Encyclopedia of Taboos
May 23rd, 2008 | by wowo |
Book Tiltle: Encyclopedia of Taboos
Author: Lynn Holden
Publisher: ABC-Clio Inc (October 1, 2000)
Library Binding: 302 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1576070697
ISBN-13: 978-1576070697
Book Description
What are the origins of table manners? What are the politics of cannibalism? Why is the left hand thought to be sinister? These apparently unrelated questions all hinge on the fundamental notion of taboo. Far from being peripheral leftovers from distant times and places, taboos are a crucial part of any society, determining how people must and must not behave. The Encyclopedia of Taboos is a mine of unusual information from around the world, including a comprehensive analysis of individual taboos from the ancient world to the present day, covering both well- and lesser-known examples.
Book Review
This guide to taboos examines certain aspects of their meaning, use, and importance in religion, economics, politics, and society. Holden is a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh, an institution that undertakes the systematic and extensive recording of folklore and regional ethnology in the field. His overview includes taboos in traditional literature and folklore, as well as prohibitions within individual cultures and theories on specific taboos. The alphabetical entries are cross-referenced and cite other works for further research; a comprehensive index closes the text. Casual readers will be intrigued by the variety of taboos covered, which include those relating to beans, the color red, the origin of table manners, and cannibalism. Students and researchers will find most entries well detailed and based on solid research. Recommended for reference collections in both academic and public libraries. –DLeroy Hommerding, Fort Myers Beach P.L. Dist., FL
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