- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins (11 July 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 006135788X
- ISBN-13: 978-0061357886
- Product Dimensions: 15.2 x 2.5 x 22.9 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,471,338 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Among the Cannibals
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"[A] modern, non-fiction version of Conan Doyle's The Lost World: a time-warp glimpse into man's most primordial nightmare; exciting, fantastic, horrific - and a very well-written travel narrative."--Peter Nichols, author of A Voyage for Madmen
Product Description
"Among the Cannibals" began when Paul Raffaele, Australian travel writer, made his first trip up an obscure New Guinea river in search of one of the last practicing cannibal cultures on Earth. What he found were a people who conflate disease with sorcery, and who exact vengeance for their loved ones' deaths by hunting, and eating, the "sorcerers" they hold responsible. Such practices are thankfully quite rare today, but it exists, whether in the memory of the leader of a Pacific cargo cult - a group that parades each February in the hopes that John Frum, a legendary American sailor, will return bearing boxes of spam and other more conventional foodstuffs - or in the religious practices of the Aghori sect of India, whose idea of saintliness is certain to mystify and fascinate readers.It also existed elsewhere in the past, and Raffaele journeys to these peoples' homelands, mixing travel, history, and anthropology in an engaging and illuminating look at why different cultures have ever sanctioned man eating. The book will be well illustrated with photographs Raffaele has taken during his journeys, and told in his inimitable, self-deprecating style. A mix of Indiana Jones and John Belushi, Raffaele's telling of his journeys with cannibals is sure to be a pleasure for anyone interested in the out-of-the-way and forgotten.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A dull book about an interesting subject. The book flows with his own sometimes provincial (for a self confessed adventurer) views and his historical backgrounds are hilariously brief. He also very irritatingly spouts rubbish, such as the fanciful hope that stoneage cannibals in Papua New Guinea will give up their nasty ways and become civilised. He dwells a lot on the Lords Resistance Army of Uganda and the abuse of the child soldiers which is very disturbing and I'd argue irrelevant as an example of cannibalism. Having a Ak 47 pointed at your head and being forced to eat human flesh isn't a cultural or anthropological phenomenon.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
6 reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
What was the Smithsonian thinking?
13 Sep 2010
Format:Hardcover
If you want to read a book that reinforces your Western sense of superiority, this is the book for you. Not only does Raffaele characterize other cultures as primitive, but he does not even attempt to be objective. The lack of seriousness and factual information paints him as a twelve-year old school boy running around the world making inappropriate comments about other cultures and women. At one point he describes a culture's attraction to women with large bottoms as disgusting. I fail to see the anthropological value of this comment. Furthermore, what does this have to do with cannibalism? Again cannibalism, Eurocentrism, and supposedly perverse sexual appetites are combined. The overly sensational diction, immature and simplistic tone may make this book entertaining, but it further disrespects the people he encounters. Everything about this man is ridiculous. The back cover shows him acting as if he is engaged in a deadly wrestling match with a snake; Paul Raffaele, who are you? An anthropological journalist for the Smithsonian or Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter?
Smithsonian: WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WHEN YOU PUBLISHED THIS BOOK? You are a respected institution; why did you publish this garbage?
Smithsonian: WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WHEN YOU PUBLISHED THIS BOOK? You are a respected institution; why did you publish this garbage?
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Great read, some disturbing parts....
22 July 2008
Format:Hardcover
Among the Cannibals is a fascinating book for anyone interested in other cultures and their practices - religious or otherwise. What makes this book particularly amazing is that the author truly did find people that are today practicing cannibalism. Raffaele even manages to make it seem acceptable because of that society's particular beliefs and mores.
I had no problems reading the tales of the Korowai tribe's cannibalism. Nor did I take issue with the slightly more disturbing aspects of the Aghori sects in India. I think this was because all of these people come from an historical tradition of cannibalism. They believe that there is a reason for it.
However, there was one thing that I found distressing. This was the coverage of the brutal cannibalism in Uganda perpetrated by the LRA. When someone is forced to eat human flesh, it is not cannibalism in its truest sense. It is torture in its evilest form.
