This is not a book that you would read from cover to cover, Just leave it out on your coffee table, or pull it out from the bookshelves, open up to any page and start laughing. The only place I would not suggest to keep it,is on your night stand. You may wake the person next to you laughing out loud.
All the one liners and gags are grouped by subject. Actors, Baldness, Bankers, Divorce,Ethnic Jokes, Female Anatomy,Life, Politics,Television, Taxes, Weather, you name it, these big guns of comedy don't miss a trick.
This book may not be for everyone, as many of the jokes are crude,some may be considered R rated, and some being from a time when it was okay to laugh at yourself and life without being politically correct. Although none of the lines are intended to be mean spirited. I definately wouldn't keep it around children who can read!
You can almost hear, these legends spouting their stuff. Groucho Marx.."A hospital bed is a parked taxi with the meter running"...Mae West.."I like two kinds of men: domestic and foreign"...Jackie Gleason.."When you leave New York, you're camping out." Joe E. Lewis.."A man is never drunk if he can lay on the floor without holding on" (Those are some of the more tasteful quotes I could give without being edited or offending.)
It is quite a thick book at 496 pages of these priceless quotes and dialouges. There is an index of Humorists, making it easy to find your favorites, and an introduction by Alan King, listing it's most renowned memebers.
Many of the contributors(who some may consider as national treasures) are no longer with us, and this book is a treasure chest of their words. I would recommend it to anyone who needs a good laugh and can appreciate it for what it is.
"For the first year of marriage I had a basically bad attitude. I tended to place my wife underneath a pedestal."...Woody Allen
Don't give this to Little Johnny (although he may indeed like it) since some jokes in this superb book are adult oriented (with adult language, too) and - yes -- some are politically incorrect ("She's so fat she's my TWO best friends." -- unattributed). But you'll howl with laughter as you read many of these.
And you can truly use them for any occasion or aim one at someone if you know his/her/its background ("You have to have a physical before you get into the Army. A doctor looks in one ear, another doctor looks in the other, and if they can't see each other you're in. If they can see each other, you become an MP." -- Joe E Brown). Some jokes aren't attributed but you'll find many jokes directly credited to classic and modern comedians ... EVEN BETTER: It is well-organized into topics and indexed according to performer. I read a lot of joke books. Some I read, find mildly amusing and file in the basement. This one stays on my self for reference (I am a ventriloquist believe it or not) -- and if I just need a pick-me-up belly laugh. WELL worth the price!!
Jokes for granddaughter.......2006-04-23
I e-mail my [...] granddaughter jokes often, the cornier, the better. She loves corny humor. I thought I would have a never-ending supply with this big book of jokes, but I have to hunt to find short, simple jokes for her. I would say that the book is for an older audience than first graders. It has a lot of good material in general, but too many long jokes in my opinion.
suks comepletely.......2006-03-29
this joke book suks. if i can give it any star i want, i would give it a -10 stars. i never actually bought it, but i borrowed it from a friend. i needed a joke book for my anouncements on the intercom every morning, and it only lasted 3 days and i ran out of good jokes. some of the jokes arnt appropriate and most of them dont make sense. if your gonna buy a joke book, dont buy this!
Hey, kids like it.......2005-09-05
This book has some (okay, maybe even a lot of) un-funny jokes that don't make much sense (non-sequitar), but it has some good ones and my younger siblings enjoy reading it.
Some material not appropriate for children........2005-05-02
"If a nut on the wall is a walnut, what is a nut in the bathroom? A pee can."
"Why did the baby cross the road? She was stapled to the chicken."
Billing itself as "the mother of all joke books", The Jokelopedia has the apparent goal of turning your child (or grandchild, etc.) into a comedian. Categorized by subject matter such as a monster jokes, classroom distractions, family funnies, etc., the book contains riddles, jokes, cartoons, and tips from famous comedians. Many of the riddles have pun-ch lines consisting of puns: some that I consider funny, and many of which adults will consider groaners, but will get a lot of giggles from 8 year-olds.
