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

3.0

I had previously read this book as part of an undergrad linguistics course I was taking but was required to read the first section. I thought it was about time I reread that portion and finished the rest of it. I was a bit conflicted over this one. On the surface it should be right up my alley - a fascinating memoir, unique linguistic analysis, funny or moving stories about a different culture, and a discussion on the necessity of Christianity. In actuality it was difficult to read at times. The section on the author’s life told such compelling stories about a culture that I did really enjoy learning about but it was also kinda all over the place. It wasn’t difficult to follow but I definitely did not understand the logic of the progression of the stories. I also disagreed with a good number of the conclusions he drew throughout. The portion on language seemed both too dense for a layperson but also not as detailed as I would have liked on certain aspects. All in all, I loved learning about a culture and language so completely different from ours and having certain beliefs and assumptions challenged but I don’t think I will be returning to this book again. 🗣👤🌤