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Among the Cannibals: Adventures on the Trail of Man's Darkest Ritual
It's the stuff of nightmares, the dark inspiration for literature and film. But astonishingly, cannibalism does exist, and in Among the Cannibals travel writer Paul Raffaele journeys to the far corners of the globe to discover participants in this mysterious and disturbing practice. From an obscure New Guinea river village, where Raffaele went in search of one of the last practicing cannibal cultures on Earth; to India, where the Aghori sect still ritualistically eat their dead; to North America, where evidence exists that the Aztecs ate sacrificed victims; to Tonga, where the descendants of fierce warriors still remember how their predecessors preyed upon their foes; and to Uganda, where the unfortunate victims of the Lord's Resistance Army struggle to reenter a society from which they have been violently torn, Raffaele brings this baffling cultural ritual to light in a combination of Indiana Jones-type adventure and gonzo journalism.
Illustrated with photographs Raffaele took during his travels, Among the Cannibals is a gripping look at some of the more unsavory aspects of human civilization, guaranteed to satisfy every reader's morbid curiosity.
Illustrated with photographs Raffaele took during his travels, Among the Cannibals is a gripping look at some of the more unsavory aspects of human civilization, guaranteed to satisfy every reader's morbid curiosity.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2000
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August 25, 2022
What could be worse than a dog eat dog world? Oh.
I was of two very different minds about this book.
Australian Paul Raffaele is a feature writer for Smithsonian. He has covered many parts of the globe in his work for that venerable institution. And he travels far for this work, looking into that darkest of human activities. He investigates special meat-eaters in New Guinea, India, Tonga, ancient Mexico, and Africa. We have a certain image in mind of what cannibals might look like. I mean in the real world, not the dark imagination of Thomas Harris or the psychosis of some of our more aberrant criminals. They would probably live on Pacific Islands, or remotest Africa or South America, use primitive technology and have acquired a taste for missionary over easy. Mostly, but not entirely the case.
Kilikili says he has killed no fewer than 30 khakhua (male witches) - from Smithsonian.com
The practice is supposedly a thing of the past in New Guinea, but I would not like to place too high a wager on that. Raffaele’s looks at the practice in Tonga and Aztec Mexico are more firmly planted in the past. Unfortunately, there are still people-eaters today. There is a Hindu sect in India, the Aghoris, whose holy men chow down on you-know-what “as the supreme demonstration of their sanctity.” They even sit atop rotting corpses as a show of devotion and Raffaele reports some particularly unspeakable acts in which they engage, that I will not report on here.
An image of this cheerful Aghori is sure to help you sleep at night
And no, wiseass, it is not a self-portrait. I cannot really fold my legs like that for any length of time, and I keep my hair and beard much shorter these days. But there is worse to come. His report on the activities of the Lord’s Resistance Army of northern Uganda takes the eating of human flesh to whole new level of depravity, a true heart of darkness. This information is the stuff of nightmares. Very disturbing.
I have a major gripe with the book. The cover is sprightly. It shows a hand reaching up out of a large cooking pot writing the book title. Lower down on the page is an icon that repeats inside as a section divider, a skull and crossbones in which the crossbones have been replaced with a knife and fork. One might get the impression that the information contained within would fulfill the silly graphics. We know that even such darkness can produce smiles. Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd (the stage version, not the very disappointing film), for example, is probably the only Broadway musical to have cannibalism as a central focus. Devouring scenery does not count. And while my personal favorite all-time Broadway show was rather dark, it still maintained a significant level of humor.
Todd: What is that?
Lovett: It’s Priest. Have a little priest.
Todd: Is it really good?
Lovett: Sir, It’s too good, at least.
And of course it don’t commit sins of the flesh
So it’s pretty fresh
Todd: Awful lot of fat
Lovett: Only where it sat
Todd: Haven’t you got poet or something like that?
Lovett: No, you see the trouble with poet is how do you know it’s deceased? Stick to priest.
And so on…
The light touch promised by the cover art for this book does not deliver as promised. There is nothing at all amusing about children living today who are forced to eat human flesh under pain of death. In that way the book offers a bait and switch, promising a light touch, but delivering a deep gouge.
I also found the author at times personally off-putting. While in Tonga, he felt it necessary to comment on his translator’s physical attributes in a way that came across as salacious.
