is clearly the result of the expectation of those involved that the witches were sexually unnatural (which also explains the obsession with the sexual activity of the witches with the Devil).

But what about those orgies? Don't they provide proof of a pre-Christian "Great Rite," even if in degenerate form? Not necessarily. To understand this, we must understand the circumstances of the time. A look at the years in which the witch hunts took place (about 1556-1704, with a handful before that period) shows that 97% of them occured after the inauguration of the Reformation--a time when the longstanding order of society was being challenged and threatened. The formerly monolithic Catholic Church no longer kept the peace: doctrines, dogmas, ancient truth were all being questioned. And it was, in fact, in those countries in which the Church had lost the most power in which the hunts were fiercest. Thus, society was in turmoil, unsure of itself, its sense of order upturned--and it sought a scapegoat, some group to identify as causing this disruption.

In countries such as Britain, this group was the witches, who were accused of engaging in specifically subversive activities. In accusing the witches of denying Christ and worshipping the Devil, in accusing them of engaging in lewd dances, in accusing them of participating in sexual orgies, in accusing them of conducting a Black Mass, what we see is clear: The inquisitors feared an inversion of order, of the normal, of the holy. It was not a pre-Christian fertility rite they detected, but a violation of societal taboos, looked for out of their own uncertainty about the state of society.

It must, however, be asked: What was the witch-cult, if not a primitive cult? The question assumes such a cult even existed at all, for in all of the evidence presented by Murray, there is very little that a rational person can believe to have taken place at all. But why would so many men and women--about 100,000 in all--freely admit to participation in activities that never took place? There are two possibilities, both applicable: First, the majority of the accused were powerless--older, marginalized women, the sort of person considered a nuisance, someone to be laughed at. Witches, on the other hand, women with the Devil at their beck and call, had power and instilled fear. It is not at all hard to imagine that an ordinarily powerless woman would, given the opportunity, embrace this fleeting moment of power over those who would otherwise have looked down on her, no matter the consequences.

And it is also likely that for many, many of the accused, they agreed because they had simply come to believe that it was true. Many of the trials lasted for years, the same questions and accusations put to an accused day after day after day--the result was brainwashing, with the accused freely admitting to activities that by now, she actually believed she had done. It's an explanation that isn't as exciting as one of a perverse Devil leading orgies by moonlight, nor as Romantic as the one of a prehistoric fertility cult practicing primeval rites--but it is, clearly, the one that is the most characteristically human.

Laborious
This book is of interest mainly because HP Lovecraft put it on the bookshelves of occult scholars in his stories (alongside the "Necronomicon," Frazer's "Golden Bough," and the "Unausprechlichen Kulten" of Von Juntz.)Readers will realize early on that this book was an inspiration to Lovecraft.Undoubtedly this is where he got the idea for the international Cthulhu cult in "Call of Cthulhu," and he probably turned to it often as a reference to give an air of authenticity to witchcraft rituals and 17th-century pastiches in his stories.
However, even to the obsessive fan hellbent on tracking down HPL's sources, this book has limited appeal.Unlike the "Golden Bough," "Witch Cult" does not have a strong thesis and doesn't seem to have any purpose beyond presenting fragments of court records from witch trials and grouping them together in chapters based on their thematic content.Many of Ms. Murray's sources are French, and she presents them in French, without any translation.You get the feeling that you just missed something potentially interesting, in some spots probably someting salacious or naughty, unless you can read French.I can't, so I wound up frustrated a lot.
The rest of Ms. Murray's sources are in "English," but they were written in the glorious days of the 1600s, before standardized spelling, and apparently before grammar had been invented.One example that pops into my mind:"quohome" as a way to spell "whom."If you have trouble reading the King James Bible, if Shakespeare leaves you shrugging your shoulders in pure bafflement, then avoid this book like the plague.You won't comprehend 50 percent of it.
For some reason Ms. Murray could not paraphrase, translate, or modernize her source material like Sir Frazer did; she presents it always "as is" in the original language and leaves the reader to puzzle out the meaning.Thankfully she assails us with numerous examples for each point.If one piece of evidence will do, then 25 pieces all saying the same thing, will do even better!So after you've slogged through all of them, you kinda can get the gist.
Much of the information presented here (the part of it that can be deciphered, anyway) is really quite fascinating despite Murray's attempt to make it bland and boring, and if you have a serious interest in the subject of Witchcraft and its history, this book is worth having.All of the information in it can be found elsewhere, but not all in one place.
I'm also taking away a star for the physical presentation of this particular volume from Kessinger Publishing.It looks like it was made on the cheap, at Kinko's.The cover is generic, and the pages are obviously scanned from an old edition and printed on sheets that are too big for it, leaving the text floating awkwardly on the page, and making the book too big, floppy, and ungainly.Plus it was too expensive.Dover can print this kind of thing (and even cut the pages to the right size) and sell it for about half the price.Why are Kessinger editions so costly? ... Read more