Although I tend to like puns more than the average person, as a practitioner of non-violent communication, I don't recommend giving this book to children. I am concerned that roughly up to 10 to 20% of the laughs come at the expense of becoming desensitized to the suffering of animals and humans. For example, there's a joke about a woman who buys a parrot, and to get the bird to talk, she buys a mirror, a ladder, a bell, etc. She goes back to the store and reports that the parrot died. The clerk expresses his sorrow over her loss and asks if the parrot ever said anything to her. The woman replied that just prior to dying, the parrot said, "Doesn't that store carry any food?" So the joke is that the parrot starved to death because the woman was too stupid to buy food in addition to all the accessories. There are riddles that have punch lines at the expense of animal suffering, for example, "What's black and white and flat? A panda that's been run over." And the tacky frog in a blender joke, mentioned by a previous reviewer, could give a child the idea to actually try this (likely very few children but it's possible). Although much of the egregiously tacky material is in the "Snot funny" section, there is some in other sections of the book.
Another reason I don't recommend the Jokelopedia is because of the practical joke recommendations. The child who tries out these suggestions will probably think he or she is being funny, but those laughs come at the expense of being rude and crude to other people, and insensitive to their feelings. For example, one of their slumber-party jokes is to pour cold water over the shower curtain rod on someone using the shower. Another is to put another child's hand in a glass of warm water to get him or her to wet the bed. Yet another is to put some fake plastic vomit in the sink. One of the elevator practical jokes is to bet the other passengers that you can fit a quarter in your nose. Yuck. Another joke encourages lying: "Tell [your big sister] that one of her friends called (for this to work, be specific--use the real name of someone your sibling is close to and say one of the coolest kids in school is having a party tonight, but you can't remember all the details." In case your budding comedian runs out of practical ideas to play on siblings and parents (yes, a parental practical joke idea involving the kitchen sink sprayer is provided--don't say you weren't warned!), there are five suggestions for tormenting the pizza guy.
One could, as another reviewer did, rip out some of the pages prior to giving the book to a child, or perhaps cross out portions with a thick dark marker like it's a government document. (But if you rip out the page of slumber party practical jokes, the blurb on Lucille Ball is on the other side.) Had I received this book as a child with pages ripped out, I would have been extremely curious about what was missing and sought out another copy! Unless the authors write a new edition that takes out the practical and insensitive to suffering jokes, I don't recommend rewarding them by purchasing this book. That's unfortunate, because I think some of the puns are very clever, and encourage children to have fun with the language.
Book Description
A young woman embraces her power — and her destiny — as the thrilling quest begun in THE NAMING continues!
Maerad is a girl with a tragic and bitter past, but her powers grow stronger by the day. Now she and her mentor, Cadvan, hunted by both the Light and the Dark, must unravel the Riddle of the Treesong before their fractured kingdom erupts in chaos. The quest leads Maerad over terrifying seas and vast stretches of glacial wilderness, ever closer to the seductive Winterking — ally of her most powerful enemy, the Nameless One. Trapped in the Winterking's icy realm, Maerad must confront what she has suspected all along: that she is the greatest riddle of all. A sequel to THE NAMING, this second book in a captivating quartet about the ancient world of Edil-Amarandh is a sweeping epic readers won't soon forget.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful, lyrical book in the series of Pellinor.......2007-10-09
I was captivated with the Pellinor series by the prose and storyline from The Naming (first book). Croggan excels again with the second in the four-part series with the Riddle, carrying the reader on a journey to world long lost of Edil-Amarindh. Though she echoes Tolkien, the story is original of brother and sister lost and found, who are fated to be the Chosen Ones to restore balance and light to the world.
A Riddle Worth Puzzling Out.......2007-08-05
Most Riddles frustrate me; meet the exception. Alison's second entry in her Pellinor series almost seems to play like a fairy tale. Not the grossly downplayed kind we have in our animated DVD collections, but rather the old stories they were based upon: full of fantastical elements as well as tales of consequence and morality. What strikes me as real within the pages of this novel were the feelings of the characters. Not particularly predisposed or predetermined, it rang with a sense of realism. At the same time, it engrosses those who favor the fantasy genre for it's magical elements. The magic bring to life the sense of wonder and enchantment to a very human tale.
For the duration of it's page count, Alison's story swept my world away and deliciously ate at my usual sleep schedule, and only with the gray and blue hues of the approaching dawn was I forced to put down this wonderful piece of fiction. You will be hard pressed to dislike this book if you are remotely intrigued by it's premise.
