A provocative treatise, of much interest to students of culture, religious belief, and social science.
A wide-ranging study of a putatively premodern way of knowledge.
Anthropologist Singh writes extensively of fieldwork among the Mentawai people of Indonesia, whose shamans undertake healing rituals, knowing “the plants for treating fungal infections and the songs for calling souls to feverish bodies.” Once the object of much anthropological study, shamanism was co-opted by the problematic mythographer Mircea Eliade and the New Age guru Michael Harner. Both got it wrong, by Singh’s lights, the latter by turning it into “a bite-size bundle amenable for Western consumption.” This denatured, homogenized view of shamanism—in some views mumbo-jumbo, in other views “primeval wisdom,” and mostly very different from the practices of the Tungusic people whose language is embedded in the name—turns it into formulas (hallucinogens here, spirit journeys there) that are ideal for flimflammery. Yet, in a broader view—and here a solid background in anthropology will help the reader—it’s also fallen victim to a certain essentialism: This practice is industrial, this is agricultural, this is scientific. Nonsense, Singh suggests, stretching the boundaries of his field: When evangelists pray over Donald Trump, they’re practicing (perhaps black) magic, and hedge-fund wizards speculate no more scientifically than a so-called witch doctor seeking a cure for spirit possession, in that “they fill very similar niches.” If traditional shamanism is in decline around the world because of what Max Weber called disenchantment, there are still plenty of people willing to engage in its “moral ambiguity.” As for hallucinogens, Singh dismisses the notion that magic mushrooms are the preferred shamanic key to the otherworld (beer is much more prevalent, tobacco even more so). He also questions anthropology’s vaunted relativism: “A power of anthropology…is in turning the strange familiar and the familiar strange, yet this reversal requires a comparative approach.”
A provocative treatise, of much interest to students of culture, religious belief, and social science.Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780593537541
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A sweet final word from an actor who leaves a legacy of compassion and kindness.
The late actor offers a gentle guide for living with more purpose, love, and joy.
Mixing poetry, prescriptive challenges, and elements of memoir, Heche (1969-2022) delivers a narrative that is more encouraging workbook than life story. The author wants to share what she has discovered over the course of a life filled with abuse, advocacy, and uncanny turning points. Her greatest discovery? Love. “Open yourself up to love and transform kindness from a feeling you extend to those around you to actions that you perform for them,” she writes. “Only by caring can we open ourselves up to the universe, and only by opening up to the universe can we fully experience all the wonders that it holds, the greatest of which is love.” Throughout the occasionally overwrought text, Heche is heavy on the concept of care. She wants us to experience joy as she does, and she provides a road map for how to get there. Instead of slinking away from Hollywood and the ridicule that she endured there, Heche found the good and hung on, with Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford starring as particularly shining knights in her story. Some readers may dismiss this material as vapid Hollywood stuff, but Heche’s perspective is an empathetic blend of Buddhism (minimize suffering), dialectical behavioral therapy (tolerating distress), Christianity (do unto others), and pre-Socratic philosophy (sufficient reason). “You’re not out to change the whole world, but to increase the levels of love and kindness in the world, drop by drop,” she writes. “Over time, these actions wear away the coldness, hate, and indifference around us as surely as water slowly wearing away stone.” Readers grieving her loss will take solace knowing that she lived her love-filled life on her own terms. Heche’s business and podcast partner, Heather Duffy, writes the epilogue, closing the book on a life well lived.
A sweet final word from an actor who leaves a legacy of compassion and kindness.Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9781627783316
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Viva Editions
Review Posted Online: Feb. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
