The Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origins of Knowledge
by Jeremy Narby
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Book Reviews of The Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origins of Knowledge
Book Review: Not good.
Summary: 1 Stars
I will be brief. The book has no scientific or logical foundation. I will not bother to denegrate shamanism, but would say that while avoiding Western-centrist thinking may be meritorious, abandoning logic and sound evidence does the argument no service. The author's professional identification crisis is amusing, and his abandonment of methodology makes this a good read for "Visionary Shamanic Trance" and "Chills & Thrills" (see reviews/personal testimonials below). I have to think that your average English major with a leaning toward mysticism will think this book "far out," while any person who is serious about science and/or logic will only be seriously annoyedBook Review: ...the deer eats the man
Summary: 4 Stars
Very interesting book. Anthropologists tend to project their own world views on the people they "observe." This book, which is basically a "story" - demonstrates how one Anthropologist, through his experiences in South America, has his own LAE (life altering experience) which enables him to examine his OWN culture...and its assumptions/metaphors. As a "Native" person, who went through the "mainstream" education system and wrestled with the hubris and fragmentation (let's disect everything!)...it was a pleasant breath of four winds' air to see him face up to his own field's shortcomings. I recommend the book.Book Review: Serpents and spirals
Summary: 4 Stars
Jeremy Narby has written a truly engaging account of his experiences with the ayahuasqueros, and with himself. He decides to be honest both with himself and with his readers, something terribly lacking in the world of science. As a trained scientist myself, I understand the leap of faith he took when deciding to get subjective with his research. We are trained to measure, not use our intuition. His own journey into the related discipline of biological chemistry makes his "subjective" analysis all the more valid. A must read for anyone open to new ideas about our existence.Book Review: 6th Sense?
Summary: 4 Stars
I found the book to be well researched with over 90 pages of notes, indexes, and bibliography to support the 162 pages of the author's perspective and one possibility of how all life is interconnected. Myth or truth? Not easily answered because I don't think one could ever know now that most every inch of the planet has been explored and the primitive cultures "found" have been affected in too many ways. What impressed upon me most was that there is something profound that we can learn from studying and understanding these ancient ways. An interesting read.Book Review: extremely exciting
Summary: 5 Stars
The implications of this book are potentially staggering. Narby poses some very tough questions - how should science account for the array of knowledge the shamanic traditions of the Amazon have? I retain a fairly skeptical attitude towards some of the claims people will make about psychedelics, meditation and so on, however in the hands of someone as generally level-headed and unpretentious as Narby it is difficult not to be impressed by the possibilities. For interesting companion volumes see Sansonese's The Body of Myth and Yan's DNA and the I Ching.