Raffaele does not come across as a particularly deep thinker and this is not a scholarly investigation of a very dark side of humanity. There is only passing mention of the Catholic sacrament of Communion, in which practicing Catholics consume the body and blood of Christ. There is even less on the sundry cannibalistic psychopaths who have come to public notice. Are there any studies indicating when and where it might have begun? Raffaele does note that it existed in prehistory. Records go back at least as far as Herodotus (well before Soylent Green) of such culinary preferences, and it lasted into the 19th century, at least. How about a comparison with other species? How widespread is the practice in the animal kingdom. Are we really different from what we consider lower orders? For a more analytical look at the subject you might consider Carole Travis-Henikoff’s book, Dinner With a Cannibal: The Complete History of Mankind’s Oldest Tabboo. An NPR interview offers a taste of what she has to offer.
Among the Cannibals definitely offers new and intriguing information. Be forewarned that you will need a strong stomach to get through it all. But, because it was so much not what was expected, it left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
=============================EXTRA STUFF
To remove the taste, you might consider taking in a bit more of Sweeney. Another gem from the vaults is a song by Sheb Wooley that was actually a #1 hit when I was a tyke.
If you get an invitation to the Donner Party, I would pass.
And of course, every abomination must have an advocate, so you might want to see the modest proposal the folks at Zebra Punch offer, while humming their particular version of Barbara Streisand’s classic tune, about why we should eat people.
There is an interesting item on cannibalism in Wikipedia
Raffaele’s article for Smithsonian Magazine, Sleeping with Cannibals, was the basis for the book
December 6, 2019 - Our very old friends, the carnivorous dinosaurs, (well, one of them, Majungasaurus, anyway) did not stop at chowing down on other mobile meals. Cannibalistic Dinosaurs Went Through a Lot of Teeth - by Katherine Kornei
I was of two very different minds about this book.
Australian Paul Raffaele is a feature writer for Smithsonian. He has covered many parts of the globe in his work for that venerable institution. And he travels far for this work, looking into that darkest of human activities. He investigates special meat-eaters in New Guinea, India, Tonga, ancient Mexico, and Africa. We have a certain image in mind of what cannibals might look like. I mean in the real world, not the dark imagination of Thomas Harris or the psychosis of some of our more aberrant criminals. They would probably live on Pacific Islands, or remotest Africa or South America, use primitive technology and have acquired a taste for missionary over easy. Mostly, but not entirely the case.
Cannibalism of one kind or another had been common around our globe through the millennia, and yet the classic Western image of cannibals is a terrified white Christian missionary in pith helmet crouching in a large outdoor cooking pot, the logs burning fiercely as wild-eyed African warriors in grass skirts dance about him shaking their spears. Their glinting eyes show their eagerness to tuck into their human meal. In truth there is not one record of a missionary ending up in an African cook pot. The cannibals invariably ate one another.The book offers interesting, surprising, and very disturbing information about a practice most of us (certainly me) thought had vanished from human behavior. The reasons for chowing down on such forbidden fruit vary. High on the list is to degrade and strike fear into one’s enemies. Another is to honor close relations. Some even consider eating human flesh a form of religiousity. The Korowai people of New Guinea justify their practices by maintaining that victims had already been killed by evil spirits and it was only the evil spirits that had taken over the body that were being devoured.
Kilikili says he has killed no fewer than 30 khakhua (male witches) - from Smithsonian.com
The practice is supposedly a thing of the past in New Guinea, but I would not like to place too high a wager on that. Raffaele’s looks at the practice in Tonga and Aztec Mexico are more firmly planted in the past. Unfortunately, there are still people-eaters today. There is a Hindu sect in India, the Aghoris, whose holy men chow down on you-know-what “as the supreme demonstration of their sanctity.” They even sit atop rotting corpses as a show of devotion and Raffaele reports some particularly unspeakable acts in which they engage, that I will not report on here.
An image of this cheerful Aghori is sure to help you sleep at night
And no, wiseass, it is not a self-portrait. I cannot really fold my legs like that for any length of time, and I keep my hair and beard much shorter these days. But there is worse to come. His report on the activities of the Lord’s Resistance Army of northern Uganda takes the eating of human flesh to whole new level of depravity, a true heart of darkness. This information is the stuff of nightmares. Very disturbing.
