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Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Dimitris Xygalatas (Author), Neil Gardner (Narrator), Little, Brown Spark (Publisher)
4.4 out of 5 stars 124 ratings

A pioneering anthropologist takes listeners on a journey through the rich tapestry of human ritual—showing how and why our most irrational behaviors are a key driver of our success. “Important . . . and a true delight to read.” (Paul Bloom, author of Against Empathy)

Ritual is one of the oldest, and certainly most enigmatic, threads in the history of human culture. It presents a profound paradox: people ascribe the utmost importance to their rituals, but few can explain why they are so important. Apparently pointless ceremonies pervade every documented society, from handshakes to hexes, hazings to parades. Before we ever learned to farm, we were gathering in giant stone temples to perform elaborate rites and ceremonies. And yet, though rituals exist in every culture and can persist nearly unchanged for centuries, their logic has remained a mystery—until now.

In Ritual, pathfinding scientist Dimitris Xygalatas leads us on an enlightening tour through this shadowy realm of human behavior. Armed with cutting-edge technology and drawing on discoveries from a wide range of disciplines, he presents a powerful new perspective on our place in the world. In birthday parties and coronations, in silent prayer, in fire-walks and terrifying rites of passage, in all the bewildering variety of human life, Ritual reveals the deep and subtle mechanisms that bind us together.

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  1. Listening Length
    9 hours and 15 minutes
  2. Author
    Dimitris Xygalatas
  3. Narrator
    Neil Gardner
  4. Audible release date
    September 13, 2022
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Little, Brown Spark
  7. ASIN
    B0B2FJNJ3W
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length 9 hours and 15 minutes
Author Dimitris Xygalatas
Narrator Neil Gardner
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date September 13, 2022
Publisher Little, Brown Spark
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B0B2FJNJ3W
Best Sellers Rank #183,230 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#56 in Evolutionary Psychology (Books)
#358 in Cultural Anthropology (Books)
#403 in Anthropology (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
124 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book thoroughly enjoyable. The research quality receives positive feedback, with one customer highlighting its valuable insights into the relationship between ritual practices.

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4 customers mention "Enjoyment"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thoroughly enjoyable, with one describing it as stimulating.

"I found this book to be stimulating...." Read more

"A thoroughly enjoyable book...." Read more

"Reading the book was such a delight...." Read more

"Great book!..." Read more

4 customers mention "Research quality"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the research in the book, with one noting its fascinating content and another highlighting its valuable exploration of ritual practices.

"...There is a lot of extreme rituals and results from many studies that concern emotion, pain, cohesion at both the individual and communal level." Read more

"...Good research that's quite fascinating. The references, however, are clumsy...." Read more

"...It enabled me to see my life in a new way, along with illuminating the human world." Read more

"Clearly written. Well-researched. A valuable look into the relationship between ritual practices and basic human well being...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Andres Astudillo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Reading the book was such a delight.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    As an atheist, I'm in love with the human ability to believe.
    Simply beautiful. Human beings have always tried to make sense our of everything, not just about their surroundings, but also about the nature of their existence. We crave meaning, and we also crave order; we have always known that life was umpredictable, and we have to remember that life in ancient times was way more difficult than it is today. In modern times we do not only have antibiotics, science, and vaccines, we have a lot to explain: we can explain childbirth, and was lies beyond the starry skies; we can explain why we die, and why we believe. This science, that is a part of cognitive science of religion, is called cognitive anthropology, and "ritual" is a part of it.

    I did not know that our society started their own rituals during the Covid pandemic, simply had no idea. But something that I felt, was that zoom meetings were not at all something natural, something that we were sort of "dying to do", we really wanted to feel each other, and that is no surprise: for millions of years contact was the rule, a webcam is something that we feel as unnatural. Rituals are part of our life, even if we are atheists, even if we mention that we hate god, or that we mock religious people; ritual is a human endeavour.

    Another thing that I had no idea, was that some universities hold ceremonies (aka rituals) for the families of the people that donated their bodies to science. That's amazing. Really had no idea. But it is also not surprising: imagine watching a video of the "Institute of human anatomy" of someone holding your deceased mother's lungs, or heart. How would you feel? Human beings guard kin's bodies, even after they are no longer alive. What a thought!

