I've added an amazon link to what I think is one of the most important books of the 20th century. The Origin of Consciousness In The Breakdown Of The Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes is a book that has largely been ignored simply because it can't be put into a single academic category.
In this blog I'm using it for the anthropological analysis of how different cultures approach the subject of religion as well as for its following the movements of various tribes and cultures during the end of the Holocene thermal optimum.
It includes translations of ancient texts from around the world. It uses illustrations of the layout of early human settlements to describe what different cultures "centered" their lives around.
I've come back to this book again and again when doing research for anthropology, sociology, linguistics, psychology, history and theology.
Jaynes follows the change of not only language but thought and culture through the Iliad, The Odyssey, The Bible, The Epic of Gilgamesh, as well as even Mesoamerican stories and writings.
Even if you don't buy Jaynes' argument on the origin of consciousness, his perspective on the history of human civilization as well as our current lives is intriguing. The historical records he brings to light and depth of this book might seem intimidating but the way in which he tells the story is suitable and within reach of even high school students.
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