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Signifying Animalsby Roy Willis
Routledge 1994; US$ 62.95A fresh assessment of the workings of animal symbolism in diverse cultures. Reconsiders the concept of totemism and exposes common fallacies in symbolic interpretation. more...
Explaining Human Originsby Wiktor Stoczkowski; Mary Turton
Cambridge University Press 2002; US$ 30.00Wiktor Stoczkowski, a palaeo-anthropologist, argues that theories of human origins developed by archaeologists and physical anthropologists from the early nineteenth century to the present day are structurally similar to Western folk theories, and to the speculations of earlier philosophers. more...
Mayo Ethnobotanyby David Yetman; Thomas Van Devender
University of California Press 2001; US$ 55.00The Mayos, an indigenous people of northwestern Mexico, live in small towns spread over southern Sonora and northern Sinaloa, lands of remarkable biological diversity. Traditional Mayo knowledge is quickly being lost as this culture becomes absorbed into modern Mexico. Moreover, as big agriculture spreads into the region, the natural biodiversity of these lands is also rapidly disappearing. This engaging and accessible ethnobotany, based on hundreds of interviews with the Mayos and illustrated with the authors' strikingly beautiful photographs, helps preserve our knowledge of both an indigenous culture and an endangered environment. This book contains a comprehensive description of northwest Mexico's tropical deciduous forests and thornscrub... more...
A World of Others' Wordsby Richard Bauman
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 2008; US$ 110.95Drawing on his work in Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, North America, Ghana, and Fiji, linguistic anthropologist and folklorist Richard Bauman presents a series of ethnographic case studies that offer a sparkling look at intertextuality as communicative practice. A fascinating perspective on intertextuality: the idea that written and spoken texts speak to one another, e.g. through genre or allusions. Presents a series of ethnographic case studies to illustrate the topic. Draws on a broad range of oral performances and literary records from across the world. The author’s introduction sets a framework for the analysis of genre, perform and intertextuality. Shows how performers blend genres, e.g., telling stories about riddles or... more...
The Power of Goldby Peter L. Bernstein
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 2006; US$ 37.50Incorporating myth, history and contemporary investigation, Bernstein tells the story of how human beings have become intoxicated, obsessed, enriched, impoverished, humbled and proud for the sake of gold. From the past to the future, Bernstein's portrayal of gold is intimately linked to the character of humankind. more...
The Healing Heart ~ Communitiesby Allison M. Cox; David H. Albert; Margaret Read MacDonald
New Society Publishers 2003; US$ 19.95The Healing Heart provides powerful examples of the use of stories and storytelling in encouraging resiliency, empathy, respect, and healing. These engaging books contain stories, and narratives about the use of the stories in activities with different populations (children, teens, those with disabilities, seniors, inmates, etc.) or which address specific social or community problems (addictions, poverty, violence, racism, environmental degradation, homelessness, abuse). The books are a collective effort containing the expertise of over 60 storytellers and health professionals who illustrate the power of story in moving others to commitment and action, in building self-esteem and mutual respect. Included are folk tales, personal stories,... more...
The Mythical Zooby Boria Sax
ABC-CLIO 2002; US$ 85.00First thought to be divine, animals have played an active role in human culture since prehistoric times. Even today, animals wield powers as varied as the cultures that embrace them. From ants to tigers, the entries in this volume weave together a tapestry encompassing mythology, history and art. more...
Popular Tales and Fictionsby William Alexander Clouston
ABC-CLIO 2003; US$ 45.00First published in 1887, after it became apparent that many of the same folktales were told in different countries and even on different continents, this volume attempts to uncover the origins, similarities and variations of works of early literature and collections of folktales. more...
Charms and Charming in Europeby Jonathan Roper
Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. 2004; US$ 95.00Historical records of charms, the verbal element of vernacular magic, date back at least as far as the late middle ages, and charming has continued to be practiced until recently in most parts of Europe. And yet, the topic has received only scattered scholarly attention to date. By bringing together many of the leading authorities on charms and charming from Europe and North America, this book aims to rectify this neglect, and by presenting discussions covering a variety of periods and of locations - from Finland to France, and from Hungary to England - it forms an essential reader on the topic. more...
Memory in Oral Traditionsby David C. Rubin
Oxford University Press 1995; US$ 85.00This text applies the methods and theories of cognitive psychology to the study of oral traditions. The author elaborates on three structural devices that appear in oral traditions: those consisting of meaning; those using imagery; and those in which sound pattern is predominant. more...