Argonauts of the Western Pacific (Paperback)

by Bronislaw Malinowski (Author) "THE coastal populations of the South Sea Islands, with very few exceptions, are, or were before their extinction, expert navigators and traders..." (more)
Key Phrases: uvalaku expedition, mwasila magic, lashing creeper, New Guinea, Woodlark Island, Southern Massim (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
`Not only ethnographers and economists will delight in this book. The author's infinitely careful scientific method makes the material he has collected so completely trustworthy ... we commend it to all.' - The Spectator

`Not only ethnographers and economists will delight in this book. The authors infinitely careful scientific method makes the material he has collected so completely trustworthy ... we commend it to all. - The Spectator --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
The founding document of economic anthropology! Bronislaw Malinowski, one of the all-time great anthropologists of the world, had a talent for bringing together in single comprehension the warm reality of human living with the cool abstractions of science. His pages have become an almost indispensable link between the knowing of exotic and remote people with theoretical knowledge about humankind. This volume--originally published in 1922--can be considered the founding document of economic anthropology, and remains the best one to read. It emphasizes the great significance of primitive economics by singling out the notable exchange system of the Trobriand Islands for special consideration. Although the main theme is economic, constant reference is made in this milestone of anthropological research and interpretation to social organization, life and meaning, the power of magic, and to mythology and folklore.

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Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Waveland Press (March 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881330841
• ISBN-13: 978-0881330847
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #102,136 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A classic, January 6, 2002

By	W. Wedenoja (Springfield, MO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a real classic in the history of anthropology, published in 1922, and unlike another classic from the same decade, Coming of Age in Samoa, it has worn well, too. This is where modern ethnography begins. Malinowski tells us how to do ethnography, in no uncertain terms, as he explains Trobriand kula expeditions. I found it to be a delightful read and I was continually amazed at the intellectual sophistication of his work, given its age. I believe I learned more about ethnography from this book than from any other I have ever read, and I have been a professional anthropologist for 30 years. It is, I must warn you, a long book, and I doubt that many will be willing to read it from stem to stern, but I think every anthropologist should study the introduction at least. It is perhaps the "sacred charter" for the ethnographic project, complete with felicitous phrases such as the "ethnographer's magic," "the imponderabilia of actual life," "the native's point of view," and "the hold life has." In addition, it is certainly essential reading for anyone interested in magic, because it is as much about magic as it is about kula exchange.

I assigned this book to a junior-level college class in ethnography, but they weren't as pleased with it as I was. Many of the students understood the importance of the book, but most also found it tedious, dull, repetitive, hard to follow, and definitely too long.

12 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential work in this history of anthropology, January 27, 2000

By A Customer

Don't be misled by the occasional discouraged student, this is an important work that must be read by someone seeking to understand the nature and history of the social sciences.