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Rating: 
Summary: Brief vignettes, but very informative
Review: Harris explains in brief vignettes much about humanity in Our Kind. He answers questions psychologists have struggled with--and continue to struggle with--primarily because the lens of this anthropologist isn't afraid to examine things from an evolutionary stance. Harris repeats earlier themes (from previous books) as well as examining the role of women in modern culture, race, warfare, food choice and diet, and much more. His insights about modern culture remain profound, and yet so many ignore the work of people like Harris. Perhaps there's a danger in these informative tracts.
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Summary: A thought-provacative view of human nature
Review: I was assigned this book for a report in an anthropology class 5 years ago. I intended to skim through and fluff up a summary. Busy life! I ended up reading the whole darn thing and got the only A+ paper in the class. I do not swallow whole everything Harris writes, but his humor, insight, thoroughness of study are fascinating. Since I have never forgotten this little gem, I finally bought a new copy and am looking for used copies to give to my sons. I think they will also find him hard to put down. Worth the price!
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Summary: Introduces the reader to anthroplogy
Review: If someone is thinking about what anthroplogy is, or may want to study it, or are interested in the evolution of humans and culture, this book is a great introduction for the novice.
Marivn Harris takes the reader though step by step with good descriptions of the how, and possible whys. He also takes time in the end of the short chapters to explain some opposing ideas, and then gives his reasons for why he doesn't think that's right.
The book is of good lenght to have good explaination of the topics he takes at hand with "Our Kind." The book is in no means all inclusive, but for a beginer this book is great.
"Our Kind" will get the reader interested in anthroplogy and evolution, and will make the reader want to read more publications.
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Summary: Excellent Cultural Anthropology - Fascinating Insights
Review: Okay, I loved the book. A.K.A. - It fits with my prejudices. That aside, there are several points which make this a good book to read.First, Mr. Harris lays ideas out in a consice, understandable format with a cunning sense of humor. Second, Mr. Harris's ideas are quite thought provoking, and the pattern with which he describes human behavior while relating it to more 'primitive' cultures was very refreshing. For those people looking for something to believe in, try the bible. For those who would like to THINK about things, try this book.
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Summary: A succinct introduction to evolutionist anthropology
Review: The merit of M. Harris lies in his succinctness which often has the risk of reductionism. For that reason, he has enjoyed popularity. But such a style wont get popular among scientist. For example, Since I read his book, 'Cows, Pigs, Wars & Witches : The Riddles of Culture', I haven't touched his books at all. His explanation of taboos of cow and pig in India and Moslem world is persuasive. But his explantion of popularity of Christianity in Rome empire has flavor of economic determinism. That kind of reductionism could seduce reader with the virtue of simplicity.
But this volume avoid such reductionism. Yep. his explanation could be called technological determinism. But the flavor of reductionism is kept to minimum. His theoretical frame is the evolutionism of E. R. Service. the debate between evolutionism and diffusionism is decedes old one. But Service's version is recent one. His coinage of 'band', 'chiefdom' has had favor among social scientists. This book use that framework to explain various topics like 'Why our ancestors went to palins out of forest?', 'Why our ancestor gave up the economy of hunt-and-gathering?', 'Why there has been sexual discrimination?'. 'What brought the class and the state about?'
Those questions can't help getting our attention, and his answers seem to succeed to offer adequate accounts.
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Summary: Extremely interesting and thought provoking...
Review: This book can be a commercialized anthropology literature. Consice yet directed to the root of questions we have for million years. Strongly recommended...
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Summary: Makes up for a good reason why to ignore the exams to come
Review: When I saw the English version of the book for the first time I simply ignored it because the front cover made me think it were just another try to explain lonely houswives in golden words how the world works. But some weeks later my eye caught a front cover showing the faces of people from "Menschen". In German, this means "humans" as well as "people/crowds", and this book attracted me to sit down in the book store and read. Back home, I forgot about the exams that I had to prepare for, and simply continued to read. Why? Well, Harris really gets your mind back to work by provoking arguments when explaining the origins of human brain and language, of war, priests, sexual roles, or states in just a few pages each. Especially funny was how he presented the seemingly endless chain of examples from the Eastern highlands of Papua-Newguinea (and to discuss it with a friend who grew up there), like husbands arrowing the thighs of their wives shortly after marriage, just to demonstrate who is going to rule in the future. Apart from the fun we had, the book also made us rethink some of the issues presented there although, naturally, we could not agree with all he stated
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Summary: This is THE BOOK for the Inro to Social/Cultural Anthro!
Review: With short, succinct, comprehensive chapters full of info, high schoolers on up would understand and enjoy this book. Harris traces our cultural history from Australopithecus to the present - from how we began to walk upright, to sex, to gender roles, to commodities, to political systems...it is a fabulous book, a nice refresher read or an informative first-time study!
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Summary: AWESOME BOOK
Review: Wow! Marvin Harris really did it with this book. Very Very Good! After reading this i'm not so sure anymore on the idea of creation.
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