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Ethnography Books

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The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures (Paperback)
by (shelved 61 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.21 — 91,179 ratings — published 1997
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Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City (Hardcover)
by (shelved 59 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.47 — 118,632 ratings — published 2016
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In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio (Paperback)
by (shelved 52 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.21 — 3,718 ratings — published 1995
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Death Without Weeping: The Violence of Everyday Life in Brazil (Centennial Book) Death Without Weeping: The Violence of Everyday Life in Brazil (Centennial Book)
by (shelved 44 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.22 — 1,186 ratings — published 1992
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Righteous Dopefiend Righteous Dopefiend (Paperback)
by (shelved 41 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.48 — 1,810 ratings — published 2008
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Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies: Migrant Farmworkers in the United States Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies: Migrant Farmworkers in the United States (Paperback)
by (shelved 40 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.28 — 2,603 ratings — published 2013
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Veiled Sentiments: Honor and Poetry in a Bedouin Society (updated with a new preface) Veiled Sentiments: Honor and Poetry in a Bedouin Society (updated with a new preface)
by (shelved 38 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.99 — 1,511 ratings — published 1986
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Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village (Paperback)
by (shelved 34 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.12 — 3,297 ratings — published 1968
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Argonauts of the Western Pacific Argonauts of the Western Pacific (Paperback)
by (shelved 33 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.76 — 1,486 ratings — published 1922
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Liquidated: An Ethnography of Wall Street Liquidated: An Ethnography of Wall Street (Paperback)
by (shelved 32 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.93 — 779 ratings — published 2008
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The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins (Hardcover)
by (shelved 31 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.95 — 8,799 ratings — published 2015
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Wisdom Sits in Places: Landscape and Language Among the Western Apache Wisdom Sits in Places: Landscape and Language Among the Western Apache (Paperback)
by (shelved 31 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.18 — 1,827 ratings — published 1996
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Sidewalk Sidewalk (Paperback)
by (shelved 28 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.15 — 1,757 ratings — published 1999
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Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation (Paperback)
by (shelved 28 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.55 — 3,280 ratings — published 1928
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The Forest People The Forest People (Paperback)
by (shelved 28 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.97 — 2,560 ratings — published 1961
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Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes (Paperback)
by (shelved 27 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.83 — 964 ratings — published 1995
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The Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail The Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail (Paperback)
by (shelved 26 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.54 — 2,461 ratings — published 2015
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On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City (Fieldwork Encounters and Discoveries) On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City (Fieldwork Encounters and Discoveries)
by (shelved 26 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.81 — 3,409 ratings — published 2014
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Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman (Paperback)
by (shelved 25 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.90 — 2,728 ratings — published 1981
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The Nuer: A Description of the Modes of Livelihood and Political Institutions of a Nilotic People The Nuer: A Description of the Modes of Livelihood and Political Institutions of a Nilotic People (Paperback)
by (shelved 23 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.47 — 1,075 ratings — published 1940
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Writing Women's Worlds: Bedouin Stories Writing Women's Worlds: Bedouin Stories (Paperback)
by (shelved 22 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.97 — 472 ratings — published 1992
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Direct Action: An Ethnography Direct Action: An Ethnography (Paperback)
by (shelved 22 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.22 — 576 ratings — published 2009
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Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity (Hardcover)
by (shelved 21 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.98 — 119,494 ratings — published 2012
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Tristes Tropiques Tristes Tropiques (Paperback)
by (shelved 21 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.14 — 4,349 ratings — published 1955
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Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
by (shelved 21 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.66 — 196,908 ratings — published 2001
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Writing Culture: The Poetics and Politics of Ethnography Writing Culture: The Poetics and Politics of Ethnography (Paperback)
by (shelved 20 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.91 — 762 ratings — published 1986
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The Interpretation of Cultures The Interpretation of Cultures (Paperback)