I have a major gripe with the book. The cover is sprightly. It shows a hand reaching up out of a large cooking pot writing the book title. Lower down on the page is an icon that repeats inside as a section divider, a skull and crossbones in which the crossbones have been replaced with a knife and fork. One might get the impression that the information contained within would fulfill the silly graphics. We know that even such darkness can produce smiles. Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd (the stage version, not the very disappointing film), for example, is probably the only Broadway musical to have cannibalism as a central focus. Devouring scenery does not count. And while my personal favorite all-time Broadway show was rather dark, it still maintained a significant level of humor.
Todd: What is that?
Lovett: It’s Priest. Have a little priest.
Todd: Is it really good?
Lovett: Sir, It’s too good, at least.
And of course it don’t commit sins of the flesh
So it’s pretty fresh
Todd: Awful lot of fat
Lovett: Only where it sat
Todd: Haven’t you got poet or something like that?
Lovett: No, you see the trouble with poet is how do you know it’s deceased? Stick to priest.
And so on…
The light touch promised by the cover art for this book does not deliver as promised. There is nothing at all amusing about children living today who are forced to eat human flesh under pain of death. In that way the book offers a bait and switch, promising a light touch, but delivering a deep gouge.
I also found the author at times personally off-putting. While in Tonga, he felt it necessary to comment on his translator’s physical attributes in a way that came across as salacious.
Waiting outside and holding aloft my name printed in marker pen on a pad is a round-faced, bright-eyed girl who looks to be in her early twenties. She is clad in a Congo-style ankle-nudging cotton dress that fits tightly about her neatly rounded thighs, and a short-sleeved top printed with a spray of red orchids that clings to her firm high breasts. She has woven her hair in to strands festooned with colored beads. Unlike most of the women at the airport who are laden with fat and boasting the enormous bottoms that most African men are said to lust for, she is sleek and silky.Either his editor was not doing a good job, or the author exercised an ill-advised veto.
Raffaele does not come across as a particularly deep thinker and this is not a scholarly investigation of a very dark side of humanity. There is only passing mention of the Catholic sacrament of Communion, in which practicing Catholics consume the body and blood of Christ. There is even less on the sundry cannibalistic psychopaths who have come to public notice. Are there any studies indicating when and where it might have begun? Raffaele does note that it existed in prehistory. Records go back at least as far as Herodotus (well before Soylent Green) of such culinary preferences, and it lasted into the 19th century, at least. How about a comparison with other species? How widespread is the practice in the animal kingdom. Are we really different from what we consider lower orders? For a more analytical look at the subject you might consider Carole Travis-Henikoff’s book, Dinner With a Cannibal: The Complete History of Mankind’s Oldest Tabboo. An NPR interview offers a taste of what she has to offer.
Among the Cannibals definitely offers new and intriguing information. Be forewarned that you will need a strong stomach to get through it all. But, because it was so much not what was expected, it left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
=============================EXTRA STUFF
To remove the taste, you might consider taking in a bit more of Sweeney. Another gem from the vaults is a song by Sheb Wooley that was actually a #1 hit when I was a tyke.
If you get an invitation to the Donner Party, I would pass.
And of course, every abomination must have an advocate, so you might want to see the modest proposal the folks at Zebra Punch offer, while humming their particular version of Barbara Streisand’s classic tune, about why we should eat people.
There is an interesting item on cannibalism in Wikipedia
Raffaele’s article for Smithsonian Magazine, Sleeping with Cannibals, was the basis for the book
December 6, 2019 - Our very old friends, the carnivorous dinosaurs, (well, one of them, Majungasaurus, anyway) did not stop at chowing down on other mobile meals. Cannibalistic Dinosaurs Went Through a Lot of Teeth - by Katherine Kornei
September 4, 2008
Rather disappointing. I had heard the author interviewed on NPR and the subject of the book (contemporary cannibalism) was intriguing… but in the book the author came off more as the upstart adventurer trying to get his picture taken with the man-eating natives (“Oooooh! Look at the scary cannibal!”). His tone was often rather condescending towards the people and cultures he was visiting, and frequently misogynistic.
I almost stopped reading several times, but it was just interesting enough that I kept on.
His chapter entitled “Suffer the Little Children” felt incongruous with the rest of the book, the horrific accounts of child soldiers in Uganda forced to kill and eat other children (a demonic act with the dual purpose of terrorizing the children so they wouldn’t run away and making it so that they would be too shamed to return home) just seemed so out of place nestled in with chapters of warriors and priests who delighted in the power that eating human flesh gave them. I cringed internally as he accounted visiting camps for children rescued from the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) and going around asking these traumatized kids if they had eaten humans.
