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When They Severed Earth from Sky: How the Human Mind Shapes Myth by Barber, E…
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ApproximatelyPHP 470.62
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Located in: North Hollywood, California, United States
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Estimated between Thu, 27 Jun and Mon, 1 Jul to 43230
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eBay item number:195645776062
Item specifics
- Condition
- Book Title
- N/A
- PublicationName
- N/A
- Subject
- Folklore & Mythology
- ISBN
- 9780691099866
- Subject Area
- Social Science
- Publication Name
- When They Severed Earth from Sky : How the Human Mind Shapes Myth
- Publisher
- Princeton University Press
- Item Length
- 9.2 in
- Publication Year
- 2005
- Type
- Textbook
- Format
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- Item Weight
- 21 Oz
- Item Width
- 6 in
- Number of Pages
- 320 Pages
About this product
Product Information
Why were Prometheus and Loki envisioned as chained to rocks? What was the Golden Calf? Why are mirrors believed to carry bad luck? How could anyone think that mortals like Perseus, Beowulf, and St. George actually fought dragons, since dragons don't exist? Strange though they sound, however, these "myths" did not begin as fiction. This absorbing book shows that myths originally transmitted real information about real events and observations, preserving the information sometimes for millennia within nonliterate societies. Geologists' interpretations of how a volcanic cataclysm long ago created Oregon's Crater Lake, for example, is echoed point for point in the local myth of its origin. The Klamath tribe saw it happen and passed down the story--for nearly 8,000 years. We, however, have been literate so long that we've forgotten how myths encode reality. Recent studies of how our brains work, applied to a wide range of data from the Pacific Northwest to ancient Egypt to modern stories reported in newspapers, have helped the Barbers deduce the characteristic principles by which such tales both develop and degrade through time. Myth is in fact a quite reasonable way to convey important messages orally over many generations--although reasoning back to the original events is possible only under rather specific conditions. Our oldest written records date to 5,200 years ago, but we have been speaking and mythmaking for perhaps 100,000. This groundbreaking book points the way to restoring some of that lost history and teaching us about human storytelling.
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Princeton University Press
ISBN-10
0691099863
ISBN-13
9780691099866
eBay Product ID (ePID)
30522741
Product Key Features
Number of Pages
320 Pages
Language
English
Publication Name
When They Severed Earth from Sky : How the Human Mind Shapes Myth
Publication Year
2005
Subject
Folklore & Mythology
Type
Textbook
Subject Area
Social Science
Format
Hardcover
Dimensions
Item Weight
21 Oz
Item Length
9.2 in
Item Width
6 in
Additional Product Features
LCCN
2004-046640
Dewey Edition
22
Reviews
"The authors provide not only a compelling and highly readable collection of mythic interpretations but also a framework through which to decode those stories and uncover seismic, geological, astrological, or other natural events that preceded written history. . . . When They Severed Earth from Sky provides an intellectually challenging and parsimonious new framework. It not only sheds light on the planet's natural history but also offers alluring insights about human cognition."-- Abigail A. Baird, Science, "The Barbers take us back some 100,000 years to the beginning of storytelling. . . . When They Severed Earth from Sky is timely and engaging." -- Books in Canada, "I read this idiosyncratic and engaging work in its entirety in just two sittings, finding it nearly impossible to put down. The Barbers give intriguing explanations of how and why we construct and transmit myths and how we may unpack these 'off-the-wal'' stories to reveal essential information about such natural phenomena as volcanic eruptions." --Joshua T. Katz, Princeton University, "The Barbers take us back some 100,000 years to the beginning of storytelling. . . . When They Severed Earth from Sky is timely and engaging."