Interesting.......2007-07-14
On my first read of The Riddle quite a while ago, I decided it was probably a four-star book. Now that I've thought it over, though, I think it deserves five.
It's a much grimmer book than The Naming, but I think that suits it somehow. It was disturbing to see Maerad's dark side emerge, but also added enormously to her character, and I think in the end it even helped her. Her constant anger and bitterness was hard to read about constantly without becoming depressed, though.
Tragedy strikes multiple times, sometimes real and sometimes not, as Maerad makes her way north unraveling the Riddle of the Treesong and unlocking secrets and deadly powers in herself that she must understand if she is ever to learn to reject the Dark in her. Though there are certainly points where the book drags on, for the most part it is fairly nonstop action. One of the best parts, for me, was Maerad's escape from the Winterking -- made even more difficult because of her own mixed emotions.
I'm being vague, but it's nearly impossible to say anything about this book because it's so easy to give a crucial plot element away. And there are a lot of them. This book was dark, sometimes even morbid. But it was good. And I can't wait until The Crow is released.
Rating: Very Good
bibliokleptomaniac says:.......2007-02-01
The Riddle is a thrilling tale of a girl who is thrust into a prophecy that she does not believe is hers. i loved this book, because it made me feel as though it was me who was saving the world, not her. i promise that you'll love it!
Leaves you Wanting More.......2007-01-21
In the Second Book of Pellinor, we follow Cadvan and Maerad as they continue escaping their dangers and go to various schools and attempt to learn more about the Treesong and what it means. The character development in the book is truly enjoying to follow and leave the book missing the characters and wanting to continue on in their journey.
Customer Reviews:
Rocks.......2007-09-03
This book is filled with Groaners. I like it a lot. A bit heavy on the Vampire and werewolf jokes, but you can still find some quality here. Good for kids or some classic eye rolls at a dinner party of adults.
funny.......2006-11-23
My son reads me this book all the time. He really enjoys this book, and so do I.
500 Hilarious Jokes for Kids .......2006-11-11
great book of jokes, my younger grandchildren enjoy my reading to them over the phone and they love the jokes.
Great Christmas present!.......2001-08-14
Kids from 8 to 12 love jokes and this joke book is for them. Easy to read, predictably corny, these jokes will keep them reading and improve their memory skills.
If you have a long car trip ahead or, better yet, your grandchildren do, get them this joke book. It will keep the kids entertained and the driver thankful for those long car naps when he/she doesn't have to "knock-knock".
A good book.......2000-12-12
This is a great book the title is really what it is like hilariose. There are a whole bunch of jokes for kids like you and me i loved it so why shouldent you? I read it in about 4 days its great if i were you i would buy it for your kids they will love it. These type of book are great for stocking stuffers to so ENJOY you holidays and enjoy this book!!!
Book Description
Pull back the flaps and find out each hilarious punch line in this classic collection of knock-knock jokes!
Customer Reviews:
Great for four year old.......2007-09-14
My brother in law read this book (in a funny voice) to my four-year old son and they were both laughing out loud. What a great introduction to puns. After reading the book, it became a fun car-ride game to make up our own knock-knock jokes.
Great Joke book!.......2007-09-13
Knock Knock Who's There: My First Book Of Knock Knock Jokes
I got this book for my nephew for his 4th birthday and he loves it! It helped him understand the Knock Knock jokes and their car is now filled with cute jokes. He loves it and it's easy to read.
Knock Knock Who's There: My First Book Of Knock Knock Jokes.......2007-08-23
I am very disappointed in this book! I realize it is for a child, but the jokes are horrible. A waste of money. I would not recommend this book for any age.
Adorable!.......2007-04-10
Your kids will love this beautifully illustrated book of knock knock jokes. These jokes will put a smile on anyone's face!
Great.......2007-01-27
If your child is really getting into knock-knock jokes - this is a great book. I just wish it were longer - there are about 8 or so jokes. Very cute though, nice size and paper quality and great graphics.
Book Description
Two rival businessmen meet in the Warsaw train station. "Where are you going?" says the first man.
"To Minsk," says the second.
"To Minsk, eh? What a nerve you have! I know you're telling me you're going to Minsk because you want me to think that you're really going to Pinsk. But it so happens that I know you really are going to Minsk. So why are you lying to me?"
