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Book Review of Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle

Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle
loregess avatar reviewed on + 175 more book reviews


This book felt like several rolled into one. The author has so much info he wants to share with the reader that sometimes there isn't a smooth flow to the narrative. With that said, it is a very interesting book for those interested in lost languages and uncontacted cultures.

The Piraha are a fascinating people. Their language, consisting of 3 vowels and 8 consonants, does not limit them from communicating with each other in close or distant proximity from one another. In addition to verbal speech, the Piraha people communicate with each other by humming, singing, and whistling.

A hard-working and resourceful people, the Piraha welcome Everett into the tribe and teach him their way of life - which ultimately has a profound impact on Everett's beliefs and how he views life once he goes back home.