Product Description
"If you want to know what anthropology is, look at what anthropologists do," write the authors of Social and Cultural Anthropology: A Very Short Introduction.This engaging overview of the field combines an accessible account of some of the discipline's guiding principles and methodology with abundant examples and illustrations of anthropologists at work.

Peter Just and John Monaghan begin by discussing anthropology's most important contributions to modern thought: its investigation of culture as a distinctively human characteristic, its doctrine of cultural relativism, and its methodology of fieldwork and ethnography. Drawing on examples from their own fieldwork in Indonesia and Mesoamerica, they examine specific ways in which social and cultural anthropology have advanced our understanding of human society and culture. Including an assessment of anthropology's present position, and a look forward to its likely future, Social and Cultural Anthropology will make fascinating reading for anyone curious about this social science. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great Book
I really love amazon; I got the book in only 2 days, just in time for me to read it for my Cultural Anthropology class. The book itself is very interesting and not only does it give you information on anthropology, it also contains stories from 2 anthropologist which makes it all the more interesting and easy to understand.

Short, yet pretty comprehensive intro
I read this book (along with other selected readings) for a beginning anthropology course at my school. The students in my class seem to agree that it is a good book because although it is thought provoking it doesn't read like a text book. The writing style is very clear yet still scholarly. I would recommend having a copy of this book if you are taking any anthropology course because its a handy reference!

Excellent Introduction
This has proven to be both a very interesting introduction and nothing like what I expected.It seems that a great many of academic fields are confined to the ivory tower.This book emphasizes ethnographic field work.I would recommend to anyone interesting in learning more about anthropology.

My only criticism:I wish the authors had focused more on the distinctions between the different subfields of anthropology.It would have been nice to have a clearer understanding of how Social/Cultural Anthropology differs from, say, physical anthropology.

All in all, very engaging and interesting read.

using this for undergrads
After disheartening forays into text books and frustration at readers that are either too thematic or otherwise not quite right for a quick orientation in the discipline, I decided to check this out.This is about as perfect a scene-setter as I could ask for for either an intro course or any course that is likely to attract students who do not have an anthropological background.It's pocket-sized, it's affordable, it's readable, and it's SMART.It coverstheoretical debates in a straight-forward and understandable way that shows why anyone should care about evolution vs. diffusion (to name one example).This little book as does about a good a job as any at showing how (and why) anthropologists and others use the word "post-modernity" (pg 69). The field examples are well chosen and engaging. The chapters are of a length and written in a style students are likely to read.Even better, the authors give enough tantalizing detail that I suspect it will inspire students to read MORE.

A very good Introduction
The first time I laid my hands on this little pocket size book I could not put it away until I drained out all its information. This book really gave a very concise idea about anthropology and its subfields. The authors provided valuable first hand examples about their experiences as anthropologists and ethnographers. This book is perfect for those who would like to get a brief understanding of what anthropology is about and also good for experts because the authors managed to incorporate some of the most relevant anthropologists. ... Read more

Product Description
Anthropology is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by R. R. (Robert Ranulph) Marett is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of R. R. (Robert Ranulph) Marett then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Don't waste your money or your time
I am extremely disappointed in this book and glad that it cost me only $10! It was advertised as scholarly, entertaining and useful. It is none of these things. It is poorly written, not documented and useless. Don't bother. There are much better books than this. Also, having had such a poor experience with this book, I will certainly avoid any others in this "series": "The Home University of Modern Knowledge." What a waste!

Anthropology
This is a poorly-written book, not going into the specific details of my field. I felt as though I was a child, skimming through a textbook as I did my first year of high school, not really reading but looking for the answers to my schoolwork.

fascinating and insightful
this book was fascinating.the author offers what i found to be incredible insights.it is quite dated, but it is nevertheless greatly worthwhile reading, given that i have not had a course in anthropology and this was free on kindle.i rate it at a B minus. ... Read more

Product Description
Explore the most fascinating, creative, dangerous, and complex species alive today: you and your neighbors in the global village. With compelling photos, engaging examples, and select studies by anthropologists in far-flung places, the authors of CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY: The Human Challenge provide a holistic view of anthropology to help you make sense of today's world. With this text you will discover the different ways humans face the challenge of existence, the connection between biology and culture in the shaping of human beliefs and behavior, and the impact of globalization on peoples and cultures around the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Textbook
The book was in excellent condition but was just a different edition from what I thought I was ordering.The shipping was very fast!