Four men are walking in the desert.
The German says, "I'm tired and thirsty. I must have a beer."
The Italian says, "I'm tired and thirsty. I must have wine."
The Mexican says, "I'm tired and thirsty.
I must have tequila."
The Jew says, "I'm tired and thirsty. I must have diabetes."
Customer Reviews:
You don't have to be Jewish!.......2007-05-31
For anyone exposed to American TV and movies (which I have been since the 50's) this is entertainment mother's milk. We've all become a little Jewish (comedically speaking) and I, at least, am decidedly better for it.
Book of Humor.......2007-05-16
I liked the book; I loved the price. It was used but in very good condition.
Big Book Of Jewish Humor.......2007-01-18
Lots for the money. A few of the long stories I couldn't really relate to, being a thorough goy.
Examines Jewish Humor from every Angle.......2007-01-11
This is a very interesting and humorous book. Most of the greats that I am familiar with are represented here so you get a truly all encompassing across the board variety of wit. It takes sources of from the written word, plays, film, stand up comics, word of mouth jokes through various periods of history. It's all here or at least what can be held in one gigantic volume. A must have.
A big anthology which could have been a lot bigger.......2006-11-24
This is a rich anthology with many fine pieces in it. But it does not always contain the best selections , the funniest things of the writer's in question. I suspect part of this is that the writers- anthologizers could not for instance get permission to use a selection from Philip Roth's Portnoy, or Bellow's 'Herzog' or 'Henderson' or 'Seize the Day'. Interestingly they have two selections from Woody Allen but not a single one from Bellow. I also would have liked to have seen a selection from 'The Catcher in the Rye' ( though I understand that Salinger though Halachically Jewish does not self- identify as Jewish). There are so much else that could have been in the anthology including samples of the work of the long list of great American Jewish comedians.
Nonetheless there are many very enjoyable pieces in this very fine anthology.
Book Description
Both original Pretty Good Joke recordings plus a brand-new bonus CD with even more knee-slappers, side-splitters, and groaners, together for the first time at a special price. Each year, usually in April, people across the country tune in to A Prairie Home Companion's sometimes annual Joke Show. Host Garrison Keillor and guests delight listeners with jokes old and new—puns, one-liners, knock-knock jokes, bar jokes, lawyer jokes, lightbulb jokes, third-grade jokes, chicken-crossing-the-road jokes, ethnic jokes, political jokes, regional jokes, blond jokes, and more. It's a treat for the good-natured and a cure for the cranky. The set includes: Pretty Good Jokes. (All the jokes from shows 1-4) With comedian Paula Poundstone, humorist Roy Blount Jr., and other show favorites. A Few More Pretty Good Jokes. (All the jokes from shows 5-6) With humorist Calvin Trillin, comedian Monteria Ivy, fiddler Phil Cunningham, and show regulars Sue Scott, Tim Russell, and Tom Keith. Bonus CD! (Available for the first time. All the jokes from shows 7-8) "Why does an archaeologist make a good husband?" "Because the older you get, the more interested he is in you." Packaged for great gift giving ". . . a comedy vitamin for the depleted soul." —AudioFile
Customer Reviews:
The best Prairie Home shows of every year - you just have to laugh.......2007-05-13
I got a cassette tape of the first PHC joke show years ago and just about wore it out from playing it to keep me alert and upbeat on road trips. Now I found this compilation on 4 CDs and I'm laughing more than ever. Sure, there are sophomoric jokes, 3rd grade jokes, puns, groaners and old chestnuts you've heard before, but somehow they all work when presented by Garrison, Roy Blount, Paula Poundstone and the rest. I love it!
A Funny Diversion.......2007-02-13
On your next road trip, give good thought to this panoply of wit and sometimes droll but mostly rapid fire humour and you'll be laughingly delighted at how quickly that drive will pass.
Guy walks into a bar..........2006-02-05
Amazing, non-stop nuggets of gold. Playing the audience like a well-oiled violin, the Prairie Home team delivers 3 CDs worth of material plus a bonus disc of the 2003 & 2004 joke shows. Need some conversation starters? Look no further than this set.
What more do you need besides a slide whistle and a rubber chicken?
