Il calice e la spada. La civiltà della grande dea dal neolitico ad oggi

Three stars because it was a pretty interesting read, and she covers, well, all of human history. I read it because I know a number of people who claim this book fundamentally shaped their worldview (and a number of others who don't make that claim, but are certainly influenced by the popularity of E Leggi tutto

Loved this book. Helps clarify how we got where we are, and where we can go if we want to. Those who brush this off as feminazi aren't reading well. She reiterates many times that there are gentle men and less-than-gentle women. Nor does she say that the Neolithic matrifocal societies were uptopias

Even though some details seem a bit questionable (possibly!?), many ideas are interesting and illuminating.

During the Neolithic times our world was a much different place. The evidence is present not only in our technology but also of the presence of certain statues all over Europe. They are called Venus statues. They were misjudged at first and archaeologists thought they were used for lustful purposes. Leggi tutto

So, I give this book 5 stars even though I know well the controversy about Gimbutas's work, Eisler based her prehistoric analysis on. Eisler, as has for example Joseph Campbell, emphasizes how important the myth is to our evolution as a species and as a person. A mythology is psychological/spiritual Leggi tutto

Not in a million years should The Chalice and the Blade be considered a work of feminism or competent scholarship in general. (Indeed, it is, in fact, widely rejected by even feminist archaeologists, anthropologists, and historians.) Many of Eisler's arguments are recycled from the later work of Mar Leggi tutto

This was a life-changing book for me. It helped me to connect and make sense of all the stories and myths I had read about from other religions. In doing so, it firmly established the Goddess in my life, and as I look back it is responsible for my decision to become a Witch and devote my life to the Leggi tutto

'Attempts' to use evolutionary theory to explain how, through punctuated equilibrium, men rose up and took over the peaceful female-dominated societies all over the world. Apparently all men are evil 'blades' who want destruction and women are all good 'chalices' who believe in religion and want pea Leggi tutto

This book is comparable to such archaic utopian works as Engels' On the Family and E. Morgan's Descent of Women, but, like Morgan's, without the excuse of ignorance. When Engels wrote in the nineteenth century his ideas of a prehistoric cooperatism were at least plausible and, indeed, supported by c Leggi tutto