In the Arms of Africa: The Life of Colin M. Turnbull
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.66 (579 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0312229461 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 368 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2013-04-05 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
This is a compelling story of a celebrity scholar, his sexuality and his passion for a fiercely lived life.. For 30 years, they lives as an openly gay, interracial couple in New York City and rural Virginia until Joe’s death of AIDS in 1988. Devastated, Turnbull buried his own spirit in a second coffin laid next to Towles, gave away most of his money, and until his own death from AIDS in 1994, lived as a Buddhist monk tutored by the Dalai Lama’s eldest brother. In an intimate portrait of a remarkable man--at various times a gold-miner, builder of “The African Queen,” and anti-death penalty advocate--Grinker describes how Turnbull fell in love with a beautiful but poor African America
In the arms of the oppressed Terrill Schrock Anyone who's read The Forest People or The Mountain People by Colin M. Turnbull would benefit from reading Grinker's biography of Turnbull. Exhaustively researched and enviably well-written, In the Arms of Africa provides a tour of Turnbull's life that not only helps us better understand Turnbull's writings but also tells a profoundly human story that, with its high and lows, will resound with many readers. It gives a vivid account of how early childhood and youth experiences shape us as people and determine the direction of our careers and the quality and intensity of our passions. For those rea. "One of the best bios I've ever read." according to AmyG. I was absolutely enthralled by both the author's storytelling, and Colin Turnbull's story. I have thought about this book so many times since I first read it years ago. It's haunting, beautiful, sad, amazing and wonderful.. "Dr. Grinker, does this count as class participation?" according to Jennifer Quail. I admit I had to buy this book for class. But it's easiliest one of the most interesting "textbooks" I've ever had to read. It presents a balanced, intense examination of Turnbull's life, from England to India (the most interesting part, I thought) to Africa. The best way to read this book would be in conjunction with Turnbull's own "The Forest People" and "The Mountain People," to get a more complete picture of his life with the Mbuti and the Ik. (And if you read this, Dr. Grinker, I'm kidding about the class participation. Mostly.)
Grinker displays both discernment and critical sympathy in this gripping chronicle of a tumultuous life. Turnbull's life was as controversial and rife with contradictions as his books, fellow anthropologist Roy Richard Grinker reveals in this absorbing biography. Nonetheless, Joe's 1988 death devastated Turnbull, who also succumbed to AIDS six years later. Colin Turnbull (1924-94) made his reputation with two bestselling works of popular anthropology that tell diametrically opposed tales. Born in England, Turnbull roamed the world and eventually made his home in America. The love of Turnbull's life was an African American man; he proclaimed Joe Towles's brilliance but was ambivalent about his love