Average customer rating:
- Boring
- Better than the cover suggests
- Highly entertaining
- Great for all ages
- Delicious when fried
|
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
Tedd Arnold, Harry Bliss, David Catrow, Marla Frazee, Jerry Pinkney, Chris Raschka, Judy Schachner, David Shannon, Mo Willems Jon Agee
Manufacturer: Dial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Humorous
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Cartoons
| Humor
| Sports & Activities
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Jokes & Riddles
| Humor
| Sports & Activities
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Willems, Mo
| ( W )
| Authors & Illustrators, A-Z
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
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ASIN: 0803730942
Release Date: 2006-09-21 |
Book Description
We all know the joke. We've all told it. Kids love to tell it over and over and over again, with as many different punch lines as possible. And now we've found out that famous award-winning artists love to tell the joke too—and they have some wacky and downright hilarious ideas about why that chicken really did cross the road.
Mo Willems's chicken confesses his motives to a police officer; David Shannon's chicken can drive a car; Marla Frazee's chicken is looking for a more luxurious coop; and Harry Bliss's chicken encounters aliens. And this is just the beginning. One thing is for sure—you won't cross this book without a good laugh!
IN PECKING ORDER: Marla Frazee, Mo Willems , Judy Schachner, Tedd Arnold, Jon Agee, David Shannon, Vladimir Radunsky, Jerry Pinkney, Chris Sheban, Harry Bliss, Mary Grandpre, Lynn Munsinger, David Catrow, Chris Raschka
Customer Reviews:
Boring.......2007-05-11
If you want a collection of children's artists, this book would fit the bill. Otherwise, I didn't find this to be a "keeper"-check it out from the library rather than spend your money. Artists are not necessarily great writers-after a couple of readings, my kids were bored with it.
Better than the cover suggests.......2007-04-21
I am not sure how this delightful book got stuck into this cover, but it is very
uninviting. I also happen to work at a kid's bookstore on a "help-out" situation, and
it was my impression that this book didn't move at all during the critical Christmas
holiday. The cover has to be the reason.
Inside are the delightful and sometimes hilarious answers to the question in the title,
with a wonderful selection of top children's illustrators of the day. The book is a
real keepsake and a reminder to check out other books by these illustrators.
Highly entertaining.......2007-03-09
I'm not sure if my daughter enjoyed this as much as I did, but this book is hilarious and fun. This collection of illustrations is top-notch, to put it simply. This is a great book for stimulating interactive questions between the reader and the listener, too. This is one that YOU will want to read again and again. Oh yeah, and your child/students probably will, too.
Great for all ages.......2007-01-03
Imagine your kids favorite authors/illustrators each providing a page to this book wherein they answer the age old riddle of why did the chicken cross the road? The book is funny with fantastic pictures and should have wide appeal for primary schoolers and parents alike.
Delicious when fried.......2006-09-23
There are some jokes out there that are so classic they've passed the point where they're funny anymore. Knock-knock jokes fall into this category. Light bulb jokes too. And then there's the best one of them all. Why-did-the-chicken-cross-the-road jokes. Boy oh boy you just can't make anyone laugh with one of those anymore, can you? Well that's the way my thinking would have gone had I not picked up a bizarre little picture book title by the same name. In this book fourteen different children's illustrators are each granted a two-page spread to offer their answer to this, the oldest of questions. No two answers are exactly alike and no two illustrators have styles even vaguely similar. It makes for a book that kids will adore, grown-ups will pore over, and insipient illustrators will want to keep very close at hand.
So why did the chicken cross the road? The answer may surprise you. Marla Frazee, illustrator of things like "Roller Coaster", and the recent smash hit, "Walk On: A Guide For Babies", shows a determined chicken crossing a road away from a rain-soaked grey-skied chicken coop towards a blue-skied brightly colored fun-factory of a building. Her single thought: "duh". Turn the page and Mo Willems has taken an entirely different tack. In the gloom of a police department some hard-boiled cops are giving a very nervous chicken (note the number of eggs under its chair) the third degree. The chicken itself is insisting that "I just did it to get to the other side! Honest!". To one side a detective is pouring the contents of a significant looking charcoal bag onto a grill. The entire book is like this. David Shannon taps into a vein not dissimilar from his beloved "Duck On a Bike" to show us chicken at the wheel of a fancy red convertible. Flip further through the book and you see pictures by everyone from the great Jerry Pinkney to the far-out Mary Grandpre and the more than slightly twisted machinations of David Catrow. Here you may find more answers than you ever could have thought up yourself.
