In Sorcerys Shadow

The tale of Paul Stoller s sojourn among sorcerors in the Republic of Niger is a story of growth and change, of mutual respect and understanding that will challenge all who read it to plunge deeply into an alien world. Best Read eBook In Sorcerys Shadow Author Paul Stoller – kino-fada.fr An anthropologist s memoir of apprenticing himself to various sorcerers in Niger in the 1970s and 80s, this book has great material to work with, but is written in a rather dry, academic style I had the sense the author spends all his reading time immersed in academic works and perhaps hadn t actually read a popular memoir, though he clearly did his best to make it accessible by including lots of dialogue and breaking it down into short chapters There are some storytelling infelicities, like w An anthropologist s memoir of apprenticing himself to various sorcerers in Niger in the 1970s and 80s, this book has great material to work with, but is written in a rather dry, academic style I had the sense the author spends all his reading time immersed in academic works and perhaps hadn t actually read a popular memoir, though he clearly did his best to make it accessible by including lots of dialogue and breaking it down into short chapters There are some storytelling infelicities, like when a major character finally steps over the line near the end, and only then does the author suddenly list all of the major warning signs that had apparently been there all along.Perhaps my larger issue with the book, though, is that while the author talks a big game in the introduction about this bold move he s making by putting himself in the narrative ...Concerned about his professional objectivity, Stoller wonders if it s ethical for an anthropologist to become initiated by a sorcerer, and actually practice sorcery My feeling is that all practice of sorcery by anyone is at the very least ethically grey It s an amoral path Of all the sorcerers that Stoller encountered in Niger, the only one I respected was Adamu Jennitongo The others were deceptive Adamu Jennitongo was the only one who was honest with Stoller Stoller says repeatedly that h Concerned about his professional objectivity, Stoller wonders if it s ethical for an anthropologist to become initiated by a sorcerer, and actually practice sorcery My feeling is that all practice of sorcery by anyone is at the very least ethically grey It s an amoral path Of all the sorcerers that Stoller encountered in Niger, the only one I respected was Adamu Jennitongo The others were deceptive Adamu Jennitongo was the only one who was honest with Stoller Stoller says repeatedly that he wanted to become hard The sorcerers Stoller studied with indicated that becoming hard is their ideal It seems to me that the only way to achieve that goal is to renounce values that I regard asimportant like friendship, trust and loyalty That s what these hard sorcerers did It didn t seem to me that Stoller really grasped at the time that this was the choice they had made, but it was very evident to me.It s true...A fascinating look at the Songhay culture of western Niger through the eyes of an anthropologist who became an apprentice sorcerer Perhaps the question for this non fiction account is how much of Paul Stoller s description of sorcery s power is true Or to the extent that truth is a subjective interpretation of events selectively remembered, how many of Paul Stoller s experiences would I have interpreted the same way But I took it as he recounted it, and so found this a hard book to put down A fascinating look at the Songhay culture of western Niger through the eyes of an anthropologist who became ...This was a totally awesome book, and really short too First of all, the depictions of the sorcerers themselves were really fascinating the pictures are amazing , and cinematic, and it was a pretty interesting anthropology experiment, sort of how far can an anthropologist immerse themselves, and how much can ethnography divorce itself from the ethnographer s personal beliefs i.e sorcery is false Its pretty insane that that woman s face was paralyzed because of his charms, and I also appreci This was a totally awesome book, and really short too First of all, the depictions of the sorcerers themselves were really fascinating the pictures are amazing , and cinematic, and it was a pretty interesting anthropology experiment, sort of how far can an anthropologist immerse themselves, and how much can ethnography divorce itself f...This book was one of the cornerstone s of my coursework in religious anthropology Aside from simply being a good read, this book has often sparked the discussion of how biased a social scientist can and must acknowledge that he is be Stoller s take on ethnography is a very deeply invested one he becomes intimately involved in the culture he is studying and one can t help but consider whether or not he is the outsider looking in or whether he crosses that line to become the insider looki This book was one of the cornerstone s of my coursework in religious anthropology Aside from simply being a good read, this book has often sparked the discussion of how biased a so...Maybelike 2.5 Interesting read, but it s got a lot of issues that Stoller should ve addressedthoroughly, like his obvious insecurity and need for validation that seem to fuel his desire to become Songhay I m sure his relationships wer...In Sorcery s Shadow is an odd book choice to review on a site such as this While on the one hand it is a stellar work that deserves accolade right alongside Stephen King and Homer, it is also something very special it is an ethnography.I have to make it clear what this means This is not based on a true story like The Mothman Prophecies or Apollo 13 These aren t true events that have been fictionalized and dramatized by the pen of the wr...One of the better books outside academia on this topic The conversations, advice and comments regarding learning and accruing wisdom in life for example, as offered by Adamu Jenitongo, one of Stoller s instructors ring true I ve heard similar from elderly and older Native Americans when instructing youth or individuals returning to the old ways There s no hand holding, no step by step instruction One is expected to be serious and dedicated or go elsewhere, No second chances because you a One of the better books outside academia on this topic The conversations, advice and comments regarding learning and accruing wisdom in life for example, as offered by Adamu Jenitongo, one of Stoller s instructors ring true I ve heard similar from elderly and older Native Americans when instructing youth or individuals ...An interesting read indeed Not only did Stoller and Olkes keep the readers entertained with the visual imagery of Niger but one could walk in his shoes and experience the pains of skepticism, doubt, culture shock, betrayal, etc Stoller s experience with the Songhay proves that rationalization in science and Western traditions alone fall short from obtaining a deep understanding and respect for another s culture and worldview Problems with the police as well as bug...2.5I really don t know how to rate this As an ethnography, it s controversial and perhaps unethical As a religious memoir it has holes I personally have choice words for Stoller regarding the wisdom of entering into these practices I m just going with my gut and my notes the first third of the book allowed for much underlining therefor enough information is in...

• English
• 17 May 2018
Paul Stoller
• Paperback
• 252 pages
• 0226775437
• Paul Stoller
• In Sorcerys Shadow