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176 reviews for:
Das glücklichste Volk: sieben Jahre bei den Pirahã-Indianern am Amazonas
Daniel L. Everett
3.81 AVERAGE
176 reviews for:
Das glücklichste Volk: sieben Jahre bei den Pirahã-Indianern am Amazonas
Daniel L. Everett
3.81 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
I would highly recommend getting a physical or ebook copy in addition to the audiobook which is read by the author.
The book contains photos and transcripts and the narrative flow is stronger in print, but the author being one of the few non-native speakers of the Pirahã language is invaluable in truly understanding this book (despite his sometimes stilted performance of the text).
The section on language and linguistics in general is important and understandable, if boring.
I do wish the section on his loss of faith was longer, but as this wasn't truly a memoir it wasn't surprising (and it was clearly a sore subject given it's effect on his marriage, family and friends.)
I found the anecdotes about the Pirahã people and their culture fascinating.
And the insights regarding the link between a language and it's people's culture in general gave a lot of food for thought.
The book contains photos and transcripts and the narrative flow is stronger in print, but the author being one of the few non-native speakers of the Pirahã language is invaluable in truly understanding this book (despite his sometimes stilted performance of the text).
The section on language and linguistics in general is important and understandable, if boring.
I do wish the section on his loss of faith was longer, but as this wasn't truly a memoir it wasn't surprising (and it was clearly a sore subject given it's effect on his marriage, family and friends.)
I found the anecdotes about the Pirahã people and their culture fascinating.
And the insights regarding the link between a language and it's people's culture in general gave a lot of food for thought.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
I really wanted to love this book but at the end of the day, his writing style, caliber, ability to communicate, and thoughtfulness about his surroundings fell short for me. As someone who has also lived amongst an indigenous Amazonian community, it was just relatable enough that I found the author’s inconsistencies when describing the culture and early obliviousness and idiocy (not starting his family on malarial medication immediately) extremely grating.
The observations on linguistics were interesting enough for one chapter, not half the book. Plus the author was a bit obsessed with Chomsky - on one page, he mentioned Chomsky over 15 times!
The observations on linguistics were interesting enough for one chapter, not half the book. Plus the author was a bit obsessed with Chomsky - on one page, he mentioned Chomsky over 15 times!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
The “life” part was way more interesting than the “language” part. Effort was made to make linguistic theory accesible but I am just not interested.
You know when you can’t be bothered with an endless New Yorker article so you read the book instead because that makes a world of sense?I just finished Don't Sleep, There are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle by Daniel Everett. The experience of listening to the audiobook was like listening to what,in literary fiction, is known as an unreliable narrator. Prior to his research into the language of a community of indigenous people in the Amazon called the Pirahã, the author was an evangelist missionary intent on translating the New Testament to their language. The so-called Old Testament has way better stories, but ok. Firstly. Secondly, you can detect in his narrative an element of condescension to the Pirahã. And lastly, Nome Chomsky called him a charlatan! The book is nevertheless full of jaw dropping stories and interesting observations—such as that maybe linguists should get out more. How has this not been made into a film? The conclusion, at least to this humble poster, brought to mind the ideas presented in This Life: Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom by Swedish philosopher Martin Hägglund which boil down to “live by the moment” if I dare to be so reductive and it is as if the Pirahã were a living, even transcendent embodiment of his ideas in the book.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
What an interesting read! Loved the intersection of language, culture and religion in this book. Some of the linguistic heavy chapters were a little hard going at times, but ultimately I thought it was thoughtful and beautifully written.
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
informative
medium-paced
Some of the linguistics stuff went over my head but overall a very interesting book that has taught me a lot about a tribe I had no idea about