Cannibalism : a perfectly natural history / Bill Schutt ; illustrations by Patricia J. Wynne.
Eating one's own kind is completely natural behavior in thousands of species, including humans. Throughout history we have engaged in cannibalism for reasons relating to famine, burial rites, and medicinal remedies. Cannibalism has been used as a form of terrorism but also as the ultimate expression of filial piety. The author takes us on a tour of the field, exploring exciting new avenues of research and investigating questions like why so many fish eat their offspring and some amphibians consume their mother's skin; why sexual cannibalism is an evolutionary advantage for certain spiders; why, until the end of the eighteenth century, British royalty regularly ate human body parts; how cannibalism may be linked to the extinction of Neanderthals; why microbes on sacramental bread may have led to Catholics' to persecute European Jews in the Middle Ages. Today, the subject of humans consuming one another has been relegated to the realm of horror movies, fiction, and the occasional psychopath, but be forewarned: As climate change progresses and humans see more famine, disease, and overcrowding, biological and cultural constraints may well disappear. These are the very factors that lead to outbreaks of cannibalism.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781616204624
- Physical Description: xviii, 332 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: Chapel Hill, North Carolina : Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2017.
- Copyright: ©2017.
Content descriptions
General Note: | "Published simultaneously in Canada by Thomas Allen & Son Limited." |
Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references. |
Search for related items by subject
Subject: | Cannibalism. Cannibalism > Cross-cultural studies. |
Available copies
- 8 of 9 copies available at BC Interlibrary Connect. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Fort Nelson Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 9 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fort Nelson Public Library | 394.9 SCH (Text) | 35246000918472 | Non-Fiction | Volume hold | Available | - |