The great joy of a book like this is that it also serves to introduce people to hitherto unknown illustrators. I remembered most of the people from this book before, but then there were people like Chris Sheban who'd entirely escaped my notice in the past. Mr. Sheban's picture is an evocative piece where one chicken has accidentally hit a baseball over another chicken's head and into a window. The two stand poised in a kind of frozen shock as late afternoon light seeps over the suburban scene. Or there was Judy Schachner who's tiny-brained chick, "wasn't just free range ... she was de-ranged!". I suppose my favorite pictures in here were from people who seemingly were working in unexpected ways. Take Jon Agee as your example. If you've seen his "Terrific" or "The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau" then you are aware of his clean lines and sparse palette. Now consider a picture that consists of cars, people, dogs, pigs, motorcyclists, buses, etc. fleeing from three hungry look dinosaurs. And perched on the side of the road, not immediately apparent to the eye, stands a lone chicken. Or consider Harry Bliss. I was used to his New Yorker-like picture books like, "Don't Forget To Come Back" that tend to have an innate sophistication to them. The last thing I would have expected was for him to come up with the answer, "Ask the mutated zombie chickens from Mars!". But you know what? It works.
Children's illustrators banding together to put together a book... it's not a new concept is it? I mean, you can always find books like, "Oz: The Hundredth Anniversary Celebration" or "The Art of Reading: Forty Illustrator's Celebrate RIF's 40th Anniversary". The problem with those titles, though, is that they're really not produced with kids in mind. Far rarer is the picture book filled with different illustrators that kids might recognize and love. I'm not saying it's never happened before. But name me three such books off the top of your head and I'll be mighty impressed, if not utterly blown away. No, sir, this is an original idea and a classy little work. Consider this book to be an essential addition to any picture book collection. Funny and fabulous.
Book Description
Why are human food habits so diverse? Why do Americans recoil at the thought of dog meat? Jews and Moslems, pork? Hindus, beef? Why do Asians abhor milk? In Good to Eat, bestselling author Marvin Harris leads readers on an informative detective adventure to solve the world's major food puzzles. He explains the diversity of the world's gastronomic customs, demonstrating that what appear at first glance to be irrational food tastes turn out really to have been shaped by practical, or economic, or political necessity. In addition, his smart and spirited treatment sheds wisdom on such topics as why there has been an explosion in fast food, why history indicates that it's "bad" to eat people but "good" to kill them, and why children universally reject spinach. Good to Eat is more than an intellectual adventure in food for thought. It is a highly readable, scientifically accurate, and fascinating work that demystifies the causes of myriad human cultural differences.
Customer Reviews:
Well written, but dated.......2007-04-16
I picked up a copy of this in the library, and I think Harris gets the general ideas right. His writing feels slightly dated, but everything is sensible; it's just that nothing in this book seems very innovative reading it now.
Love the animals - especially when nicely cooked.......2003-04-17
I read this book 13 years ago and it was in many respects an eye-opener to me:
1. the statement that meat was positively good to eat, not something to frown upon as many nutritionists (and Jeremy Rifkin!) do. Gradually, this perspective is reinforced by the discoveries of human paleontologists that fat and meat might have played a key role in the evolution of the human brain.
2.that religious prescriptions can be reduced to a materialistic background e.g a live cow for Indian peasants is of greater use than after slaughtering etcetera.
Not that I put all his advices in practice: I take perhaps horsemeat once or twice a year. But I can recommend grasshoppers! Nice nutty taste.
When preparing a lecture about food choice I wanted to check if the book was still in print, and I was glad to discover that it is! Let everybody profit from it!
A common man's view of this enlightened work........2003-01-20
I have become increasingly interested in nutrition of late and although this book deals less with the issue of nutrition and more with the issue of culture. I found it extremely useful in putting my developing nutritional beliefs in perspective. Harris does a brilliant job of answering many of why(s) in a manner that removes the hocus-pocus and the just-because(s) that we've been fed growing up. I consider myself fortunate to have read this book and have since recommended it several of my of my friends. There is a caveat to this book. The author cares nothing for religious reservation or social delicacies. He tells it like it is and if you can't approach this book with your mind wide open then you probably shouldn't approach it at all. I intend to read the rest of his work because I respect his method of thought.
