Harpercollins Publishers Ltd. Fine. 2008. First Edition. Hardcover. 0002007886 . Stated First Edition. A Fine white/turquoise Hardcover. A sound binding, with pristine pages. Light bumpint to the bottom spine end. The DJ is unclipped and in Fine condition. " In The Gift of Thanks, Visser turns her keen eye and far-ranging scholarship to the act of gratitude, embodied in the deceptively simple phrase thank you. Those two words become a springboard for a fascinating inquiry into all aspects of gratitude, from how and why children are taught to give thanks, to the difference between speaking the words and feeling them. She examines the ways in which being grateful is understood in different cultures and how acts of reciprocation or rejection are treated in folklore, mythology and fiction." ; 9.4 X 6.7 X 1.7 inches; 512 pages .

Synopsis

Known as an ‘anthropologist of everyday life,’ Margaret Visser has, in five award-winning books, uncovered and illuminated the intriguing and unexpected meanings of everyday objects and habits. Now she turns her keen eye to another custom so frequently encountered that it often escapes notice: saying ‘Thank you.’ What do we really mean by these two simple words? This fascinating inquiry into all aspects of gratitude ranges from the unusual determination with which parents teach their children to thank, to the difference between speaking the words and feeling them, to the ways different cultures handle the complex matters of giving, receiving, and returning favors and presents. Visser illuminates the fundamental opposition in our own culture between gift-giving and commodity exchange, and the similarities between gratitude and its opposite, vengefulness. The Gift of Thanks considers cultural history, including the modern battle of social scientists to pin down the notion of thankfulness and account for it, and the newly awakened scientific interest in the biological and evolutionary roots of emotions. With her engaging combination of curiosity and erudition, Visser once again reveals the extraordinary in the everyday.

Reviews

(Log in or Create an Account first!)

Details

Bookseller: Bytown Bookery (CA)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 26064
Title: The Gift of Thanks
Author: Visser, Margaret
Format/Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: Used - Fine
Edition: First Edition
ISBN 10: 0002007886
ISBN 13: 9780002007887
Publisher: Harpercollins Publishers Ltd
Place of Publication: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Published: 2008
Keywords: 0002007886, History >cultural, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology
Bookseller catalogs: Religion; Culture; Sociology; Anthropology;

Terms of Sale

Bytown Bookery

Returns/Refunds for any item that arrives in not-as-described condition. Shipping Terms: I accept orders and payment through Biblio.com only. Please feel free to e-mail if wish any further details about the book. If the book you are purchasing is over 1kg, or 2.2 Lbs, with an overseas destination, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.

About the Seller

Bytown Bookery

This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.

Biblio member since 2006

Vars, Ontario

Ask Seller a Question

About Bytown Bookery

Bytown Bookery is an online bookseller only. I started out as a book collector, but working with books is my passion, so I turned into a bookseller. The selection of books that Bytown covers is varied, something for everyone. Fiction, Business, Children's, Health, Biographies, Humour..Check it out.

Glossary
Frequently asked questions

Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

First Edition: In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
Spine: The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
Fine: A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...