Cultural Anthro - second generation
My son will begin this class in two weeks...the second generation in our family in the past 18 months to take the same class from the same instructor.The book is user-friendly, informative, and interesting.Has the ability to ignite socialogical interest in our world today!

Fast shipping and good service
I ordered this book for a Summer class that only lasted 5 weeks and the class had already started when I ordered, so I didn't have time to wait around for slow shipping. I ordered on a Wednesday and the book arrived on Friday. I couldn't be happier with the quick and reliable service I received. Ordering was fast and painless, I would absolutely order from them again. Thanks!!!!

good text book
I bought this book for a class.I thought the book would be terribly dry as most text books are, but this one supprised me.I actually tried to read the entire book (instead of skimming like I usually do with a text book) because everything in it was very interesting.I also like the way it is set up with the stories in inserted boxes, and the key words highlighted and defined in the paragraph and also at the bottom of the page.

Very good text!
Had this text for a cultural anth class and I really enjoyed reading it.I recommend it to other anth instructors! ... Read more

Product Description
Covers the latest competing theories in the field

Get a handle on the fundamentals of biological and cultural anthropology

When did the first civilizations arise? How many human languages exist? The answers are found in anthropology - and this friendly guide explains its concepts in clear detail. You'll see how anthropology developed as a science, what it tells us about our ancestors, and how it can help with some of the hot-button issues our world is facing today.

Discover:

• How anthropologists learn about the past
• Humanity's earliest activities, from migration to civilization
• Why our language differs from other animal communication
• How to find a career in anthropology

Customer Reviews (4)

A BOOK FOR DUMMIES IN NAME ONLY


Though I have seen many of these "dummy" books on bookstore shelves until this one on Anthropology I have passed them all by.Following a B.S. in Anthropology in college I could not dismiss this one.

To my surprise the book does a terrific job for the layman and for the student. All the information for either study or reference is here.Great too for cramming for those mid-terms or finals. I think so highly of this book that I think my next purchase will be the book Archaeology for Dummies.

This volume is one designed for the reader to either thumb through stopping to read those sections of interest and is also designed for the reader who wants to read completely through all sections. There are pictures, maps, drawings, etc., with bold type and icons for calling attention to items the author felt of importance. A good book for use up to and through the introductory level course in Anthropology, but not for the graduate student unless used for reference.

A real addition to the practical books available to anyone interested all aspects of Anthropology.I recall that though our lecture hall classes were filled they were not packed, there were no standing in line ever to register for a course in Anthropology. Mostly the other way round, we had to have so many students signed up for the course to have it taught as scheduled.Sometimes it took a few quarters to catch up with a course that was desired or required.

Whether presently involved with a course in Anthropology or just having curious interest in this practical and far ranging field, this is an excellent starting point and at a reasonable cost. Anyone taking Anthropology courses in college these days will be only too aware of book costs on campus.

Semper Fi.

Excellent overview for stundents and general public
I love this book! As a serious life-long student of anthropology I was familiar with most of the content, but this well-written and gentle survey of the wonderful and important world of anthropology was a great ride, nonetheless. While prospective and new anthropology students will find much of interest, I'm confident just about anyone else would find this work fascinating and relevant too. There is so much here and it flies by with ease so no one should fear either boredom or cerebral stress. Many people don't seem to realize how broad the field of anthropology is. Explore this book to find out: from linguistics, to archaeology; from "race" to religion; from Homo erectus to farming, it's all here. And none of it is stale or monotonous. For example, there is even a cool section on anthropologically themed books and films. I also loved "Ten Things to Remember About Anthropology". That chapter alone is worth the price of admission.

The best endorsement I can offer is this: I will be giving away a few copies to friends this Christmas. I think a book like this can be especially powerful with young people. The authors will never know, but I am sure that many careers in anthropology will be inspired by this fun and enlightening book.


--Guy P. Harrison, author of
Race and Reality: What Everyone Should Know about Our Biological Diversity

and

50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God

Lifesaver
this was a great buy, probably the best book for the layman intrigued in Anthopology. However, having a BA in anthropology and I found this was absent, considerable points in anthropology . I used this book in the early intoduction classes of anthropology in the past and i ended up having to write all over the margins because there was much not included such as mentioning pre history (the time before written history ) although, you do get what you pay for. this book was though, like i said, a lifesaver of both grades, time and energy. i highly reccomend this to an undergratuate studying anthropology or archaeology.