Good to Read!.......2001-03-03
As with anything by Harris, a thoroughly enjoyable read. It is mind-boggling that Harris's work and his cultural materialist theories are not better known than the sociobiological garbage so beloved of the media and academia these days. In spite of the sociobio claims that virtually anything that humans do is based on genetics, Harris consistently trumps their arguments with examples of the variability of cultural beliefs, from refusing to eat foods because the gods don't want us to, to beliefs that perfectly edible foods are disgusting, to the belief that the gods want us to eat human flesh. And he demonstrates how all that talk about the food preferences of the gods is really a smokescreen for (originally) practical survival issues.
Fascinating and unsettling.......2000-08-30
Harris is a gifted writer of expository prose who knows how to connect with his readership. Nonetheless some of this is a little depressing since it is about eating insects and human beings. If you can get past that, it's fascinating.
"Warfare cannibalism" is a concept encountered here. That's what the Aztecs practiced. Harris explains it all. Modern states don't practice cannibalism because the power structure benefits more from keeping the vanquished alive and producing for the state. Before the rise of the state, the bands and village societies had not the bureaucracy nor the technology to take advantage of the labor of prisoners and slaves, so it was more cost effective to eat them. And they did. Before reading Harris I used to think the Conquistadors were horrible and I despised the Spanish state and all of Christendom; however now that I know the nature of the savages of America, it's six of one and half a dozen of the other. Harris makes it clear that we don't eat horsemeat because the horse is less effective at turning grass into meat than ruminants and so horse meat would be more expensive than beef. He shows how horses were extremely valuable as instruments of war. Calvary troops easily defeated infantry. He recalls the Asiatic pastorales who became the mongrel hoards who learned to ride their little horses so effectively that they conquered vast areas from China to Europe. They would ride practically from birth, more on a horse than off. They kept several horses in a caravan and cut the artery in the horse's neck on a ten-day or so rotation and drank the blood. They rode their horses until they dropped and then ate them, but only then.
The Europeans learned from them to use the horse as an instrument of war. The European horses were breed much larger to hold a man and a hundred pounds of armor, and to pull wagons and plows. Horses were only eaten after the horse was too old to work. It became a clear status symbol to own horses, and so eating horseflesh became something the upper classes would never do, but something the lower classes were sometimes reduced to.
Meat hunger and fat hunger have been facts of life for humans for the millennia. Our populations have always increased to the point that meat and fat became hard to get for the poorer people, and in many cases, impossible. Reading Harris makes one believe that the single most important detriment to human well-being is overpopulation. Again and again humans overwhelmed their resources. Today we have so much here in America while in India and places like that most people are hungry, especially for meat and fat. It is only the amazing explosion in technology and the use of fossil fuels that has allowed the current population growth. Still we have too many people.
Insects are eaten by most societies, but seldom as an important source of protein because the supply is unstable. Monkeys that jump from branch to branch eating a bite of fruit and then throwing it down and grabbing another to eat just a bite or two before discarding it are actually looking for insects. They want the apple with the worm in it! Humans typically eat insects that swarm or are otherwise in large supply at once. When the locusts come you might as well eat them because they won't be leaving much plant food to eat. But it is in the tropical climes that most insects are eaten since jungles do not provide a convenient large-animal, ruminant source of meat to satisfy protein needs. Locusts and grubs, termites and ants, especially the fat-rich sexual forms, are the best insects to eat. The giant water bug of Southeast Asian is much prized. Eating insects would provide essential protein if we would do it, and we would, if it were necessary. The chitin of the skeletons cannot be digested, but that is a minor problem. Some people roast and/or boil the insects and then pick off the legs before ingesting. Eating water bugs is apparently a little like eating a small lobster. They pick out the flesh with little sticks.
If you haven't read Marvin Harris, you are missing one of the great writers from anthropology.
Book Description
"Why do birds fly south?"
"Because it is too far to walk."
Riddles and More Riddles! contains funny, laugh-out-loud riddles that kids will love to read and retell over and over again!
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