    Really, really recommended. There is a lot of extreme rituals and results from many studies that concern emotion, pain, cohesion at both the individual and communal level.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • annek
    4.0 out of 5 stars Reference pages take work
    Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I read "Ritual" as a reference for a presentation I'll be giving on beliefs and how they affect our bodies. Lots of stories to illustrate his points. (more than I like, but that's just me.) Good research that's quite fascinating.
    The references, however, are clumsy. You need to find the page with the reference's author and year of publication, then find the page in the bibliography to see the title of the paper. Why aren't these together in one spot? Perhaps it's a British custom? (The book is written with British spellings.)
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Astonishing
    Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I found this book to be stimulating. Looking back over my own life it led me to see that actions I had considered habits were, in fact, rituals that gave me comfort in hard times. It enabled me to see my life in a new way, along with illuminating the human world.
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  • inky pinky
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    A thoroughly enjoyable book. It was eye opening in revealing how deeply rituals are interwoven into our daily lives and the important benefits they provide to participants. Do not be dismissive of rituals…they confer powerful psychological and social benefits!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Josh
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Clearly written. Well-researched. A valuable look into the relationship between ritual practices and basic human well being. Strongly recommend this book.
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  • forrestG
    5.0 out of 5 stars Highly informative & very entertaining
    Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2022
    Xygalatas is an incredible writer and amazing explainer of anthropology and his research in the field. He takes you on a journey throughout the world as he explains human rituals in different societies and communities -- from fire walkers in Spain and Greece to indigenous traditions in Australia and Mauritius. Highly recommend the book!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Limabean
    5.0 out of 5 stars Headed in right direction
    Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2022
    IMO. Good observations. I recommend he read Rene Girard’s insight for the “why” we have these rituals.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Kurt Gray
    5.0 out of 5 stars Not So Crazy
    Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Some people put skewers through their face as part of a ritual. It's hard not to look at this behavior and wonder if those people are somehow crazy, or at least a little different than the rest of us. But this book does a wonderful job of showing something profound: not only are these people not crazy, they are doing something that helps them live a meaningful life. "Ritual" is a fantastic tour through the science of ritual--and not just the extreme ones like putting skewers through your face--but also the everyday rituals we all do. Highly recommended.
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Fledgling
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 10, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I read it. It’s a book
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  • Irene C.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Por fin en bolsillo
    Reviewed in Spain on August 6, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Llevo muchos meses esperando este libro. Lo quería en formato de bolsillo y por fin lo tengo. Es una maravilla de libro, se aprende muchísimo y está escrito de manera muy comprensible. Ojalá se animen a traducirlo al español.
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    Irene C.
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Por fin en bolsillo

    Reviewed in Spain on August 6, 2024
    Llevo muchos meses esperando este libro. Lo quería en formato de bolsillo y por fin lo tengo. Es una maravilla de libro, se aprende muchísimo y está escrito de manera muy comprensible. Ojalá se animen a traducirlo al español.
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  • Anurag Vaish
    5.0 out of 5 stars A live audio conversation on the book
    Reviewed in India on May 22, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Fantastic book that explores the history and evolution of rituals as an integral part of our social being.
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    Anurag Vaish
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    A live audio conversation on the book

    Reviewed in India on May 22, 2024
    Fantastic book that explores the history and evolution of rituals as an integral part of our social being.
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  • ROLDANO DE PERSIO
    5.0 out of 5 stars The irrational explained in a rational way
    Reviewed in Germany on April 18, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Even though you are not a religious person, this book can help you to understand better our society.
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  • Amazon Kunde
    4.0 out of 5 stars I learned a lot
    Reviewed in Germany on February 18, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Informative, entertaining, mostly well written and lots of interesting studies. I thought I could use some of the information to integrate rituals in my performances. But strangely, at the end of the book, I realized that I am not a typical member of the ritual species. From birthdays to christmases, workplace lunches to marriages - I don't care. It would have been interesting to read something about people with low ritualistic interests.
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