Great for a passing interest or more advanced studies
I'm a junior with an anthropology major, so I'm not exactly the highest source when it comes to recommending anthropology books, but as a general reader and someone with an interest in anthropology, I can say that this is one of the best general study books on anthropology that I've read. There are clear explanations for each of the four subfields of anthropology, which are biological (or physical) anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, and cultural anthropology. While obviously not a comprehensive study of any of the subfields (it is, after all, a For Dummies book), it provides a good amount of information on these subjects without becoming too convoluted.I felt that some of the information on biological anthropology can get a bit exhausting, such as with dates and fossil names, but that may just be because I've never been great at memorizing dates and whatnot.

I feel that there is something for everyone in this book. Even if you're not an anthropology student, there are still topics in this book, such as the origin of language, tool-making, and culture in general, that anyone who is interested in other fellow human beings (i.e, everyone) will find relevant and useful.

... Read more

Product Description
Successfully integrating attention to culture change, gender, class, race and ethnicity, and the environment, this text engages students with compelling ethnographic examples and by demonstrating the relevance of anthropology.

Faculty and students praise the book’s proven ability to generate class discussion, increase faculty-student engagement, and enhance student learning.

Through clear writing, a balanced theoretical approach, and engaging examples, Miller stresses the importance of social inequality and human rights, the environment, culture change and applied aspects of anthropology. Rich examples of gender, ethnicity, race, class, and age thread through the topical coverage of economic systems, the life-cycle, health, kinship, social organization, politics, language, religion, and expressive culture. The last two chapters address how migration is changing world cultures and the importance of local cultural values and needs in shaping international development policies and programs.

 Material throughout the book highlights the relevance of anthropology to students and how they can apply in their careers. By entwining attention to key theories for understanding culture with an emphasis on relevance of anthropological knowledge and skills, this text is the perfect choice for all introductory cultural anthropology courses.

Customer Reviews (8)

Review
This is the book I was needing for my class and I found it here on Amazon for 6.73 and it was in good condition.A new book was 73.33, so I REALLY enjoyed the savings.I would recommend using Amazon!

Cultural Anthropology
This book has insight to many unqiue culturals from non human to human. I love how deep Barbara Miller goes to give detail to many of the explores stories with comparison to other previsited places and the differences on how these places have changed over the years. It's easy to understand and I enjoyed reading it. Plenty of pictures and examples.

Pages Missing
At first it seemed all was well. The book appeared to be in good condition. Transaction was smooth and easy. I got half way through my course and realized that 2 pages had been torn out. One of them Page 376 was specific to my assignment. Luckily I was able to have a classmate scan the page and email it to me. The other page that was missing was part of my reading assignment. It was very disappointing. I learned my lesson about buying used.

Cultural Anthropology (5th Edition) (MyAnthroLab Series)
I received the book in good condition and in a timely manner . i have not read it yet because it is not my next class . So I can not give ita proper review .

works great
I attend Ashford online. And this is the book I needed for a class.
Please remember you don't have to buy the books from Ashford it will break you. A lot of the books will say Ashford addition and have a number such as (7th ed) when in fact you can get the (6th ed) is word for word except for the number, no Ashford name on the cover and you will save anywhere from 75-95% of the coast if you buy them on Amazon I have even got one here for 50 cents and the bookstore at Ashford wanted $97.00. Please check first as we all knows books can kill the wallet.
... Read more

Product Description
A recent National Academy of Sciences inductee, Conrad Phillip Kottak offers an up-to-date holistic introduction to cultural anthropology.Kottak emphasizes why anthropology should matter to students and how students can use anthropology to better understand themselves."Bringing It All Together" essays found on the online learning center demonstrate the integrated and comparative nature of anthropology. New "Through the Eyes of Others" essays offer the perspectives of foreign students and recent graduates who present their own cultures of origin in contrast with contemporary American culture.Thought-provoking questions now begin each chapter to highlight key themes and spark discussions and critical thinking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

great shipping
The shipper sent out the book promptly, with tracking.The book is in great condition. I was so pleased i brought another one for my friend.

Good Intro Book
A well written intro book for Cultural Anthropology. I am glad I found it on here and for such a great price!

