Few religious traditions have generated such diversity and stirred imaginations as shamanism. In their engagements with other worlds; shamans have conversed with animals and ancestors and have been empowered with the knowledge to heal patients; advise hunters; and curse enemies. Still other shamans; aided by rhythmic music or powerful plant helpers; undertake journeys into different realities where their actions negotiate harmony between human and other than human communities. Once relegated to paintings on cave walls; today Shamanism can be seen in performances at rave clubs and psychotherapeutic clinics.The Historical Dictionary of Shamanism has the duel task of exploring the common ground of shamanic traditions and evaluating the diversity of both traditional indigenous communities and individual Western seekers. This is done in an introduction; a bibliography; a chronology; and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries; which explore the consistent features of a variety of shamans; the purposes shamanism serves; the function and activities of the shaman; and the cultural contexts in which they make sense.
#1607874 in Books Time-Life Books 1982PDF # 1 #File Name: 0809438453373 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great Tactical ReadBy DChavezR6This is an excellent book that I highly recommend to anyone who wants to know what happened on the west side (the Battle of the Chosin Resevoir was occurring almost simultaneously on the eastern side of Korea) of the Korean peninsula during late November 1950.In the beginning of my career; I was an absolute novice to the Korean War; even though Korea was to be my first duty station. When I started my tour of duty; when I was being shown around; we passed a manmade cave called “the Chinese tunnelâ€. I was told it was from the Korean War. I replied “well that’s dumb. We fought the North Koreans; not the Chinese.†Needless to say; that day I didn’t exactly prove my Korean War competence…Even after reading Fahrenbach; I had always wondered how the US Army was defeated in North Korea during November 1950. This book goes a long way toward answering my question. This book is about the major battles against the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) that took place in Western Korea just after Thanksgiving 1950. It talks terrain and small unit tactics; as well as decisions made by some of the tactical actors in the battle. As one review said; the Army was beaten before any shot was fired. The Army was configured to; as Fahrenbach said; march against failing North Korean resistance and was not positioned to fight the “latte colored hordes that poured out of the hills against itâ€.Regardless of the strategic situation; this book does a great job at showing the struggle of the rifleman during freezing nights when bugles blow and huge numbers of men that they can barely see come running up the hill against them. It shows the absolute chaos as they are taking incoming fire from all directions; engaging in hand to hand combat; seeing grenades that land next to them and kicking them back towards the CCF. It shows the fury of a lieutenant who; to cover his retreating men; charges at the CCF; throwing everything he can get his hands on; like canned food; and swinging his rifle like a club.Anyone who reads this and Fahrenbach can tell that Fahrenbach borrows heavily from this book. Again; I highly recommend it.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. The River and the GauntletBy WesbAn excellent book by S.L.A. Marshall. I have a more than passing interest in this particular Korean War history. I lost an uncle in the battle. He was captured by the Chinese and died in prisoner of war camp of malnutrition and exposure. The author did his usual highly informative and detailed analysis of this particular early phase of the war. His research was very thorough. I have the paperback print copy of this book and it will go into my "keeper" library for re-reading somewhere down the line.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy DocI read that book 40 years ago and it's still gripping.