-- Books in Canada, The Barbers take us back some 100,000 years to the beginning of storytelling. . . .When They Severed Earth from Skyis timely and engaging., The authors provide not only a compelling and highly readable collection of mythic interpretations but also a framework through which to decode those stories and uncover seismic, geological, astrological, or other natural events that preceded written history. . . . When They Severed Earth from Sky provides an intellectually challenging and parsimonious new framework. It not only sheds light on the planet's natural history but also offers alluring insights about human cognition., The Barbers take us back some 100,000 years to the beginning of storytelling. . . . When They Severed Earth from Sky is timely and engaging., "In their highly engaging, thoroughly researched analysis of the meaning of myths, When They Severed Earth from Sky , [the authors] build a strong case that historical facts can be extracted from the mists of our mythic past. . . . I think the Barbers are on to something here. Any student of myths ignores this important work at his or her peril." ---Michael Shermer, American Scientist, "The authors provide not only a compelling and highly readable collection of mythic interpretations but also a framework through which to decode those stories and uncover seismic, geological, astrological, or other natural events that preceded written history. . . . When They Severed Earth from Sky provides an intellectually challenging and parsimonious new framework. It not only sheds light on the planet's natural history but also offers alluring insights about human cognition." ---Abigail A. Baird, Science, "Rarely have I read a book so avidly and with such pleasure. The Barbers have captured the vital signs of the mythmaking process, in a revolutionary study. This is a novel and convincing way to look at mythology." --Adrienne Mayor, author of The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times, "The authors provide not only a compelling and highly readable collection of mythic interpretations but also a framework through which to decode those stories and uncover seismic, geological, astrological, or other natural events that preceded written history. . . . When They Severed Earth from Sky provides an intellectually challenging and parsimonious new framework. It not only sheds light on the planet's natural history but also offers alluring insights about human cognition." --Abigail A. Baird, Science, In their highly engaging, thoroughly researched analysis of the meaning of myths, When They Severed Earth from Sky , [the authors] build a strong case that historical facts can be extracted from the mists of our mythic past. . . . I think the Barbers are on to something here. Any student of myths ignores this important work at his or her peril. ---Michael Shermer, American Scientist, The authors provide not only a compelling and highly readable collection of mythic interpretations but also a framework through which to decode those stories and uncover seismic, geological, astrological, or other natural events that preceded written history. . . . When They Severed Earth from Sky provides an intellectually challenging and parsimonious new framework. It not only sheds light on the planet's natural history but also offers alluring insights about human cognition. ---Abigail A. Baird, Science, "A fascinating read. This book points the way to how truths can be found even in myths." --Michael S. Gazzaniga, author of The Mind's Past, In their highly engaging, thoroughly researched analysis of the meaning of myths,When They Severed Earth from Sky, [the authors] build a strong case that historical facts can be extracted from the mists of our mythic past. . . . I think the Barbers are on to something here. Any student of myths ignores this important work at his or her peril., "In their highly engaging, thoroughly researched analysis of the meaning of myths, When They Severed Earth from Sky , [the authors] build a strong case that historical facts can be extracted from the mists of our mythic past. . . . I think the Barbers are on to something here. Any student of myths ignores this important work at his or her peril." --Michael Shermer, American Scientist, "This book offers a comprehensive account of why myths are the way they are. Drawing in part on cognitive science and on historical evidence as to real events, it presents a broad and informative selection of the myths themselves, raising questions and suggesting answers that cognitive scientists will find interesting." --Michael C. Corballis, author of From Hand to Mouth, "In their highly engaging, thoroughly researched analysis of the meaning of myths, When They Severed Earth from Sky , [the authors] build a strong case that historical facts can be extracted from the mists of our mythic past. . . . I think the Barbers are on to something here. Any student of myths ignores this important work at his or her peril."-- Michael Shermer, American Scientist
Target Audience
College Audience
Illustrated
Yes
Dewey Decimal
201.3
Lc Classification Number
Bl312.B37 2005
Copyright Date
2005
Item description from the seller
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eBay item number:195645776062
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North Hollywood, California, United States
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| Postage and handling | To | Service | Delivery*See Delivery notes |
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| US $4.87 (approx PHP 286.49) | United States | Economy Postage (USPS Media MailTM) | Estimated between Thu, 27 Jun and Mon, 1 Jul to 43230 |
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