Pointless Drivel
This book was required for my Intro-level Cultural Anthropology class. Typical to a lot of textbooks from this publisher, it rambles on and on about the same thing, offering little in the way of genuine insight into the subject it is supposed to be presenting. It's simply not a very readable book.

Given 2 stars because I was able to get it here for a fair bit less than I would have had to pay at the local bookstore.

Great Buy and a Good Read for a college required text
This book is a good read for anyone interested in anthropology. It was a required text for my intro to anthropology class but I really enjoyed reading it. It was a great buy and at a huge discount compared to what the college bookstore was charging!

Loved it!
Although this was a requirement for my Anthropology Class (which it turn out, was one of my favorite classes,)I really enjoyed it!It was very interesting, well written, and I would highly recommend it for someone who's interested in learning about numerous other cultures.An easy read that will surely keep your attention. ... Read more

Product Description
Annual Editions is a series of over 65 volumes, each designed to provide convenient, inexpensive access to a wide range of current articles from some of the most respected magazines, newspapers, and journals published today. Annual Editions are updated on a regular basis through a continuous monitoring of over 300 periodical sources. The articles selected are authored by prominent scholars, researchers, and commentators writing for a general audience. The Annual Editions volumes have a number of common organizational features designed to make them particularly useful in the classroom: a general introduction; an annotated table of contents; a topic guide; an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites; and a brief overview for each section. Each volume also offers an online Instructor's Resource Guide with testing materials. Using Annual Editions in the Classroom is offered as a practical guide for instructors.Visit www.mhcls.com for more details. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Annual Editions Review
The product was exactly as advertised. The only complaint I have is that it took too long to receive. The product didn't arrive at my mailbox until 3 weeks later. It should not take that long to ship a book.

Good Book
The articles complied for this book are eye opening and very interesting. It makes reading fun and the class go by past.

Fast Shipping
Very Fast shipping. Book was packaged well and was in better condition than I anticipated. Overall, it was wonderful ordering from you.

Shipped fast!!!
The shipment was fast. It did not even take more than a week. The product came in fairly new, no damages or anything. The seller's desciption was pretty accurate and seller shipped it fast. Definitely recommended!!! ... Read more

Product Description
This concise introduction to biological anthropology discusses the core areas of the discipline within a unique framework modeled on the scientific method. The text emphasizes themes and theories: facts are presented as supportive evidence rather than dissociated pieces of information. Each chapter poses questions that get at the heart of the field, answers them, and then reexamines them in the same way that scientists generate and test hypotheses. Unlike all other brief biological anthropology texts, this is not an abridged version of a longer text. Its presentation is fluid, well integrated, and covers all the standard topics in a carefully managed level of detail. Well-paced explanations, an inviting tone, and examples of the everyday uses of biological anthropology make the text a pleasure to read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Biological Anthropology Text
I used this textbook for a class and it was highly informative and, at the same time, readable. Even if you're not using it for a class, it's a good book to have if you want to learn about the basics of physical (biological) anthropology. Highly recommended.

Great tool
This book is one that my professor has used for a number of terms and will continue to use it.I found that it was nice having the definitions to words listed on the side of the page which helped me with comprehension.This book gives a good amount of information in concise short chapters.

Biological Anthropology
I ordered this book for a class, and it came on time and in really good condition. ... Read more

Product Description
Explore cultural anthropology in an applied and fascinating way with Gary Ferraro and Susan Andreatta's CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY: AN APPLIED PERSPECTIVE. This contemporary text is highly relevant to today's students and gives you all the key material you need for your introductory course. With real-world applications of the principles and practices of anthropology, this book will help you learn to appreciate other cultures as well as your own and to apply what you learn to situations in your personal and professional life. Check out the real-life examples of cross-cultural misunderstandings and issues (in popular "Cross-Cultural Miscues" features) to view "culture at work." Also, the book takes a look at specialized vocabularies such as "chickspeak" (the language of single, urban, upwardly mobile women) and contemporary topics such as the war in Iraq and environmental degradation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Interesting but hard to understand
The course here is intense. The material being interesting but some of the concepts and vocab is not easy to understand. ... Read more

Product Description
THE ESSENCE OF ANTHROPOLOGY presents anthropology from an integrated, holistic perspective using three unifying themes as a framework: culture as a systemic adaptation to various internal and external factors, including the environment, biocultural connections between human culture and biology that shape the varied ways humans meet the challenges of survival, and the disparate impact of globalization on peoples and cultures around the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great seller and product!
The book arrived very fast and was in great condition. Would definately buy from this seller again!

