"Saul Diskin's extraordinary memoir is rich with unique and wonderful intimacy-the intimacy of twinship. For me this made that closest of bonds come alive in a way no other book I've read has succeeded in doing. Diskin makes one feel like a twin, see the world through a twin's eyes, suffer with him in a way that is at times almost unbearably close and poignant. One becomes immersed in the life and death struggle. The medical detail is wonderfully well-done, as are all the relationships. The peculiar and overwhelming nature of twinship is brought out in a way that's both uncannily spirited and wholly down-to-earth; completely unsentimental. The reader participates at every point and on every page in an intimacy that he knows only death can end."

-JOHN BAYLEY, author of Elegy for Iris

..".you have captured the essence of the twin relationship more eloquently than anyone else I have ever read."

Nancy Segal, author of Entwined Lives, Indivisible by Two and Someone Else's Twin.

"What is it like to lose your mirror-image, your other half, your secret sharer? The End of the Twins is an arresting memoir that evokes the mysteries of twinship and the irrevocability of loss."

-ERICA JONG, author of Fear of Flying and Becoming Light

"A moving account of a unique bereavement from which we can all learn about love and loss."

-HAROLD S. KUSHNER, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Fascinating case studies, the majority of which are based on original field work, are presented in this second volume of the "Food in History and Culture" book series. "Changing Food Habits" examines the integral connection between food and ongoing ecological, economic, political, and social transformations. This text also provides research on dietary changes resulting from direct interventions by individuals and food programs.
Among the topics discussed, authors consider rural and urban modes of food consumption, dietary changes in different societal contexts, and food-based rituals. Cases presented in this volume suggest alternative readings of some established models of changing food habits, and contribute to a more comprehensive history of dietary transformations.

Written by some of the best-known independent scholars, citizen journalists, cyber-activists, and bloggers living in Cuba today, this book presents a critical, complete, and unbiased overview of contemporary Cuba. In this era of ever-increasing globalization and communication across national borders, Cuba remains an isolated island oddly out of step with the rest of the world. And yet, Cuba is beginning to evolve via the important if still insufficient changes instituted by Raul Castro, who became president in 2008. This book supplies a uniquely independent, accurate, and critical perspective in order to evaluate these changes in the context of the island's rich and complex history and culture. Organized into seven topical chapters that address geography, history, politics and government, economics, society, culture, and contemporary issues, readers will gain a broad, insightful understanding of one of the most unusual, fascinating, and often misunderstood nations in the Western Hemisphere. Pays special attention to the opportunities, limitations, and challenges presented by the leadership of Raul Castro and his reforms Provides an accurate, insider's perspective into contemporary Cuba supplied by Cubans who currently live and work on the island, in stark contrast with most accounts that are filtered through the lens of an outside observer Supplies readers with a critical, comprehensive review of Cuban history, economics, politics, culture, and society that places current developments in historical context Includes a glossary, an appendix of up-to-date statistical information, dozens of sidebars on a variety of important and unusual topics, and an annotated bibliography

Originally published between 1920-70, the "History of Civilization" was published at a formative time within the social sciences, and during a period of decisive historical discovery. The aim of the general editor, C.K. Ogden, was to summarize the most up to date findings and theories of historians, anthropologists, archaeologists and sociologists. This reprinted material is available as a set or in the following groupings: "Prehistory and Historical Ethnography" set of 12 (0-415-15611-4, u800); "Greek Civilization" set of 7 (0-415-15612-2, u450); "Roman Civilization" set of 6 (0-415-15613-0, u400); "Eastern Civilizations" set of 10 (0-415-15614-9, u650); "Judaeo-Christian Civilization" set of 4 (0-415-15615-7, u250); "European Civilization" set of 11 (0-415-15616-5, u700).

Part of a series that offers mainly linguistic and anthropological research and teaching/learning material on a region of great cultural and strategic interest and importance in the post-Soviet era.

Japan is one of the most urbanised and industrialised countries in the world. Yet the Japanese continue to practise a variety of religious rituals and ceremonies despite the high-tech, highly regimented nature of Japanese society. Ceremony and Ritual in Japan focuses on the traditional and religious aspects of Japanese society from an anthropological perspective, presenting new material and making cross-cultural comparisons.
The chapters in this collection cover topics as diverse as funerals and mourning, sweeping, women's roles in ritual, the division of ceremonial foods into bitter and sweet, the history of a shrine, the playing of games, the exchange of towels and the relationship between ceremony and the workplace. The book provides an overview of the meaning of tradition, and looks at the way in which new ceremonies have sprung up in changing circumstances, while old ones have been preserved, or have developed new meanings.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203429540

