Book Reviews

Since the appearance of large numbers of textbooks need not in itself be an indication of a scientific crisis, and since the need for good introductions will continue to be feit, an evaluation of this book will still be justified. [...]several things may be expected from an introduction to anthropology, among them a representative dose of substantial, factual information on important subjects and themes of the discipline; a survey of general discoveries made and results achieved thus far; a summary of the traditional problems and hypotheses in historical perspective, indicating the specific contributions of the discipline; an elementary introduction to methods of collecting data and to techniques; and a style of presentation that is not conducive to boredom but rather to a certain enthusiasm. [...]some comments on details. [...]a mention of publications in the text under their original year of publication is to be preferred to that under the year of some later edition.