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Cows, Pigs, Wars, and Witches: The Riddles of Culture Paperback – December 17, 1989

by Marvin Harris (Author)

90 customer reviews

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One of America's leading anthropolgists offers solutions to the perplexing question of why people behave the way they do.

Why do Hindus worship cows? Why do Jews and Moslems refuse to eat pork? Why did so many people in post-medieval Europe believe in witches?

Marvin Harris answers these and other perplexing questions about human behavior, showing that no matter how bizarre a people's behavior may seem, it always stems from identifiable and intelligble sources.

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allenges those who argue that we can change the world by changing the way people think. Harris shows that no matter how bizarre a people's behavior may seem, it always stems from concrete social and economic conditions.

About the Author

Marvin Harris taught at Columbia University from 1953 and from 1963 to 1966 was Chairman of the Department of Anthropology. He has lectured by invitation at most of the major colleges and universities in the United States. In addition to field work in Brazil, Mozambique, and Ecuador on the subjects of cross-cultural aspects of race and ethinic relations, the effects of colonialism, and problems of underdevelopment seen in ecological perspective, Harris pioneered in the use of videotape techniques in the study of family life in this country.

Author of several books, among them the influential Rise of Anthropological Theory: A History of Theories of Culture and the popoular undergraduate text Culture, Man and Nature: An Introduction to General Anthropology, Harris wrote frequently for Natural History magazine and was a frequent contributor to the professional journals, American Anthropologist and Current Anthropology. His others books inlcue Cannibals and Kings and Cultural Materialism.

Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Vintage; Reissue edition (December 17, 1989)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0679724680
ISBN-13: 978-0679724681
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.7 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 90 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,286 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #220 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Customs & Traditions
- #856 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Anthropology > Cultural
- #1154 in Books > Science & Math > Evolution

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Andrew Cormier

A very great, in-depth look at different cultures, and how they formed and evolved. I enjoyed it.

December 2, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book gives a really detailed and descriptive look at various cultures around the world. It goes into depth about the history of Jesus at the time he lived, and it really sheds light on the way political and religious factors helped form Jesus. It shows what he stood for in a more historical context, as well as they way he was turned from just another "Jewish Bandit" at war against Rome, with anti-roman sentiments, in the tradition of John The Baptist and other poor peasants (or pagans as they were known at the time, which the church than adopted to me anyone who didn't follow them). I definitely found this book interesting, and it compared some cultural themes around the world to also show how nothing was essentially formed "in a vaccuum", and how the reason for some very bizarre seeming traditions actually started with practical survival reasons and evolved.

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NOLAgal

Original perspective on cultural oddities

April 14, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I first read this book 30 or so years ago, loaned it to a friend and never saw it again, but I also never forgot it. I was glad to have the opportunity to get another copy, this time, to keep. Harris's thesis is that societies have customs or taboos which, although seemingly irrational on the face of it, actually make sense. The examples range from India's sacred cows to potlatches of the Pacific Northwest where tribal chiefs periodically give away all their possessions. The author doesn't talk down to the reader, but still makes the description and arguments lucidly. I enjoyed this book a lot, finding it both entertaining and thought-provoking.

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J. Noor

More teaching and less preaching

September 21, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Great work, but it contains a lot of author bias and sarcasms. It is easy to see where the author stands on various issues. It could be that academic standards change over time as this is an older book. There’s too much “I argue” this or that. Researchers should avoid using “I” as much as possible. Regardless, there is a lot of valuable information in this book and, therefore, it is a recommended read.

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D K

essential information to understanding the human condition.

July 9, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book explains the true causes of the nature of the forms of society/culture and how they change. Population growth and consequent over use of natural resources have consistently been the real shaping forces behind all kinds of strange phenomenon. Harris tackles puzzles of human behavior in each chapter and solves it.

This book is similar to Cannibals and Kings, but covers: Christianity, cargo cults, witches, potlatch, sacred cows, primitive war, etc.

Harris is a pleasure to read, and make good writing seem easy.

But the message that comes through is really very serious and essential information to understanding the human condition.

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O. Long

Classic Marvin Harris for the masses.

January 22, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book helps you understand human nature. The material is dated, but the book is easy to read and accessible to people without formal anthropology training. Each chapter focuses on a different culture and the quirks of that culture and how they enabled helped with survival or societal issues. I have given two of these to high school students who found the book both interesting to read and also enlightening.

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Kent Cousino

I you have not read Harris than you are impairing yourself with advancement of knowledge.

March 9, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Harris is a must read. His theories of Cultural Materialism without a doubt is a valid theory on why from microcosmos to nation states and world religions evolved with ideocracy differences.

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The Old Philosopher

Cutting through the dogma and getting down to basic human behavior.

April 14, 2018

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Educational informative and needed learning for almost everyone with any interest in religion or culture.

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January 3, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I got this book for a friend as it was a key part of my education! Better than an anthropology course and a real page turner!

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