Very interesting subject. But this book didn’t do it justice.
I almost stopped reading several times, but it was just interesting enough that I kept on.
His chapter entitled “Suffer the Little Children” felt incongruous with the rest of the book, the horrific accounts of child soldiers in Uganda forced to kill and eat other children (a demonic act with the dual purpose of terrorizing the children so they wouldn’t run away and making it so that they would be too shamed to return home) just seemed so out of place nestled in with chapters of warriors and priests who delighted in the power that eating human flesh gave them. I cringed internally as he accounted visiting camps for children rescued from the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) and going around asking these traumatized kids if they had eaten humans.
Very interesting subject. But this book didn’t do it justice.
June 27, 2014
Summary: Paul Raffaele goes and looks for cannibals.
Why I Read This: It was about cannibals!
Review: This book was going to get 2-stars because it was interesting but poorly written and pretty poor journalism. Then, in the last chapter (except the epilogue) the author took at shot at Catholicism -- not for being Cannibalistic (when he mentioned the Eucharist, which was one sentence, he literally said the opposite of what Catholics actually believe. I don't have it on me, but he said something like, "when the body and blood of Christ is turned into bread and wine". No, honey, transubstantiation works the other way.) So that probably tells you a little bit about his abilities as a journalist. It's only one of the central mysteries of the Catholic faith. [Deep Breath.] Anyways, what got to me was was his page and a half diatribe on how ridiculous it was that anyone could possibly believe Juan Diego. That Juan Diego was clearly a con artist, and Our Lady of Guadalupe was clearly made up. That's when I pretty much gave up.
There was no point in the book where Raffaele even pretended to be un-biased during his investigations and that came through quite clear. He had a pre-judgement towards anyone who ate human flesh, whether they were killing and then eating or just eating the dead, whether they were "Stone Age" tribes or parts of modern religions. I'm not a big fan of cannibals myself, but I read the book because I was interested in seeing someone else's point of view, someone who actually believed in it -- but I really only got Raffaele's point of view.
This book is a great example of how un-journalistic books by journalists can be.
Why I Read This: It was about cannibals!
Review: This book was going to get 2-stars because it was interesting but poorly written and pretty poor journalism. Then, in the last chapter (except the epilogue) the author took at shot at Catholicism -- not for being Cannibalistic (when he mentioned the Eucharist, which was one sentence, he literally said the opposite of what Catholics actually believe. I don't have it on me, but he said something like, "when the body and blood of Christ is turned into bread and wine". No, honey, transubstantiation works the other way.) So that probably tells you a little bit about his abilities as a journalist. It's only one of the central mysteries of the Catholic faith. [Deep Breath.] Anyways, what got to me was was his page and a half diatribe on how ridiculous it was that anyone could possibly believe Juan Diego. That Juan Diego was clearly a con artist, and Our Lady of Guadalupe was clearly made up. That's when I pretty much gave up.
There was no point in the book where Raffaele even pretended to be un-biased during his investigations and that came through quite clear. He had a pre-judgement towards anyone who ate human flesh, whether they were killing and then eating or just eating the dead, whether they were "Stone Age" tribes or parts of modern religions. I'm not a big fan of cannibals myself, but I read the book because I was interested in seeing someone else's point of view, someone who actually believed in it -- but I really only got Raffaele's point of view.
This book is a great example of how un-journalistic books by journalists can be.
May 1, 2024
Interesting topics but I don’t like the author. Stop talking about people’s weight. Stop commenting on women’s breasts. This is a book about cannibalism.
September 26, 2012
Before I get into anything, if you see this book, please pick it up. You don’t have to read it, but go to the back flap and check out the author’s picture. That is all.
But if you are interested in cannibalism, you might want to read this. It wasn’t my favorite book in the world but it had its moments. Raffaele spends time with the Korowai in New Guinea, the Aghori sect in India, Tongans, victims of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Uganda, and travels to Mexico City to study the Aztecs.
