Customer Reviews

Victims of Progress

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This book is amazing in what it achieves - a thorough, comprehensive view of expansive, global civilization and its affects on local, indigenous, autonomous peoples around the world. Bodley clearly and succinctly summaries the last two and a half centuries of colonial and imperial expansion, the people who resisted and continue to resist that expansion, and the negative consequences of being incorporated (usually by force) into large, impersonal, irresponsible nation-states. A must read for anyone who wishes to step outside our consumer-frenzied, totalitarian culture of domination and see what other worlds were and are possible.

This book is the most clear and insightful analysis of the global interactions between large industrial civilizations and small indigenous communities I've yet seen. There is no fuzzy logic or impotent liberal hand-wringing here, just solid information and analysis by a competent scholar in the field of Anthropology. Excellent overview of our global situation, very clear analysis of the processes of history, and fine perspective on contemporary issues.

I would consider this book a must read for any serious student of indigenous peoples, the history of frontier encounters or modern geopolitics as it relates to indigenous peoples. As a person who picked up degrees in History and International Studies before venturing into the field of Anthropology and encountering this book, I would say that Bodley cuts through the ideological orientation an imprecise analysis one tends to see in the writings of historians and political scientists on this subject, and gives the reader a solid understanding of one of the largest and most sweeping trends in history.

I had to buy and read this book for a class in school, and I can say, it is probably the most boring book that I have ever read. I cannot stand to read it, the information is good, but its just written in such a bland and biased way, the author sounds like a total hippie who thinks we should all still be living in tribes in the forest.

i think - it is impossible to write a book with such a great subject more boring and annoying than Bodley did.....the telephone book seems more appealing to me.........