Good condition
For a used book I am pleased with the condition of the book. It's not written on at all.

great deal
got the book for 2 dollars was in great condition and very fast shipping thanks.I will be using you guys again.

Completely satisfied
The book was in great condition just like the seller said it was going to be. I was very happy.

Unhappy
The date to receive the book had a huge gap. The gap was not met and I still do not have my book. My class is already started and i have a test next week, and I am probably going to fail it thanks to this inconvenience. I would like some one to please resolve this issue with the seller or who/whatever caused this dilemma. ... Read more

Product Description

This concise introductory textbook emphasizes the major concepts of both anthropology and the anthropology of religion. It is aimed at students encountering anthropology for the first time.

Reviewers describe the text as vivid, rich, user-friendly, accessible, and well-organized. It examines religious expression from a cross-cultural perspective while still incorporating the key theoretical concepts. In addition to providing a basic overview of anthropology, including definition of key terms and exposure to ethnographies, the text exposes students to the varying complexity of world religions.

Customer Reviews (7)

A great book on the subject.
I needed this as a textbook for my anthro 121 class. I didn't know at the time that it was actually written by my teacher! Anyway, it is a very, very good book and helps guide you through a subject that is not always easy to navigate through.

Mystic
This book came in fantastic condition thanks to Amazon.I bought this particular book for some college courses I will be taking soon, and I dived right into the book.Depending on what you like, I would recomend it for just a knowledge read and work from there.I plan to keep this book even after my courses are finished and read all of it, just to gain what it offers.

Anthropology of religion
I was very pleased with the purchase. It was in the exact condition it was said to be in. I also recieved it in a very timely manner. Over all I was extremely pleased. I bought the book because im going to be going to school for anthropology so I want to get a head start.

Meh
As a light read and brief intro to Anthropological study of religion it's fine, unfortunately it required for a college course. If you're taking a class and you need this book, skip it. This book doesn't offer anything that you can't find via a google search. I paid $6 for this book and I feel like I got ripped off.

Anthropology of Religion, Magic, Witchcraft
This book is a great introduction to Anthropology.It clearly demonstrates to the reader what and how various practices came to be.This is my first exposure to the subject and this book is fascinating, informative, and fun to read.It is a text for my class, but I would have bought it just for the pleasure of learning something new, different and interesting.I would recommend this book to everyone who is interested in other cultures and religious beliefs. ... Read more

Product Description
Concise, inexpensive, and accessible, CLASSIC READINGS IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Second Edition, provides an excellent introduction to the field of anthropology and the contributions it makes to understanding the world around us. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

anthropology
This book was a supplemental book to go with a Cultural Anthropology class.The book arrived faster than expected.It was in great condition.I would recommend this company to others.

my thoughts
I think that this is an interesting book and I am quite pleased to have it in my collection ... Read more

Product Description
Explore cultural anthropology through photos, examples, and anthropologists? studies with Haviland et al?s CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY. The authors provide a holistic view of cutural anthropology that helps you understand the world around you. The book?s framework emphasizing the challenge of human survival, the connections between biology and culture, and the impact of globalization on peoples and cultures around the world, serves to unify the material. The authors integrate contemporary research and ideas from several schools of thought, and use a lively writing style to engage readers and keep them interested in ?real world? anthropology. ... Read more

Product Description
Research Methods in Anthropology is the standard textbook for methods classes in anthropology. Written in Russ BernardOs unmistakable conversational style, his guide has launched tens of thousands of students into the fieldwork enterprise with a combination of rigorous methodology, wry humor, and commonsense advice. The author has thoroughly updated this new fourth edition. Whether you are coming from a scientific, interpretive, or applied anthropological tradition, you will learn field methods from the best guide in both qualitative and quantitative methods. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

research methods in anthropology
book turned out great. no writing, no ripped pages, came within 1 week of ordering online. very satisfied.

A newly updated and expanded fourth edition
Now in a newly updated and expanded fourth edition, "Research Methods In Anthropology: Qualitative And Quantitative Approaches" by H. Russell Bernard (Professor of Anthropology, University of Florida) is a basic, comprehensive, 803-page introductory textbook on the research methods used in anthropology today. Written in a thoroughly 'reader friendly' conversational style that combines rigorous scientific methodology with Professor Bernard's wry sense of humor and experienced-based common sense, this new edition of "Research Methods In Anthropology" has an extensive bibliography and copious real-world examples, as well as sections on computer-based interviewing methods, management of electronic field notes, recording equipment and voice recognition software, text analysis, and the collection/analysis of visual materials. Ideal for college level courses in anthropology, "Research Methods In Anthropology" is also to be strongly recommended as accessibly informative for non-specialist general readers with an interest in anthropological research.