The most heartwrenching chapters are about the child victims of the LRA who were abducted in their homes and forced to kill other children and to eat them. The point of forcing children to commit such heinous acts was to shame them so much that they would never feel able to rejoin their families and villages again. These children were abused in so many horrific ways and it was shocking to me that I had never heard about this. Children being forced to eat other children isn’t big enough news? Why isn’t there anything being done about this? It’s utterly depressing and makes me want to head over to the few places they have set up for rescued children. I want to hold them and tell them that it wasn’t their fault and that they’re still good children despite what they were forced to do.
My emotions aside, the book is so-so. I liked that Raffaele points out that we’re all human, regardless of whether we live in faraway places in tree houses or not. What I did not like was that sometimes he went overboard and it seemed as if he assumed he knew everything about a group of people and their traditions based on spending two weeks with them. Not good enough, in my humble opinion. But you judge for yourself!
But if you are interested in cannibalism, you might want to read this. It wasn’t my favorite book in the world but it had its moments. Raffaele spends time with the Korowai in New Guinea, the Aghori sect in India, Tongans, victims of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Uganda, and travels to Mexico City to study the Aztecs.
The most heartwrenching chapters are about the child victims of the LRA who were abducted in their homes and forced to kill other children and to eat them. The point of forcing children to commit such heinous acts was to shame them so much that they would never feel able to rejoin their families and villages again. These children were abused in so many horrific ways and it was shocking to me that I had never heard about this. Children being forced to eat other children isn’t big enough news? Why isn’t there anything being done about this? It’s utterly depressing and makes me want to head over to the few places they have set up for rescued children. I want to hold them and tell them that it wasn’t their fault and that they’re still good children despite what they were forced to do.
My emotions aside, the book is so-so. I liked that Raffaele points out that we’re all human, regardless of whether we live in faraway places in tree houses or not. What I did not like was that sometimes he went overboard and it seemed as if he assumed he knew everything about a group of people and their traditions based on spending two weeks with them. Not good enough, in my humble opinion. But you judge for yourself!
June 24, 2020
What a frustrating read this was. Raffaele has written an easy to read book that promises much more than it delivers. It's set up to be an exploration of cannibalism and, at its best, does provide some genuinely shocking reading - the chapters on Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army will stay in my memory, I'm sure, but it would be hard for tales of children being forced to kill their peers and eat them to not be horrific and his time in Papua is insightful and engaging. But - and here's the but - Raffaele is really irritating; he's a smart Alec (sly digs at Freda Kahlo's artistic ability), judgemental (comments on the physiques of Tongans) and disingenuous (reflects negatively on an Indian holy man despite being all over him when face to face: "I am now harsher in my judgement of his behaviour... no amount of religious mumbo jumbo can sanctify it." Say it to his face Paul). Okay, it's not an academic work and Raffaele doesn't claim it is but he is happy to flourish the Smithsonian tag on the cover and refer to his previous journeys around the world clearly intending to establish his credentials. It's also sloppy in parts with the writer repeating himself and contradicting himself ( a child at risk of being eaten sometime in the future is reported to be both unaware of his fate and fully aware of it - oops!) Perhaps he's written better than this but I'll never know as he's not a writer I want to bother with again.
May 11, 2021
I enjoyed this book. I usually read non-fiction, which can get a bit dry, so this was an interesting change-up. It was written like a tale of an explorer in a strange land which did make it a quick read for me. I saw a lot of people who read this book give it bad reviews. I agree with some of their comments and felt that this was a little light in some of the cultural content at times. There were accounts and areas I’d have liked them author to have explored, but felt it gave me a good jump off point for looking into the topics and the writings of other authors who study the subject. I was intrigued and feel it’s a good beginner for someone who is truly knows nothing about the different types/reasons for cannibalism or it’s a good reader for someone who typically reads fiction and feels they would like to explore non-fiction but dislikes super dry content.
