THE OLD WAY A Story of the First People

Elizabeth Marshall Thomas began studying the Kalahari hunter-gatherers when she was only 19 and wrote a book, THE HARMLESS PEOPLE, about their lives. As she revisits their culture, she shows how the African natives have long known more about their world and been less superstitious than their "educated" counterparts. They don't need modern science to tell them how to eat a poisonous beetle without getting sick, for example. As a writer, Thomas is adept at using humor and keen observation to back up her points. As a narrator, though, her reading can be monotonous. THE OLD WAY is a fascinating book that is worth listening to, but it could use a livelier narration. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]