After reading the currently available collection of Whorf's work, I became interested in the 'linguistic relativist' position and decided to read this book of Sapir's. However, there is little comparison to be made between the two scholars; Sapir comes off as far deeper and more professional than Whorf, and writes profoundly about a broad range of issues. This book includes writings on anthropology, linguistics, sociology, literary criticism (which I found a little dodgy, to tell the truth), music, etc, etc--and he writes fluently and intriguingly about all of them, with the exception perhaps of poetry, though it may just be a difference of taste that leads me to that conclusion. Anyway some of his most famous essays are included, mostly on linguistics, though the long essay on establishing times of migration etc. of American Indian tribes was extremely interesting and worth any effort put into reading it (it does take some). Anyway, it's worth your time--read it.

The book's author served as Cornell University's Professor Emeritus of Linquistics, so he is far from a fad-flaring fringe-fan of Viking rune-stones. Rather, Professor Hall has, in a very readable-yet-scholarly manner, argued the linguistic and archaeological evidence (corroborated by forensic insights) for the historic authenticity of the Kensington Rune-Stone, with a very helpful interlinear translation, followed by a word-by-word analytical commentary, especially buttressed by contemporary political history events of relevance, all the while using logic and historic philology for analysis. It is a shame that the detractors of the Kensington Rune-stone don't make a good-faith effort to reply to Hall's evidence and logic. To date I have seen no serious scholarship to refute Hall's work in this extreming interesting area of American Viking history. I say that as a viking history lecturer with a history-oriented doctorate that included a minor in European studies, as the author of a few publications on Viking history, as a past Historian for a chapter of the Sons of Norway, and after having served as a Icelandic saga analyst/Viking history lecturer abroad (involving research-related travels to viking history locations in 7 different countries). Sadly, many researchers today judge events in history by a "uniformitarian" approach, e.g., assuming that the "wine-berries" (grapes) of Vinland must match growth conditions under today's climate, as opposed to researching what a place's climate was like 1000 years ago, e.g., by noticing that the Norman Domesday Book of 1086 recorded at least 38 vineyards in England. Hall provides REAL research.
><> JJSJ, a college professor/Viking history lecturer

Sapir's 1921 "Language" is one of the finest of many fine works by the distinguished linguist, anthropologist and humanist. With piercing yet accessible insight, he guides the reader through fundamental questions about language: How are culture and language related? How does language work? How do languages vary? Although there are many general introductions to the subject (Bloomfield's and Jesperson's volume come to mind), Sapir's is unmatched for sheer readability in interest. Highly recommended.

I had to read this book for my intro to Anthropology class in college. I thought that was ok for additional anthropology reading, but I would never read this book for fun. It's the story of a Navajo from his childhood to adulthood and all of the experience and things you must go through when living in a culture that moves around a lot. It was interesting in the fact that while studying various cultures, it was an autobiography of what another culture was actually like and how in Left Handed's culture, everyone is related. It a good book for understanding other cultures, especially for a class like anthropology.

This text has some very interesting (and vivid) sexual accounts, also marriage practices, family relations, etc. It's a quite interesting life story and a funny sidenote: there are obvious places where the ... author edited the Dine' autobiographer's language because it might be perceived by some as derrogatory. Overall, I like this account very much!! ...