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Malinowski: Odyssey of an Anthropologist, 1884-1920

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This is a very well written and researched biography about a fascinating intellectual. The author has done an outstanding job in reconstructing many aspects of Bronislaw Malinowksi's life, such as his intellectual development, his relationships with his family (most importantly his mother), his friends and women. Furthermore, one gets a lot of insight into his health, one of Malinowksi's obsessions. The author has collaborated with one of Malinowksi's daughters and has extensively drawn on his diaries and notes. One gets to know "Bronio" to a degree that during his lifetime only his best friends would have known him.

The book covers the time from his childhood to the end of his stay in Australia and Papua New Guinea, and the beginning of his marriage. Besides being informative about Malinowski himself, I learned a lot about the intellectual history of Europe (England, Germany and Poland) and Australia at that time and about the development of anthropology. In addition, one gets to read interesting descriptions of his travel into a fascinating part of the world, Papua New Guinea and of the lifes of the inhabitants of PNG, both the natives, with their fascinating and exotic cultures, as well as colonial buerocrats and missionaries. Malinowksi researched the natives, and at times enjoyed their company, at other times treated them with disdain and western arrogance. The buerocrats and missionaries he typically disliked, but he used them for his research.

As Malinowksi kept a diary most of the time and wrote a wealth of letters, the book is also rich in great quotes from him.

For my taste, this biography sometimes goes into too much detail, especially in regards to Malinowksi's private life. It is by no means easy reading, but well worth the effort.

Well researched, well written, covering the ground thoroughly and yet still highly accessible and entertaining to read, this book could be taken as a model for other acdemics intending to write a biography for the general as well as the specialised market. Not only that, but it is nicely produced. I found it very useful for my research purposes, which specifically involved Australian anthropology from the point of view of the layperson.