Written by one of the prominent scholars in the field and recent inductee of The National Academy of Sciences, this concise, up-to-date introduction to general anthropology carefully balances coverage of core topics and contemporary changes in the field. Since no single or monolithic theoretical perspective orients this book, instructors with a wide range of views and approaches can use it effectively. The combination of brevity and readability make Window on Humanity a perfect match for general anthropology courses that use readings or ethnographies along with a main text.
This textbook is a thinly veiled web of opinions—ranging from politics to criticisms of established research to the completely inane—under the guise of objective fact. Scattered throughout are critiques on modern political events and anthropological conjecture that will become outdated faster than milk in my refrigerator. If no contemporary issues were discussed, the textbook could be considered little more than a pamphlet. Indeed, integral to this book, though not to anthropology, is the political: the only uniting cultural force—the religion of modernity. Anthropology is a fascinating subject with much to say on the relations and workings of human nature, and under the contemporary filth there is some interesting discussion here. This textbook is at its best when the author is summarizing another’s ideas and at its worst when he ventures to think. O the continuous misfortune caused by the power we give imbeciles over the thought of the next generation.