Known as an ‘anthropologist of everyday life,’ Margaret Visser has, in five award-winning books, uncovered and illuminated the intriguing and unexpected meanings of everyday objects and habits. Now she turns her keen eye to another custom so frequently encountered that it often escapes notice: saying ‘Thank you.’ What do we really mean by these two simple words? This fascinating inquiry into all aspects of gratitude ranges from the unusual determination with which parents teach their children to thank, to the difference between speaking the words and feeling them, to the ways different cultures handle the complex matters of giving, receiving, and returning favors and presents. Visser illuminates the fundamental opposition in our own culture between gift-giving and commodity exchange, and the similarities between gratitude and its opposite, vengefulness. The Gift of Thanks considers cultural history, including the modern battle of social scientists to pin down the notion of thankfulness and account for it, and the newly awakened scientific interest in the biological and evolutionary roots of emotions. With her engaging combination of curiosity and erudition, Visser once again reveals the extraordinary in the everyday.

Reviews

(Log in or Create an Account first!)

Details

Bookseller: Endless Shores Books (CA)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 106175
Title: The Gift Of Thanks
Author: Margaret Visser
Format/Binding: Trade Paperback
Book Condition: Used - Very Good
Quantity Available: 1
Binding: Paperback
ISBN 10: 0006394906
ISBN 13: 9780006394907
Publisher: Harpercollins Canada
Place of Publication: New York
Date Published: 2009
Bookseller catalogs: Current Events;

Terms of Sale

Endless Shores Books

Endless Shores Books is here to serve you:

Please feel free to contact us directly with questions or comments; photos and additional descriptions are easily provided.
You can order and pay through Biblio and we will quickly ship your books by Canada Post or by Canpar package delivery service, the same day if possible.
For orders of multiple titles, we will gladly quote a shipping charge and a discount for larger orders.
Endless Shores Books welcomes in-store purchases as well. The store is open Tu.-Sat. from 10AM to 5:00 PM. Other times by appointment, please.
Did you find something and want to pick it up? Drop us an email and we will have your order ready when you come by the shop.
We offer a 30 day return guarantee, with full refund including shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.

About the Seller

Endless Shores Books

This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.

Biblio member since 2010

Bridgetown, Nova Scotia

Ask Seller a Question

About Endless Shores Books

We are a family owned Canadian business in the small town of Bridgetown in the beautiful Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. Our shop tries to carry something for everyone, from children's board books to mysteries, thrillers and antiquarian and out-of-print books as well as music and movies.

Glossary

Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

Trade Paperback: Used to indicate any paperback book that is larger than a mass-market paperback and is often more similar in size to a hardcover...
Tight: Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
Spine: The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....