so-soIt has some interesting material on the society created in a part of Madagascar by European pirates and Malagasy natives. The local population had a lot of mixture of which the pirates were the latest. However, it suffers from a lack of sources and flaws within them. However it reads like an incomplete essay and relies on a great deal of surmise. The author sets out a proposition which he is ultimately unable to sustain.
pickA really fascinating look at the development of societies across the globe and why certain areas ended up with certain staples while other areas remained primitive for decades.
It is a bit dry and academic so if you can get past those elements then you will have a nice perspective of human development.
#nonfiction #history #pulitzer
pickAn absolutely delightful exploration of 10 endangered practices around the world, and the people working to keep the traditions alive.
This was marvelous! From a lace like pasta in Italy to a tree full of lovelorn letters in Germany, this was a wonderful read. I loved the focus on the people who are working to pass on these traditions, & and the variety of what humans want to protect. 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
pickThe Anthropology class I took was a disaster, but this book was its saving grace. I actually enjoyed the readings and learned far more than I had expected. I encourage anyone to take an anthropology or sociology class if they can. I mentioned earlier that is it just so fascinating to know that you aren‘t all that different from someone from far away, yet you can learn new ways of existing as well. As we say with our boys, “Different, not less.”
so-soI‘m only giving this a so-so because some of her viewpoints were simply outdated. I did appreciate when she would call herself out for her negative attitude. She could have edited the book in her favor, but didn‘t. I loved learning about the cultural aspects of people living in West Africa. It is also so wonderful to see how connected and similar humans are and yet how we differ also, and not in a this-is-superior/inferior way, just different. ☺️
November 3rd #DaysDevotedTo Sandwich 🥪 😋 There is nothing like a good sandwich @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
pickMy grandparents were peasants but sadly spoke little about their lives.I‘ve always been drawn to agriculture:I worked a season as grape picker in France&on a mountain hut in Austria milking cows but I always had a romanticized view of peasant life.I loved this book,which gets quite philosophical at times.Although I didn‘t learn about my own ancestors I have an idea what my grandparents lives could have been like& there‘s nothing romantic about it.
Something something the Greeks were always doing shitty gender things.
