Dancing in the Streets

Product Description

In Dancing in the Streets, New York Times bestselling author Barbara Ehrenreich attempts to dissect the history of communion and celebration throughout human history. Moving deftly from analysis of prehistoric life to the inner-happenings in 21st century nightclubs, Ehrenreich examines why and how humans come together to celebrate their collective joy.

Of particular interest to religious scholars, Ehrenreich expertly draws lines between religions from the Far East to Western Christianity and examines the intersections they share with human celebration throughout history. It is nearly impossible to pick up this book and not learn something new on almost every page.

The amount of research that Ehrenreich poured into Dancing in the Streets is staggering. She's managed to create a totally original masterpiece in which readers are allowed an all-encompassing glimpse into what is one of the most fundamental aspects of life in human society.

"Barbara Ehrenreich's absorbing study of collective celebration does the essential job of reminding us that humans are happiest when doing things together... Ehrenreich has an ability to write as though she has lived through the history she relates...she draws on research from prehistory, classical civilization theology, anthology, neuroscience, literature and pop-cultural studies to present a convincing case for a return to spontaneous celebration. In doing so she alerts us to the elements of human experience that are universal and so have the possibility of equality among men... Once reconciled to the counter-intuitive nature of spending hours alone reading a book that suggest you'd be better off dancing instead, time will fly and you'll end it convinced that you've been in happy, wine-fuelled conversation with the author herself" -Lynsey Hanley, The Daily Telegraph