In a frank and unpretentious series of letters addressed to a teenage granddaughter, this highly original book teaches us to know and understand the world we live in and its rules, and how to behave in it. In these thirty letters, Alan Macfarlane answers his granddaughter's questions about how the world works, how it got to be as it is, what it could be, and where she fits in. Lily's enquiries range from the intimate, personal and moral to the political, social and philosophical. What is the nature of good and evil? What is religion? How can I be truly me? Is right and wrong the same wherever you are? What is beauty? Does there have to be torture? Does money matter? Is knowledge always good? What is progress? What is truth? What is sex? Is democracy a good idea? These are just a few of the questions. In responding to Lily's challenging problems, Alan Macfarlane, from a lifetime's experience as a historian, anthropologist and teacher, ranges through history and across the world's cultures. Her questions are timeless. His answers add up to a classic.
Letters To Lily
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'a sweeping tour d'horizon' -- The Independent (Review), May 20th, 2005
An excellent introduction to contemporary philosophical concerns -- The Sunday Times
An excellent introduction to contemporary philosophical concerns -- The Sunday Times
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There is a web-site attached to this book, which contains the questions which Lily asked, further reading and references, and biographical background on the author.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By J.S Baddeley
Format:Paperback
Anthropologist Alan Macfarlane writes a series of letters to his granddaughter, Lily, on his view of how the world works at the beginning of the 21st century. Each letter tackles a different topic, from love and friendship, to violence and fear. We learn the history of how we have built our current beliefs in relation to these issues and how a British perspective varies from other cultural views. Macfarlane highlights the common mistake we make in assuming that there has been a direct path through history to our current point in time. Of course in reality human history has involved many coincidences and crossroads at which the world could have turned out very differently. By helping us to recognise this Macfarlane reminds us that it is vital that we continually adjust the way we view the world and not assume we have already reached the right conclusions.
An interesting and thought provoking book, we are lucky that Macfarlane has decided to share his thoughts with all of us and not just Lily.
An interesting and thought provoking book, we are lucky that Macfarlane has decided to share his thoughts with all of us and not just Lily.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Letters to Lily is a series of thirty letters in which the historian and anthropologist Alan Macfarlane tries to show his grand-daughter Lily how the world works, how our lives are shaped by biology, society and economy. He demonstrates how the boundaries between animal and human, the social and the natural, the natural and the artificial are largely arbitrary, why good and evil are in many cases social constructs, how sexuality and other learned behaviours function within different societies. He also touches on such subjects as love, war, violence, technology and play. In many ways, this is an enjoyable read. Macfarlane's scathing comments on democracy, terrorism and witchcraft, on electoral processes and the discovery of Evil Ones among us, are serious as well as topical.
Engagingly written, lively and informative, Letters to Lily is both an outpouring of affection and a textbook. Full of references to poetry and children's books, from hobbits to Harry Potter, it is intended to be read in ten years time, when Lily will be seventeen.
Lily is "an English girl", "a free spirit". Contrasting her life with that of a sick, pregnant peasant, Macfarlane compares England with other countries where he has worked, China, India and Nepal. In this West versus the Rest panorama of history and culture, distance lends enchantment to the view. English history becomes oddly flattened, its discontents smoothed over by an old-fashioned narrative of liberty and progress. This is history and anthropology as seen from the big house. Everything interesting is tolerable because it poses no threat to the observer. The aversion to moral judgements skates over the incontrovertible evidence that some societies, lifestyles, and people, are qualitatively better than others.... Read more ›
Engagingly written, lively and informative, Letters to Lily is both an outpouring of affection and a textbook. Full of references to poetry and children's books, from hobbits to Harry Potter, it is intended to be read in ten years time, when Lily will be seventeen.
Lily is "an English girl", "a free spirit". Contrasting her life with that of a sick, pregnant peasant, Macfarlane compares England with other countries where he has worked, China, India and Nepal. In this West versus the Rest panorama of history and culture, distance lends enchantment to the view. English history becomes oddly flattened, its discontents smoothed over by an old-fashioned narrative of liberty and progress. This is history and anthropology as seen from the big house. Everything interesting is tolerable because it poses no threat to the observer. The aversion to moral judgements skates over the incontrovertible evidence that some societies, lifestyles, and people, are qualitatively better than others.... Read more ›
By John
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
What a great grandfather Alan is leaving this book of wisdom and knowledge for his granddaughter Lily. Bought this originally in paperback, and more than happy to add it to my Kindle library. Simply inspiring.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A very interesting and informative book. I am reading it for myself but it will also be useful when my daughter asks me questions about the world, such as why do we work so hard and yet have no money.
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Engaging worldview from an insightful academic. Perfect easy reading present for teenagers with an interest in the world, but adult academics and non-academics will also enjoy.
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