- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Ebury Press; New edition edition (5 April 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0091878675
- ISBN-13: 978-0091878672
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.7 x 2.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,021,567 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"The most entertaining... book he has ever written." -"Manchester Evening News
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
This is an account of Desmond Morris's numerous journeys around the world in search of materials that explore and examine the varieties of human society. The journeys are full of adventures and misadventures, often funny and always deeply revealing about the nature of mankind.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Naked Eye is a book which takes you on a fascinating journey with an intriguing man. We travel around the world with Desmond Morris and his crew as he attempts to record his observations of the human race, relentless in his attempt to unite the world in terms of common traits and manners. He selects the highlights of his past 30 years travels, and we laugh with him as he comes face-to-face with ferocious crocodiles, gangsters in LA, lap-dancers in Las Vegas, primitive tribes in Africa... This book offers a wonderful insight into one man's fascinating life, we become absorbed in his desire to study and record human behaviour and by the end of the book are sorry that our travels with him have to end. An easy-to-read part autobiography, part travel guide with something to interest everyone.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In the Naked Eye we are once again
off with Desmond Morris on an anthropological
field trip. And I must confess that I love it.
Obviously it is much harder observing humans
than zebras. After all a zebra never walks up to you
and asks question. But humans are that much more fun.
In the book we learn about arab gestures.
That black underwear ensures pregnancy. That the
original medieval football is still played in
some places in England, and that it was called
football, because the players were so poor that
they couldn't afford a horse.
etc.
off with Desmond Morris on an anthropological
field trip. And I must confess that I love it.
Obviously it is much harder observing humans
than zebras. After all a zebra never walks up to you
and asks question. But humans are that much more fun.
In the book we learn about arab gestures.
That black underwear ensures pregnancy. That the
original medieval football is still played in
some places in England, and that it was called
football, because the players were so poor that
they couldn't afford a horse.
etc.
All of this in just one book. What a delight!
Simon
Format:Paperback
Having read several of Desmond Morris's other books and holding him in high esteem as an expert academic as well as broadcaster and writer, I was looking forward to this book. It does have lots of interesting notes about our own species- and he's certainly the man to make us open our naked eyes to look at each other in new ways.
In this book Morris realtes anecdotes from his global travels, and often lavish lifestyle and revelas more about himself than in other books...unforunately for me it was a case of 'never meet your idol'. I found him a rather arrogant and superior, at times even condascending towards his 'subjects'.A real pity! He must have a far more fascinating a life than is related in this book!
Some may find his remarks about religion, especially Catholicism controvesial- this however is an area where i agree with him- and he puts it quite well.
The worst part, I think was an account of a 90 day round the world cruise (holiday, not work), focussed on the knick knacks he bought on the way, with little information about our fellow humans at all. I think by this time I had lost interest in and empathy with him, and I did find some of his remarks about indigenous cultures odd coming from someone so knowledgable about them. For example, 'At the tourist resort we are waited on by huge-bodied Fijian servants. It's depressing to see that these lovely giants have changed from head-hunters to head waiters in just a few years'. But obviously not quite depressing enough to deprive himself of the opportunity for selfish luxury in the most exploitative and least sustainable form of tourism, the cruise ship. Its a shame that he of all people can't connect his actions with the destruction of native cultures!
I did read it all, I learnt some things about ourselves, but I realised after about half way, I was 'getting through it' just so I could get on with something better- even one of his own, more factual books
In this book Morris realtes anecdotes from his global travels, and often lavish lifestyle and revelas more about himself than in other books...unforunately for me it was a case of 'never meet your idol'. I found him a rather arrogant and superior, at times even condascending towards his 'subjects'.A real pity! He must have a far more fascinating a life than is related in this book!
Some may find his remarks about religion, especially Catholicism controvesial- this however is an area where i agree with him- and he puts it quite well.
The worst part, I think was an account of a 90 day round the world cruise (holiday, not work), focussed on the knick knacks he bought on the way, with little information about our fellow humans at all. I think by this time I had lost interest in and empathy with him, and I did find some of his remarks about indigenous cultures odd coming from someone so knowledgable about them. For example, 'At the tourist resort we are waited on by huge-bodied Fijian servants. It's depressing to see that these lovely giants have changed from head-hunters to head waiters in just a few years'. But obviously not quite depressing enough to deprive himself of the opportunity for selfish luxury in the most exploitative and least sustainable form of tourism, the cruise ship. Its a shame that he of all people can't connect his actions with the destruction of native cultures!
I did read it all, I learnt some things about ourselves, but I realised after about half way, I was 'getting through it' just so I could get on with something better- even one of his own, more factual books
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