Encyclopedia Of Taboos [Hardcover]

From ancient times to the present, taboos have affected our societies, as demonstrated in this encyclopedia full of unusual information from around the world.

The topic of taboos has rarely been discussed in any comprehensive way in recent years, as though the word itself has become taboo in our efforts to dispel the myth of the irrationality of supposedly 'primitive' cultures. TheEncyclopedia of Taboosis a mine of unusual information from around the world, including a comprehensive analysis of individual taboos from the ancient world to the present day, covering both well- and lesser-known examples.

The AZ articles cover the topics naturally associated with the concept of tabooincest, cannibalism, pollution, food, art, dress, sex, and deathand also the foremost writers on the subject, including Sigmund Freud, Mary Douglas, Edmund Leach, Franz Steiner, and Frederick Barth.

Public libraries and junior college and college libraries where there is interest will find this a useful addition. Booklist

Recommended for public and academic libraries. Choice

Casual readers will be intrigued by the variety of taboos covered, which include those relating to beans, the color red, the origin of table manners, and cannibalism. Students and researchers will find most entries well detailed and based on solid research. Recommended for reference collections in both academic and public libraries. Library Journal

Written in an engaging style, this fascinating book is sure to interest both those with a special interest in the field as well as general readers. It is recommended for academic and public libraries. American Reference Books Annual

Taken in conjunction with the scholarly approach to the subject, the book is an 'encyclopedia-plus', usefully filling l“­