Culture As Given, Culture as Choice

this was my assigned text for an intro cultural anthropology class (i'm planning on being an anthro major) and overall i'd rate it very highly, it's well written and keeps the information fresh and interesting. just one thing, the whole backpacking ancestors thing gets tired very quickly (but don't let that stop you!)

I may be some what biased as the author is a former professor of mine. I highly recommend the book. Van der Elst's book is very readable. It is a solid and at times entertaining introduction to cultural anthropology. I plan to use it in future classes I teach. Perhaps what is most unique about this book is that it moves cultural anthropology from being this catalogue of strange behavior out there by others and makes it close and personal by repeatedly challenging the reader to use anthropolgoy to understand ones self and ones own choices. It is a clear statement of why people should study anthropology. Reading it has almost been like being in one of Dirk's classes again.