| The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World |  | Author: David Abram
Publisher: Pantheon
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
Buy Used: $3.98
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Avg. Customer Rating:  40 reviews
Sales Rank: 525254
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 326
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.8 x 6.3 x 1
ISBN: 067943819X
Dewey Decimal Number: 128
EAN: 9780679438199
ASIN: 067943819X
Publication Date: January 16, 1996
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Condition: Visible shelf wear -- may have some notes/markings on pages
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
A stunningly original work of ecological philosophy documenting the historical and current effects of language on our perception of and interaction with nature. Utne Magazine recently voted Abram one of "The 100 People Who Will Change the World." And if this book is read as widely as it deserves, that prediction may come to pass. Very Highly Recommended.
Product Description
Animal tracks, word magic, the speech of stones, the power of letters, and the taste of the wind all figure prominently in this intellectual tour de force that returns us to our senses and to the sensuous terrain that sustains us. This is a major work of ecological philosophy that startles the senses out of habitual ways of perception.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 35 more reviews...
 Something to consider May 15, 2008
An interesting discussion regarding the egocentric modern world. Abram makes reference to a myriad of unconsciously driven facets of human existence, now either ignored or forgotten. Although he limits his argument to the issue of language, his overall thesis is certainly something to consider and apply.
 Wonderful, Wonderful March 26, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have been trying to figure out how to write about this book for years; all I can say, really, is that if you lvoe the Earth, and are trying to figure out how we got into this horrible ecological mess AND you want to read some of the finest writing EVER on this, buy this book.
This man writes poetically, lyrically and with profundity. Where is the NEXT BOOK!!!!
mind magic March 6, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is one of the rarest, most utterly original books there is, and indeed could ever be. It is written by someone whose soul is that of a magician and poet and whose art is so triumphant with sheer spirit that every sentence is radical and radicalizing. It is a book whose comprehension of the human condition is generous, natural and enormous. It describes the necessity of nature not just for human being but for human thinking; this is a cry for the protection of the human mind.
It has deeply influenced my own thinking, from the moment I read it, and has remained one of the best books I've ever read.
Changed my thoughts, my feelings, and my life. December 8, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I could go on and on about this book. I could quote it for hours. But it seems that people have already done that, which makes me very happy. This book CHANGED MY LIFE. I had to read it when I was about 19 in my philosophy of science, nature, and man class... and I have never been the same. I still meet my 77-year-old philosophy professor for lunch, and there's not a meeting that goes by in which we do not talk about this book. Fantastic. Soulful. Incredible.
A New Appreciation of Nature November 15, 2007
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
"A butterfly glides by, golden wings navigating delicate air currents with a few momentary flutters before they settle on a white flower...Fragrant whiffs from the new blossoms in the overgrown orchard by the creek stir...My sensing body now vividly awake to the world." ~ pg. 223
"The Spell of the Sensuous" is a fairly complex read that takes you on a journey through a myriad of experiences as related to the natural world. Through this journey we gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be human in a sensuous world. Language, lore and cultural heritage is also a focus.
David Abram subtly draws a stark contrast between how tribal cultures have viewed the earth and how modern man seems far removed from nature's protective beauty. Whether he is speaking about Native Americans or the Ancient Greeks he explores their culture from the viewpoint of how they relate to the land and air.
"The emergence or adoption of a formal writing system significantly solidifies the ephemeral perceptual boundary already established by a common tongue; now the spoken language has a visible counterpart that floats, fixed and immobile, between the human body and the sensuous world." ~ pg. 256
While at first this may seem like a casual discussion of how cultures pass along their traditions, you may soon realize that this is much more a serious investigation into how people either preserve or destroy the living breathing environment. A discussion of how cultures moved from oral traditions to the written word is fascinating. You can see how even today some cultures show a remarkable respect for their environments while others seem to have lost their connection to the earth.
At times highly intellectual and at other times pure, spiritual and poetic, David Abram's writing weaves through your soul to bring you to a higher awareness of the land in which you live and the importance of preserving your natural heritage.
~The Rebecca Review
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