Reviews on In Search of Us (1)

Wonderful Book

This is not a casual read, but it is a deeply fascinating one. Anthropology had always been a purely academic field - written from libraries rather than from experience in the field. Headed by pioneers around the turn of the 20th century, it became a new and vibrant field of study, adventure, and exploration. This book covers the work of 12 highly influential anthropologists, and what a cast of characters they are. From the humble to the insufferably proud, and from the scholarly introverts to the rebellious misfits, there is no way one can regard any of these men and women as anything other than individualists. The field of study seemed to attract a surprising number of women at a time when it was extremely difficult for them to be accepted as serious scholars. And they, in turn, are as eccentric and irrepressible as their male counterparts, and possibly more so. Together, they advocate for a new understanding of different cultures. Instead of regarding them as "savages" and somehow inferior, they advocate for understanding, tolerance, and the acceptance of all peoples as equal in potential and ingenuity. They saw their work as incredibly urgent, as colonialism and missionary work had increasingly led to people abandoning their traditions. They sought stories, songs, and ways of life, and brought their insights on what it is to be human under the spotlight. This compilation of stories, thoughts, and individual adventures is wonderful. Highly recommended.