Nisa, the Life and Words of a !Kung Woman

This is the unique story of Nisa, a fifty year-old woman living on the northern fringe of the Kalahari desert. Marjorie Shostak is a member of the Harvard anthropology team, specializing on collecting in-depth life history materials from !Kung women. Apart from focusing on the sophisticated knowledge of the semi-arid savannah environment, the major part of the book deals with women in society: childhood, adolescence, sex, marriage, motherhood. Each chapter is introduced by Shostak, who has also contributed a substantial introductory chapter as well as an epilogue. One could, however, have expected some comments on the current political situation in the area and a discussion of the factors threatening the seemingly idyllic life of Nisa and other San people. (Eriksen/Moorsom 1989) (Eriksen/Moorsom 1989).