September 29, 2008
cannibals... existed! and... continue to exist! i didn't realize that a debate raged around this proposition, i always took it for granted, but then, i read too many adventure novels as a kid where the intrepid white adventurers found the loincloth-clad islanders feasting on one of their compatriots. as it should be, in most cases. i mean, if the islanders had only eaten all of the intrepid adventurers, they might have seriously delayed the white man's coming to fuck them over.
anyway, i found this book to be really interesting and thought-provoking, being a mix of adventure journalism, succinct and relevant(-to-the-book) history lessons, and the author's travel diary. the best chapters are the ones about the korowai of new guinea and the cannibal mystics of benares, being the ones about true modern cannibals. the chapters recounting his trip to uganda to meet the lra's baby cannibals are heartbreaking and disturbing, and i'm not sure entirely appropriate to a book about cannibals. are you a cannibal if you are forced at gunpoint to eat flesh, with the purpose of isolating you from humanity, except nominally? fuck you, joseph kony, and curse you to a thousand million hells, if only you could see this.
the chapter on the aesthetic cannibals of mexico and latin america is too short, but interesting nonetheless. i wonder if, were i to find myself in the place of kornelius, being offered human flesh as the olive branch of peace by the cannibal clan i meant to live with and study, i would accept it? and how would i feel then? weird!!!
anyway, i found this book to be really interesting and thought-provoking, being a mix of adventure journalism, succinct and relevant(-to-the-book) history lessons, and the author's travel diary. the best chapters are the ones about the korowai of new guinea and the cannibal mystics of benares, being the ones about true modern cannibals. the chapters recounting his trip to uganda to meet the lra's baby cannibals are heartbreaking and disturbing, and i'm not sure entirely appropriate to a book about cannibals. are you a cannibal if you are forced at gunpoint to eat flesh, with the purpose of isolating you from humanity, except nominally? fuck you, joseph kony, and curse you to a thousand million hells, if only you could see this.
the chapter on the aesthetic cannibals of mexico and latin america is too short, but interesting nonetheless. i wonder if, were i to find myself in the place of kornelius, being offered human flesh as the olive branch of peace by the cannibal clan i meant to live with and study, i would accept it? and how would i feel then? weird!!!
March 10, 2012
(It might seem strange to buy a book about cannibalism on a whim, but I suspect my grad school friends won't be surprised at my dark and bizarre research interests.)
Raffaele uses an adventure travelogue format to discuss both historic and contemporary cannibalism. He offers a fascinating look at the groups who still practice cannibalism and explains the various religious/superstitious/cultural/psychological reasons behind it.
He doesn’t always seem like the right man for the job, however; I’m not saying he had to eat human meat himself to get the story, but sometimes his level of squeamishness and knee-jerk reactions to all cannibalism, regardless of intentions and understanding of the people engaging in it, hurt his willingness to ask the right questions. I don't know if I would have been able to keep my journalistic head while a tribal chief was brandishing human skulls at me either, but then I didn't decide to write a book on modern cannibals. Overall, however, the intriguing and surprising material carries the narrative, and it's certainly a captivating read.
I do feel like I need to mentally and emotionally separate the book into two sections, however: the chapters on cannibalistic beliefs and cultures that are intellectually interesting, and the chapter on Kony and the LRA forcing children to cannibalize their companions, which will turn your stomach and rip your heart out.
Raffaele uses an adventure travelogue format to discuss both historic and contemporary cannibalism. He offers a fascinating look at the groups who still practice cannibalism and explains the various religious/superstitious/cultural/psychological reasons behind it.
He doesn’t always seem like the right man for the job, however; I’m not saying he had to eat human meat himself to get the story, but sometimes his level of squeamishness and knee-jerk reactions to all cannibalism, regardless of intentions and understanding of the people engaging in it, hurt his willingness to ask the right questions. I don't know if I would have been able to keep my journalistic head while a tribal chief was brandishing human skulls at me either, but then I didn't decide to write a book on modern cannibals. Overall, however, the intriguing and surprising material carries the narrative, and it's certainly a captivating read.
I do feel like I need to mentally and emotionally separate the book into two sections, however: the chapters on cannibalistic beliefs and cultures that are intellectually interesting, and the chapter on Kony and the LRA forcing children to cannibalize their companions, which will turn your stomach and rip your heart out.
October 24, 2008
I agree with most of the other reviews of this book - great premise, interesting topic, but a bit uneven throughout. The first section on New Guinean cannibals was fascinating, the Indian Aghoras was an interesting section, although it begins to falter during the Tongan piece, and then he gets a little lost and bland, then it picks up when talking about the Ugandan child soldiers. The Aztec section was interesting but I agree that the author seemed somehow unwilling to see that acculturation and not necessarily evil acts could be a legitimate reason for cannibalism. He seems to get caught between idealizing the savage native and reviling him. And I don't know that I would count the Aghora's eating burning flesh from a funeral pyre as cannibalism per se. Clearly forcing at gunpoint children to kill another child and then eat that child is evil and unconscionable but seeking enlightenment through the conquering of your own fears and not hurting anyone in the process... very different.