Touching on everything from its rich musical heritage to its varied cultural traditions, this is a thorough and accessible introduction to the contemporary lives of the different peoples who call Mali their home. Rated among the world's ten poorest nations, Mali has a glorious past and a less-certain present. Culture and Customs of Mali touches on the first as background for understanding the second, exploring multiple facets of contemporary social life and cultural practices in this landlocked, West African nation. The book offers an overview of diverse aspects of everyday social, cultural, and religious life in Mali, paying particular attention to regional and ethnic variations. It shows how current social conventions and cultural values are the product of a centuries-long history, while at the same time dispels the common perception that African societies are rooted in unchanging tradition. Readers will come away with a better understanding of the multiple ways in which Malians, starting from their own customs and cultural foundations, integrate themselves into an international economic order and a globalized world of shared media images and cultural practices. A chronology of important political events and developments from the medieval empires of Mali until the contemporary period Photographs of Malian life A glossary of key terms, such as polygyny, marriage payments, and oral tradition A bibliography of important work written in English on Mali, its history, peoples, culture, religion, and social customs

"Culinary Art and Anthropology" is an anthropological study of food. It focuses on taste and flavor using an original interpretation of Alfred Gell's theory of the "art nexus." Grounded in ethnography, it explores the notion of cooking as an embodied skill and artistic practice. The integral role and concept of "flavor" in everyday life is examined among cottage industry barbacoa makers in Milpa Alta, an outer district of Mexico City. Women's work and local festive occasions are examined against a background of material on professional chefs who reproduce "traditional" Mexican cooking in restaurant settings. Including recipes to allow readers to practice the art of Mexican cooking, "Culinary Art and Anthropology" offers a sensual, theoretically sophisticated model for understanding food anthropologically. It will appeal to social scientists, food lovers, and those interested in the growing fields of food studies and the anthropology of the senses.

Kristen Richardson, from a family of debutantes, chose not to debut but her curiosity drove her to research this enduring custom. The story begins in England six hundred years ago when wealthy fathers needed an efficient way to find appropriate husbands for their daughters. Elizabeth I's presentations at court expanded into London's season of dances, dinners and courting, extending to the corners of the British empire and beyond. Richardson traces the social seasons of young women, and shares their captivating stories, often through their words from diaries, letters and interviews. While exploring why the debutante tradition persists-and why it has spread to Russia, China and other nations-Richardson has uncovered its extensive cultural influence on the lives of daughters in Britain and the US.

This book studies the Afro-European and Euro-African past and present from an interdisciplinary and comparative perspective. It addresses Africa as a whole, eschewing historical divisions between North and Sub-Saharan Africa. Its content exemplifies the extent to which the histories of Europe and Africa are intertwined, and the way European sources are usually privileged in the writing of historical accounts of cross-cultural encounters. Using post/decolonial studies, the authors' point of view is based on anthropology, history, ethnomusicology, and film and literary studies. The authors argue that mutual experiences and imaginations have affected how cultural heritage and legacy are conceived and thought of, as well as memories and sociopolitical experiences. The aim is to establish and encourage a broader knowledge of Africa-Europe and Europe-Africa encounters, incorporating case studies of Euro-African and Afro-European legacies. The final goal is to favour a more relational point of view by comparing Euro-African and Afro-European realities.

Food and Everyday Life provides a qualitative, interpretive, and interdisciplinary examination of food and food practices and their meanings in the modern world. Edited by Thomas M. Conroy, the book offers a number of complementary approaches and topics around the parameters of the "ordinary, everyday" perspective on food. These studies highlight aspects of food production, distribution, and consumption, as well as the discourse on food. Chapters discuss examples ranging from the cultural meanings of food as represented on television, to the practices of food budgeting, to the cultural politics of such practices as sustainable brewing and developing new forms of urban agriculture. A number of the studies focus on the relationships between food, eating practices, and the body. Each chapter examines a particular (and in many instances, highly unique) food practice, and each includes some key details of that practice. Taken together, the chapters show us how the everyday practices of food are both familiar and, yet at the same time, ripe for further discovery.

"Culture and Customs of the Philippines" provides the best general overview to the Asian archipelago and to a people with close ties to the United States and a long history of emigration and contributions to this country. The volume emphasizes how the strong indigenous Philippine culture meshes with constant influences from the West. Rodell, a specialist in Philippine history and society, superbly evokes the breadth of the Philippines for students and the general public. The wide variety of Philippine traditions is seen in each topic covered: the land, people, and history; religion and thought; literature and art; architecture; cuisine and fashion; gender, marriage, and family; festivals, media, film, and leisure activities; music and dance; and social customs and lifestyle.