Long, Repetitive and Bland
I find this book, though filled with decent (not excellent) content to be very long and bland. The author continually repeats himself within chapters, extending the length and making it almost confusing to follow, not reinforcing. This is not exciting, neither in writing style nor content.

The Bible for anthropology research
This book is a must read for every anthropologist and every student of anthropology. Well written and thorough.Balanced and intelligent. ... Read more

Product Description
Exploring Biological Anthropology 2e is a core concepts version of the successful text, Biological Anthropology 2e. It provides students with a strong foundation in biological anthropology without some of the extended examples found in the original text.  Exploring Biological Anthropology 2e offers concise coverage of core material, while maintaining thorough coverage of traditionally important topics.  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Let's hope there never is a 3rd edition.
Forget how fast Amazon or one Amazon's sellers get this book to you and what kind of shape it is in, this is among the most horrible textbooks I have ever encountered.While the grammar used is generally correct, sentences which are intended to convey important information are often strung together haphazardly. Using odd fashions of the vernacular, the book forces the reader to often ask "What is the actual meaning if this sentence?"In addition to the difficult writing style employed in many places, the content (even when properly deciphered) is either fallacious or draws the reader to the wrong conclusion.Quite often statements are made, which the reader should assume were derivatives of some thought process, although the ideation in the thought processes is never elucidated.For example, in the discussion of developmental adaptability of body proportions as a biological response to 'coldness' of the environment of their development, in relation to subsets of the military population drawn from the various U.S. states (by latitude), the authors cite a 1950 study which was done at a time when Blacks were substantially underrepresented in the military in relation to their representation in the overall U.S. population (48%B to 69%W).The authors of the original study concluded that the differences were probably due to developmental adaptability and not to genetic adaptation.The book authors then go on to contrast these findings of a 2003 (which was conducted when Blacks were very underrepresented in the military and Whites were even slightly more so) study which concludes "that if one takes into account whether the soldiers are from African or European ancestry, the climate association disappears".The final sentence of the paragraph (which immediately succeeded the last one) is the real 'creative' work. "American whites have shorter legs and longer trunks than American blacks, and warmer (i.e.) southern states may have a greater representation of blacks than colder states".What am I, the student reader of that mess, supposed to conclude?Not only do the authors ignore the representation of the Blacks and Whites at the time of each study, their ultimate conclusion appears to be that there IS a difference between the body proportions as a function of State, and that it MAY be due to the proportions of Blacks and Whites in each state, and that it is ultimately the Black/White body proportion differences that MAY account for the differences because Blacks make up larger proportions of the populations of Southern States.Even though they come to that conclusion, they fail to acknowledge that their hypothesis can be easily tested by actually looking at the Black/White proportional representation from each state (the military does keep these records).At any rate, I'm drawing a blank.

Finally, my biggest peeve with this text is the often contradictory relationship (or sometime lack of correspondence, altogether) between the literal text and in the illustrations that are indexed in the text.In the section on lactose intolerance they make the statement "African figures in the tables are from countries not ethnic groups" yet under Africa in the table Bantu and Watutsi are both listed.Similarly, in the text a broad statement about the lack of lactose intolerance found in the Middle East, yet no entry in the table is from a Middle Eastern country.Also, since I was aware of the fact that Jews in Israel have a relatively high degree of lactose intolerance, I wanted to assess the accuracy of their statement inclusive for the Middle East (because Israel was in the Middle East last time I looked).As it turns out, northern Egyptians are about as lactose intolerant as are Israelis, that countries immediately surrounding Israel express about as much lactose intolerance as does Israel, that Iran has very high levels of lactose intolerance, and that in the Middle East and northern Africa the real correlation between lactose tolerance and geography appears to be more in accordance with historical aridity than with geographical position.Egyptians express lesser degrees of lactose intolerance as a function of north south location.Those at the mouth of the Nile are very lactose intolerant and those at the southern, more arid end near Sudan are more lactose tolerant. A more interesting evolutionary hypothesis to explain the REAL data is that the more desert dwelling people probably relied on drinking camel's milk for survival.

Anyway, my intent was not to give an anthropology lesson, but to provide the reader with concrete examples of what is wrong with this text.If you are an educator considering using it, carefully read a copy before you make the decision.I'm no anthropologist, but I have to believe there is a better text somewhere out there.

