{"title":"Nigel Barley","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to our curated collection of works by Nigel Barley, a celebrated author renowned for his engaging travel and adventure narratives. If you're a fan of stories that transport you to unexplored corners of the world, Barley's books will surely capture your interest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNigel Barley, an accomplished anthropologist and writer, offers readers a unique insight into the world of fieldwork through his witty and thought-provoking prose. His books are not just journeys through distant lands but also delve into the cultural intricacies and human experiences that define them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eA Plague of Caterpillars\u003c\/em\u003e, Barley recounts his experiences in West Africa, blending humour and keen observation to depict the challenges and wonders of anthropological research. Similarly, \u003cem\u003eNot a Hazardous Sport\u003c\/em\u003e takes readers along on his adventures in Indonesia, where cultural misunderstandings often lead to humorous and enlightening encounters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're an avid traveller or simply enjoy reading about far-off, exotic places, Nigel Barley's books provide an accessible and entertaining glimpse into the world of anthropology. Discover the charm, curiosity, and wit that Barley brings to his captivating stories of Travel \u0026amp; Adventure.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"a-plague-of-caterpillars-by-nigel-barley-9781780601519","title":"A Plague of Caterpillars","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen local contacts tipped off Nigel Barley that the Dowayo circumcision ceremony was about to take place, he immediately left London for the village in northern Cameroon where he had lived as a field anthropologist for 18 months. The Dowayos are a mountain people that perform their elaborate, fascinating and fearsome ceremony at six or seven-year intervals. It was an opportunity that was too good to miss, a key moment to test the balance of tradition and modernity. Yet, like much else in this hilarious book, the circumcision ceremony was to prove frustratingly elusive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis very failure, compounded by the plague of caterpillars of the book's title, allows Nigel Barley to concentrate on everyday life in Dowayoland and the tattered remnants of an overripe French colonial legacy. Witchcraft fills the Cameroonian air; add an earnest German traveller showing explicit birth control propaganda to the respectable Dowayos, an interest in the nipple mutilating practices of highlanders, unanswered questions of the link between infertility and circumcision and you have the ingredients of a comic masterpiece. But beneath all the joy and shared laughter there is a skilful and wise reflection on the problems of different cultures ever understanding one another.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47072127058156,"sku":"9781780601519","price":64.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/26801603482821.jpg?v=1765079171"},{"product_id":"not-a-hazardous-sport-by-nigel-barley-9781780601434","title":"Not a Hazardous Sport","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNot a Hazardous Sport\u003c\/em\u003e by Nigel Barley takes readers on an adventurous journey to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, where Barley immerses himself among the Torajan people. Known for their spectacular buildings and elaborate ancestor cults, the Torajan society offers a perfect setting for anthropological fieldwork, aligning with Barley's own advice to his students to choose a location where the people are beautiful, friendly, where you would appreciate the food, and enjoy the flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith his characteristic wit and attention to detail, Barley provides an insightful look into this complex yet adaptable society. The mutual warmth of his friendships with the Torajan people allows him to experience a role reversal, transforming from the observer to the observed. When four Torajan carvers visit London to build a traditional rice barn at the Museum of Mankind, Barley becomes their host. In this magnificent and self-critical finale, he finds himself explaining the absurd complexities of English city life to his bemused but tolerant guests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47072344899820,"sku":"9781780601434","price":66.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/26800753482821.jpg?v=1765095014"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/nigel-barley.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}