But the whole book was very informative - not only about cannibalism, but about complex social and political histories around the world. And the writing was largely engaging.
But the whole book was very informative - not only about cannibalism, but about complex social and political histories around the world. And the writing was largely engaging.
January 8, 2012
This book was intense. I question the sanity of its author, who meets a guide in Papua New Guinea, places his life in the man's hands, and canoes up the river to meet cannibals. I mean, I know he's not going to be killed, because apparently he survived to write the book, but yikes. It was much too exciting to read before bed.
I was fascinated by the explanation of why it's okay to kill and eat people. Apparently they aren't really people, but creatures who have captured people, hollowed them out, and inhabited their bodies in order to cause harm to others. These Papua cannibals never eat women, because they aren't ever attacked by the evil spirits. Men, however, had better never make anyone else envious...
I'm only giving the book 3 stars because I'm going to sell it without finishing it. I could see that it was heading into darker territory: the children forced to kill and eat their friends in Uganda was going to be too intense for me.
If you like this sort of thing, you'll love this book.
I was fascinated by the explanation of why it's okay to kill and eat people. Apparently they aren't really people, but creatures who have captured people, hollowed them out, and inhabited their bodies in order to cause harm to others. These Papua cannibals never eat women, because they aren't ever attacked by the evil spirits. Men, however, had better never make anyone else envious...
I'm only giving the book 3 stars because I'm going to sell it without finishing it. I could see that it was heading into darker territory: the children forced to kill and eat their friends in Uganda was going to be too intense for me.
If you like this sort of thing, you'll love this book.
June 20, 2009
Raffaele travels to Papua-New Guinea, South America, India, Africa, and Samoa. All to talk to cannibals and/or hear about former cannibals.
There are a couple of times that he comes close to the "meat", and in India he's offered human ashes on his tongue and he twitters like a Victorian lady over the shame and disgust of it all - the whole time sounding like he's just looking for permission to give it a try.
He's probably not the most culturally sophisticated guy in the world, but definitely has balls for going to the places he goes.
Interesting to read, and scariest guys were definitely the ones in Papua-New Guinea.
There are a couple of times that he comes close to the "meat", and in India he's offered human ashes on his tongue and he twitters like a Victorian lady over the shame and disgust of it all - the whole time sounding like he's just looking for permission to give it a try.
He's probably not the most culturally sophisticated guy in the world, but definitely has balls for going to the places he goes.
Interesting to read, and scariest guys were definitely the ones in Papua-New Guinea.
February 6, 2010
A sign of my waning interest was that I started looking up other reactions on Goodreads, and I was barely past the first section of the book. And I can probably offer little more than Ditto to most of the sentiments--some interesting stuff with the section on meeting an actually cannibalistic tribe, but the book overall works too much on proxy. That, or I'm just not one with a lot of appeal fo rthe adventure-writer genre. The level of detail gets more distracting than meaningful, and the emphasis seems to be more in-the-moment than reflective or research-backed. I guess I'll have to look elsewhere for a good cannibal book.
December 31, 2011
A great premise and interesting explorations. However, this reads like someone who followed the techniques of anthropology in the age of imperialism wrote it - while I appreciate his honesty in his discomfort he writes as if the rest of us would also be uncomfortable not only with cannibalism but with people who are not part of western culture and - gasp - fat people! I found this distracting to the point of not being able to enjoy the book. There's also a painful chapter where he interviews children and women who experienced horrible war crimes and thinking of this guy talking to these people seems incredibly violating.
May 22, 2015
I agree with the general concensus on this book: It's a very interesting read but it does not come across as particulaly scientific or scholarly, and it really should not have included the chapter on forced cannibalism as an act of terrorism in Africa. I read quickly through the first three-quarters of the book but it took me almost a year to get through the child soldier chapter. I almost didn't finish because of it, but I finally forced myself to get to the end. If you can look beyond the author's judgmental insensitivity toward other cultures and maybe skip the child soldier chapter, I'd say this is worth a read.