by (shelved 20 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.11 — 3,920 ratings — published 1973
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Witchcraft, Oracles, and Magic Among the Azande Witchcraft, Oracles, and Magic Among the Azande (Paperback)
by (shelved 19 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.85 — 1,183 ratings — published 1937
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Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn (Paperback)
by (shelved 19 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.05 — 1,299 ratings — published 1991
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Never in Anger: Portrait of an Eskimo Family Never in Anger: Portrait of an Eskimo Family (Paperback)
by (shelved 18 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.83 — 468 ratings — published 1970
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Street Corner Society: The Social Structure of an Italian Slum Street Corner Society: The Social Structure of an Italian Slum (Paperback)
by (shelved 17 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.86 — 325 ratings — published 1943
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Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco (Paperback)
by (shelved 17 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.68 — 608 ratings — published 1977
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Friction: An Ethnography of Global Connection Friction: An Ethnography of Global Connection (Paperback)
by (shelved 17 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.04 — 670 ratings — published 2004
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Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right (Hardcover)
by (shelved 16 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.12 — 18,355 ratings — published 2016
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Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets (Hardcover)
by (shelved 16 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.07 — 26,060 ratings — published 2008
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Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" (Paperback)
by (shelved 15 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.05 — 34,237 ratings — published
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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 (Hardcover)
by (shelved 15 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.97 — 6,488 ratings — published 2008
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The Mountain People The Mountain People (Paperback)
by (shelved 15 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.79 — 682 ratings — published 1972
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Saints, Scholars, and Schizophrenics: Mental Illness in Rural Ireland Saints, Scholars, and Schizophrenics: Mental Illness in Rural Ireland (Paperback)
by (shelved 15 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.68 — 380 ratings — published 1979
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In the Realm of the Diamond Queen: Marginality in an Out-of-the-Way Place In the Realm of the Diamond Queen: Marginality in an Out-of-the-Way Place (Paperback)
by (shelved 15 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.87 — 185 ratings — published 1993
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How Forests Think: Toward an Anthropology Beyond the Human How Forests Think: Toward an Anthropology Beyond the Human (Paperback)
by (shelved 14 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.86 — 1,092 ratings — published 2013
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Alive in the Writing: Crafting Ethnography in the Company of Chekhov Alive in the Writing: Crafting Ethnography in the Company of Chekhov (Paperback)
by (shelved 14 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.09 — 176 ratings — published 2012
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Coming of Age in Second Life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human Coming of Age in Second Life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human (Hardcover)
by (shelved 14 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.62 — 405 ratings — published 2008
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Vita: Life in a Zone of Social Abandonment Vita: Life in a Zone of Social Abandonment (Paperback)
by (shelved 14 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.29 — 605 ratings — published 2005
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Tales of the Field: On Writing Ethnography (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing) Tales of the Field: On Writing Ethnography (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)
by (shelved 13 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.80 — 270 ratings — published 1988
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Body & Soul: Notebooks of an Apprentice Boxer Body & Soul: Notebooks of an Apprentice Boxer (Paperback)
by (shelved 13 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.94 — 426 ratings — published 2002
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Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey (Vintage Departures) Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey (Vintage Departures)
by (shelved 13 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.93 — 4,116 ratings — published 1995
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Learning to Labor Learning to Labor (Paperback)
by (shelved 12 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.96 — 582 ratings — published 1977
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The Pastoral Clinic: Addiction and Dispossession along the Rio Grande The Pastoral Clinic: Addiction and Dispossession along the Rio Grande (Paperback)
by (shelved 12 times as ethnography)
avg rating 4.40 — 751 ratings — published 2010
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The Yanomamö The Yanomamö (Paperback)
by (shelved 12 times as ethnography)
avg rating 3.62 — 1,352 ratings — published 1966
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“As we encounter each other, we see our diversity — of background, race, ethnicity, belief – and how we handle that diversity will have much to say about whether we will in the end be able to rise successfully to the great challenges we face today.”
― Dan Smith, The State of the World Atlas

Thomas Hylland Eriksen
“In Samoa, [Margaret Mead] argued, children were given love and encouragement, and they were subjected to few prohibitions. They therefore grew up to be more harmonious and happy than the cowed, disciplined and sexually frustrated American adolescents.”
― Thomas Hylland Eriksen, What Is Anthropology?

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