"Culture and Customs of the Philippines" is crucial to multicultural reference collections today needing authoritative information on contemporary Asia that will capture readers' attention. Interest in the Philippines, a former U.S. colony, is especially high. Some highlights of the volume include discussion of the Tagalog, the principal ethnic group; the amalgamation of Christian, folk, and Muslim beliefs; the "bahay kubo," the rural house style; and the all-important Philippine family. A chronology, glossary, and numerous photos enhance the text.

"Cultural Change and Persistence "addresses the complex challenge of pursuing development while safeguarding cherished aspects of deeply-rooted cultural practices and beliefs. Through cases from multiple world regions, the authors tackle the thorny problem of how to define and identify cultural aspects worthy of persistence. They document how leaders and activists use culture to shape development and vice versa, with examples ranging from the use of historical understandings to promote or critique economic development strategies, to efforts to modify cultural practices in order to prevent their decline. The cases provide penetrating insights into effective strategies for pursuing both cultural integrity and development.

Ideal for high school and undergraduate students, this addition to the Culture and Customs of Africa series examines the contemporary cultures and traditions of modern Gambia, from religious customs to literature to cuisine and much more. This title in the Culture and Customs of Africa series examines the traditions and customs of contemporary Gambia, a geographically tiny nation in the vast landscape of Africa that is home to a large number of various ethnic groups, each with its own distinctive way of life. It is a country that has been largely unknown in Western culture, with the exception of Alex Haley's book Roots and subsequent TV series, which highlights Gambia's historic significance in the slave trade. This book illuminates Gambian religion and worldview; literature and media; arts and architecture/housing; gender roles, marriage, and family; social customs, traditional dress, cuisine, and lifestyle; and music and dance. The author has successfully encapsulated both long-ago history and contemporary Gambia to provide students with a complete look at life in Gambia today. Information on past traditions and historic events is discussed in the context of how they pertain to life today and their influence on the constant evolution of Gambian life and culture. A map of Gambia Photographs depicting places in Gambia and people engaging in traditional activities and customs A bibliography of sources and additional reading

Ricardo Palma's Tradiciones is the first full-length account of Ricardo Palma informed by theories of cultural criticism. Elisa Sampson Vera Tudela sheds new light on important aspects of Palma's work. She offers a fresh interpretation of the relations between history and literature - perhaps the most discussed aspect of Palma's work - engaging with new critical thinking on historicism and examining the significance of the marginal and the anecdotal in Palma's work. By using the tools of postcolonial cultural criticism, Vera Tudela considers Palma's encounter with modernity, arguing that his recuperation of colonial history plays a crucial part in imagining the modern future. Most innovatively, Vera Tudela examines the multiple and contradictory notions of femininity in nineteenth-century Latin America and in Palma's writing, showing how a historical consideration of the sexual politics of cultural production transforms our understanding of many of the assumptions about this period. Finally, by applying the insights of cultural geography in analysing the racial, sexual and political identity of domestic, urban and national space in Palma's writing, Vera Tudela demonstrates that Palma's literary maps and topographies are uniquely revelatory of questions of power and agency. In its exploration of sexual politics and nationhood, Ricardo Palma's Tradiciones presents Palma as a proto-modernist who paved the way for many of the experiments of twentieth-century Latin American narrative fiction.

The Religious Lives of Older Laywomen draws on ethnographic fieldwork, cross-cultural comparisons, and relevant theories exploring the beliefs, identities, and practices of 'Generation A'-Anglican laywomen born in the 1920s and 1930s. Now in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, they are often described as the 'backbone' of the Church and likely its final active generation. The prevalence of laywomen in mainstream Christian congregations is a widely accepted phenomenon that will cause little surprise amongst the research community or Christian adherents. What is surprising is that we know so little about them. Generation A laywomen have remained largely invisible in previous work on institutional religion in Euro-American countries, particularly as the focus on religion and gender has turned to youth, sexuality, and priesthood. Female Christian Generation A is on the cusp of a catastrophic decline in mainstream Christianity that accelerated during the 'post-war' (post-1945) age. The age profile of mainstream Christianity represents an increasingly aging pattern, with Generation A not being replaced by their children or grandchildren-the Baby-Boomers and generations X, Y, and Z. Generation A is irreplaceable and unique. 'Generation' shares specific values, beliefs, behaviours, and orientations, therefore, when this generation finally disappears within the next five to 10 years, their knowledge, insights, and experiences will be lost forever. Abby Day both documents and interprets their religious lives and what we can learn about them and more widely, about contemporary Christianity and its future.