September 27, 2008
Really interesting premise. Great first few chapters, but it started to slow towards the end. I also thought it was strange that Raffaele is so worldly and understanding of cultures' effects on morality, and yet paints cannibalism as a completely unacceptable act. Don't get me wrong - I don't want to eat people, but he writes off eating bugs, etc., etc., by the logic that anything can seem normal if you've been around it your whole life, and remains committed to the idea that cannibalism is unforgivable. Seems contradictory and a little preachy to me.
January 19, 2009
Really interesting read about groups, ethnic/religious that practice cannibalism. The most fascinating such group is the Korowai of Papua New Guinea. They believe that male witches can inhabit human beings and eat them from within. When a kakhua is "identified" (by a man suffering from a disease), he is captured and eaten by the ill man's friends and family.
Also interesting-- holy men called Sadhus live near crematoriums on the banks of the Ganges and sometimes partake of charred human remains.
Also interesting-- holy men called Sadhus live near crematoriums on the banks of the Ganges and sometimes partake of charred human remains.
September 20, 2008
This book started out great and then fizzled. Raffaele first writes about visiting the last known cannibal tribe in New Guinea, a fascinating subject. Next he visits a Hindu sect in India that also practices a form of cannibalism. Also interesting. From there the book starts to lose the plot. He goes to Tonga where cannibalism is no longer practiced. That's when the book becomes more of a travelouge than a serious look at an interesting subject. Could have been better.
January 4, 2013
I grabbed this from a library several years ago and finished it rather quickly. An engaging read that explores some tribes and religious sects (such as the Aghori of India) who either engage in cannibalism or did so recently. The author can be biased at times, and refused to partake when offered, but at the same rate, Andrew Zimmern refused to eat a human foreskin on Bizarre Foods and that doesn't take anything away from his experience. Worth reading.
June 27, 2013
This is a beautifully-researched, rollicking ride through the different aspects of cannibalism and the belief systems that underlie this practice. The best part of Raffaele's work is that it is written in a non-judgmental way, humanizing groups of people who Western society would consider 'barbaric' or 'primitive' because of their cultural practices. Enlightening, highly entertaining, and superbly executed.
January 2, 2017
This was a great little read, for anyone interested in the more macabre aspects of different cultures from around the globe. I did get some mixed messages from the author, Though the book is written from the point of view of the author exploring different cultures, I could not help but feel he was being a bit condescending, or looking down on some of the people, (I might have misinterpret the tone or language though). All in all definitely worth a look.
June 25, 2011
Fun and informative, but you have to wade through quite a bit of the author's personal douchiness (sp?). Mr. Raffaele leaves no opportunity to boast about his own world travels unsaid. Dude, I get it, you're a journalist that gets paid to travel a lot. Blah, blah, blah. But regardless of that, it's hard to make cannibalism boring, so read away lovers of the macbre!
January 27, 2009
ho hum.
same stuff about the same stuff that is always highlighted for shock value.
the section of children forced to eat their own was interesting because Charles and Chucky Taylor are at this moment being judged in the Hague for crimes against humanity.
just checked and Charles got 97 years. hurray!
same stuff about the same stuff that is always highlighted for shock value.
the section of children forced to eat their own was interesting because Charles and Chucky Taylor are at this moment being judged in the Hague for crimes against humanity.
just checked and Charles got 97 years. hurray!
March 13, 2010
A great book! This reads like an adventure novel, as Raffaele journeys to the jungle, to India, to Pacific Islands, and talks with both current cannibals and people with a history of cannibalism. Not a gruesome book, it explores cultures that are largely unknown to the outside world. Facinating.
July 28, 2011
Fairly interesting with lots of detail, not toooo much gore and plenty of cultural insight. Unfortunately a weak ending, I would have left the crisis in Uganda to the last instead of the comparatively uninteresting Aztecs; just not as gripping as a current event.
December 14, 2011
eerie and wonderful. uses social and political commentary throughout and lets you know when he's totally freaked out. his transparency is fantastic. educational and fascinating. provides a great distraction from life.
July 29, 2012
After reading this book, I wanted to talk to everyone about it. It really changed my thought process on the whole idea and reasoning behind eating another person, especially a family member. It really is a taboo subject that people don't want to discuss or even think about.
March 17, 2013
Lots of balls, poorly researched, not much of a framework for understanding the subjects he describes...but it will do nicely on my little shelf in the kitchen with books about the more adventurous culinary approaches...
May 23, 2009
Worth the read, but a little redundant.
July 13, 2011
fun, quick read.
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