Succinct, unpretentious, wise and, best of all, reconstructive. . . . [A] valuable contribution to cultural studies in the widest sense of the term, making one wish the term were more often stretched this finely. . . . a sagacious field guide, pleasing and teasing our tastes for turnings. -Jennifer Formichelli, Essays in Criticism
Jennifer Formichelli
Essays in ... Read moreCriticism
The scope of Mary Douglas's syntheticising thought is admirable. Her relaxed observations across the centuries and cultural boundaries are stimulating reading for anyone interested in the patterns of narrative, a field which is often characterised by narrow tunnel vision rather than intercultural and interdisciplinary desire. -Paivi Mehtonen, Bryn Mawr Classical Review
Paivi Mehtonen
Bryn Mawr Classical Review
Over the course of her career Ms. Douglas has become a master at discerning order in unexpected forms and surprising places. In an unassuming way, without pretense or revolutionary claims, she reveals the logic behind the varied customs of a society. -Edward Rothstein, New York Times
Edward Rothstein
New York Times
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