Choice Review

This rare and precious ethnographic monograph lets readers feel deep empathy and understanding for what people in another culture believe about things that are important to them, such as their relationship to the jungle, the nature of warfare, sharing and equity, kinship, or the importance of an occasional beer fest for keeping social order. Rival (Oxford) also provides a plausible explanation for the demographic and cultural-historical mystery of the apparent disappearance of civilizations that were scattered among the headwaters of the Amazon during the last millennium. This may be less entertaining than books that feature a few pseudonymous characters or a supposedly "typical" day in the lives of colorful tribal people, but it is far more meaningful and memorable. And it is refreshing to find such a population who are flourishing as they adapt to the changing world around them, rather than appearing to be on the verge of extinction or assimilation. Long-cited as aggressive and elusive bogeys by sensationalistic journalists, the Huaorani in this book provide a good example of the insights that can come from a fine-grained anthropological perspective, well rewarding the efforts of serious readers. Clearly written, well organized, and amply documented, this book is recommended for upper-division undergraduates and above. D. B. Heath Brown University