The Golden Bough - by J G Frazer (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Sir James George Frazer originally set out to discover the origins of one ancient custom in Classical Rome - the plucking of the Golden Bough from a tree in the sacred grove of Diana, and the murderous succession of the priesthood there - and was led by his invetigations into a twenty-five year study of primitive customs, superstitions, magic and myth throughout the world. The monumental thirteen-volume work which resulted has been a rich source of anthropological material and a literary masterpiece for more than half a century. Both the wealth of his illustrative material and the broad sweep of his argument can be appreciated in this very readable single volume.

Review Quotes

'In the condensed volume which lies before us we can grasp the masterly plan of the whole work; the mind is fascinated by the author's skill as a constructive thinker and a framer of concepts, and also as a compiler of picturesque detail.' - Spectator

'...equally remarkable for its vast assembly of facts and its unusual charm of presentation. Few men of such learning have written more attractively.' - George Sampson, Concise Cambridge History of English Literature

'A classic; theoretically outmoded, but still informative, stimulating and highly readable.' - Maurice Freedman and I. Schapera, Reader's Guide

About the Author

SIR JAMES GEORGE FRAZER (1854-1941) was one of the arly pioneers in the sociological study of religion. He began his career as a classicist but it is for his work in social anthropology that he is best remembered. His most famous work, The Golden Bough first appeared in 1890 in a two-volume edition but was twice revised and expanded, the third edition appearing in twelve volumes in 1911-15. Frazer's other works include Psyche's Task, Totemism and Exogamy, The Belief in Immortality and The Worship of the Dead and Folklore in the Old Testament.