Great Book!
This book was in great condition and came way before the set date. There were no marks or stain just like the seller said. Very great book. Thank you!

seller review
book was rceived several days before promised date and in better condition than specified.very happy with seller. ... Read more

Product Description

Seeing Anthropology continues to be the only cultural anthropology text available that allows for easy integration of ethnographic films into the introductory cultural anthropology course.

This text truly incorporates films within the text by blending textbook content with sixteen ethnographic film clips that are put in the hands of students.

One reviewer says, “The greatest strengths of this text are its unique and skillful use of film clips to enhance student learning…I can think of no better way to extend student learning in anthropology than the use of films.”

Customer Reviews (9)

Exactly as expected
The book came on time and in the condition I expected. I purchased new, so it was wrapped in plastic and included a sealed DVD, which I needed (I purchased new because I couldn't find and used copies that could verify the DVD was included for a good price). Overall, great service from Amazon once again.

Happy with purchase! THANK YOU!
Great Service! WILL BUY FROM THIS SELLER AGAIN!The book arrived in condition stated the next day after purchase, seeing we both live in the same state. E-mailed seller and she informed me of when shipped and would arrive. The college student I purchased this book for is happy with my purchase. He did find some underlining and written in book which was not stated in description of book. Other than that everything was fine about the book. Will buy from this seller again. Thank you!

Never received my product.
Ordered my product in February and I never received it. Don't purchase anything. To Accompany Seeing Anthroplogy

Seeing Anthropology
I was happy with this purchase.The item came as described.The shipping was on time and as described.I would buy from this place again.

fast
The book was in great condition and arrived fast!! no problem with the transactionat all. ... Read more

Product Description
Authors Stein and Rowe continue to share their love of discovery with students in this balanced, objective introduction to physical anthropology that does not assume that students have any previous knowledge of the subject. Carefully streamlined, making it more accessible and affordable, this edition provides students with a pedagogical program designed to facilitate comprehension. Every concept is carefully explained and illustrated, guiding students step-by-step through difficult material. As always, the authors use the most current data to unravel the mystery of the evolution of humankind, and to examine the dynamic relationship between humans and their environment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Physical Anthropology Book
The book itself in in great condition; however, I paid for expedited shipping (6-8 business days) and it took 14 business days to arrive. As a result, I fell behind in my class because I was not able to begin reading. ... Read more

Product Description
Concise, well-balanced, and comprehensive, ESSENTIALS OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Eighth Edition introduces you to physical anthropology with the goal of helping you understand the big picture of human evolution. Supported by vibrant visuals that include abundant illustrations, photographs, and photo-enhanced maps, the book focuses on human evolution and biology to help you master basic biological principles of physical anthropology so you'll be able to better understand human origins and our place in the biological world. Offering balanced coverage of the topic areas you'll cover in class (heredity and evolution, primates, hominid evolution, and contemporary human evolution) this edition emphasizes the chronology of fossil finds instead of just describing the fossils and the sites where they were found. The authors also interpret each fossil within the framework of the story of human evolution. New features like "Why It Matters" further emphasize the fossils' evolutionary significance, and often even propose the relevance of chapter materials to our everyday lives. The seventh edition provides thorough coverage of cutting-edge advances in molecular biology and expanded coverage of population biology and human variation. It also includes powerful learning tools, including a robust book website. Altogether, ESSENTIALS OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Seventh Edition, integrates up-to-date coverage of the latest finds and relevant technologies in a format and writing style designed to help all students master the material. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good Introduction
I bought this book for the biological anthropology class. This textbook is clear and concise. Each time when I confuse on the class, and not really sure about what the professor discuss about. I will check on this textbook later thant everything become clear. Therefore, I recommand this book for student who want to understand the biological anthropology field.

Great and very comprehensive
This is a great college textbook! Very detailed, but yet you can understand every word of it. I recommend it just to read cause of all the information.

Textbook. Good intro to topic. Book well designed.
I read this book as part of a correspondence course through the University of California, Berkeley in 1997.

The book is 8x11, about 350 pages, color photos and diagrams. The typography and layout are very good. Text is dense. The writing style is clear.

Chapter topics: Intro, Darwin, cell biology, genetics, race, human variation, primate evolution, living primates, primate behavior, hominid origins, interpreting early hominids, homo erectus, homo sapiens, lessons learned.

I rate the book average because topic coverage seemed thin. Later editions of the book contain more material. The book is graphics-rich. Lots of drawings, photos etc. More so than I am used to seeing in textbooks. ... Read more