I believe Raffaele should have kept these horror stories out of this book. I think it would have served the world better had he then written a 2nd book about the atrocities in Uganda. It is writer's like Raffaele with their incredibly readable style of writing that manage to bring the terrible war stories to light in countries such as Uganda. Unfortunately, I think this is one story that will remain buried amongst the cannibals.
I had no problems reading the tales of the Korowai tribe's cannibalism. Nor did I take issue with the slightly more disturbing aspects of the Aghori sects in India. I think this was because all of these people come from an historical tradition of cannibalism. They believe that there is a reason for it.
However, there was one thing that I found distressing. This was the coverage of the brutal cannibalism in Uganda perpetrated by the LRA. When someone is forced to eat human flesh, it is not cannibalism in its truest sense. It is torture in its evilest form.
I believe Raffaele should have kept these horror stories out of this book. I think it would have served the world better had he then written a 2nd book about the atrocities in Uganda. It is writer's like Raffaele with their incredibly readable style of writing that manage to bring the terrible war stories to light in countries such as Uganda. Unfortunately, I think this is one story that will remain buried amongst the cannibals.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Travel Narrative that treks to the heart of cannibalism
19 Jun 2008
Format:Hardcover
I'm biased. I bought this book accidentally while looking for "Dinner with a Cannibal", so I was looking for a more anthropological approach to cannibals than a travel narrative. That didn't keep me from finishing it though. The more cannibals the better!
Bearing that in mind, I can see people loving and being ever so slightly underwhelmed by this book, with most people happy its on their shelf. Squeamish parts and some great details really bring this book to life and Paul Raffeale does a fantastic job of putting us in his shoes (hiking boots, realistically). Whether with a tour guide with a reluctant taste for flesh or deep in the jungle, you're there with him.
He's an editor for Smithsonian, so you know he has the chops (eugh).
On the negative (for me--probably not all readers) I was a little put off on some of his adjective use. I'm a scribbler when it comes to books and there's a big exclamation point next to where he described cannibals as "demonic". Please leave that to the reader. Again, I was looking for an anthro type book...take this with a grain of salt.
What's to love:
+It's about cannibals! 'nuff said.
+How travel fiction should be on such an amazing topic. He's gutsy! (double eugh)
+You're right next to Raffeale as he travels to exotic locales and experiences tremendous characters & cultures.
The distracting bits:
-Raffaele was a little too judgmental for my taste.
-Not the book I went to the store for...negative on me not the book.
If you're into travel narratives, odd topics (yes, please), or want to take a break from all of that fluff, summer reading on the shelf right now, this book will give you something to sink your tee- just kidding, I won't go that route. It's an fascinating but imperfect book that I can happily recommend. Eat up!
Bearing that in mind, I can see people loving and being ever so slightly underwhelmed by this book, with most people happy its on their shelf. Squeamish parts and some great details really bring this book to life and Paul Raffeale does a fantastic job of putting us in his shoes (hiking boots, realistically). Whether with a tour guide with a reluctant taste for flesh or deep in the jungle, you're there with him.
He's an editor for Smithsonian, so you know he has the chops (eugh).
On the negative (for me--probably not all readers) I was a little put off on some of his adjective use. I'm a scribbler when it comes to books and there's a big exclamation point next to where he described cannibals as "demonic". Please leave that to the reader. Again, I was looking for an anthro type book...take this with a grain of salt.
What's to love:
+It's about cannibals! 'nuff said.
+How travel fiction should be on such an amazing topic. He's gutsy! (double eugh)
+You're right next to Raffeale as he travels to exotic locales and experiences tremendous characters & cultures.
The distracting bits:
-Raffaele was a little too judgmental for my taste.
-Not the book I went to the store for...negative on me not the book.
If you're into travel narratives, odd topics (yes, please), or want to take a break from all of that fluff, summer reading on the shelf right now, this book will give you something to sink your tee- just kidding, I won't go that route. It's an fascinating but imperfect book that I can happily recommend. Eat up!
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