Man's Rise to Civilization: The Cultural Ascent of the Indians of North America [Mass Market Paperback]

Peter Farb (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1995

The publication of this book in 1968 marked the first comprehensive examination of the history and culture of native Americans. Today this work continues to stand as one of the major summaries of the indigenous societies of North America with its explication of such universal subjects as monotheism, war, capitalism, and sex.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (January 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140153233
• ISBN-13: 978-0140153231
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #826,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary!, November 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Man's Rise to Civilization: The Cultural Ascent of the Indians of North America (Mass Market Paperback)

Peter Farb's book should be brought back into print: unfortunately, he's dead and so there's nobody to promote the book so probably no publisher will be interested. However, you'll find much of his work resurrected in Daniel Quinn's book "Ishmael" and Thom Hartmann's book "The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight," both brilliant works available here on amazon.com. All are highly recommended...

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Changed my ideas on the American Indians and all humans., September 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Man's Rise to Civilization: The Cultural Ascent of the Indians of North America (Mass Market Paperback)

I read this bookfrom the public library some twenty years ago and was so impressed that I bought a copy from my local bookstore. I was not college educated at the time, but this book is so well written that it is easily understood by the average reader. Mr. Farb completely changed my ideas on the American Indian and civilization in the USA. I thought all indians lived in teepees and hunted buffalo and had this all-knowing spirituality. I was completely shocked to learn that they often slaughtered buffalo by running them off cliffs, and that some tribes lived by eating wild berries and whatever they could gather and slept under bushes at night. Of course there were those tribes that were spiritual and educated and had democratic societies. He explains and compares our society today to the American Indians civilization before the white man came to destroy them. It is a wonderful book and I am so sorry it is out of print. It should be published again. If Mr. Farb is still living I would like to be able to write to him and tell him what a profound impression he made.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy One for Every School Library, March 21, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Man's Rise to Civilization: The Cultural Ascent of the Indians of North America (Mass Market Paperback)

Obviously inspired by respect and admiration for North American Indians, Peter Farb delineates the various ways in which cultures can answer the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of humans. It seems as though every aspect of human development is represented in this detailed overview. Equally impressive are the impoverished, bug-eating Ute philosophers and the thoroughly democraticized pre-Colonial Iroquois. This book should be read by every student of those things "American" as a pre-quel to our otherwise aristo(Euro)centric American History curriculum