Reviews

Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle by Daniel L. Everett

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oisincleere's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

andrewhall's review

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4.0

Good mixture of his story of his experience living with the Pirahã in the Amazon, the anthropological lessons he learns there, and the linguistic theories that he develops from that experience. The book drags in the second half--his explanation of the linguistic theory and his challenge to the Chomsky orthodoxy is not easy to make interesting, but he makes a good effort. His discussion of the Pirahã as one of the happiest people on earth is very interesting, but seems male-centric, he gives some hints that the women don't have it so well.

maverick_arlen's review

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informative slow-paced

3.0

simazhi's review against another edition

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5.0

A big recommendation, even if it's more pop linguistics than academic linguistics.
As I discussed with a friend of mine, the main problem is the division of the book: most of it is (the very great) biography part, then just a bit of linguistics, and then like a page or so of conclusion. It could have been more equally divided.

But the content is great and I find my own view of language matching with Everett's.

starrwad's review against another edition

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4.0

I am really torn about how to rate and review this book. When I read it the first time , many years ago, I loved it. I still love the parts about living with the tribe, but I skimmed through all the linguistic theories and stuff. The best part was the last chapter where he explains why he lost his faith.