First Published in 1997. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The Question of the Gift is the first collection of new interdisciplinary essays on the gift. Bringing together scholars from a variety of fields, including anthropology, literary criticism, economics, philosophy and classics, it provides new paradigms and poses new questions concerning the theory and practice of gift exchange. In addressing these questions, contributors not only challenge the conventions of their fields, but also combine ideas and methods from both the social sciences and humanities to forge innovative ways of confronting this universal phenomenon.

The anthropologist Marcel Mauss, in his famous exploration of the gift in "primitive" and archaic societies, showed that the essential aspect of the exchange of presents involved the establishment of a social tie that bound the parties together above and beyond any material value of the objects exchanged. He argued that these intangible mutual "debts" constituted the social fabric. Godbout and Caillé show that, contrary to the modern assumption that societies function on the basis of market exchange and the pursuit of self-interest, the gift still constitutes the foundation of our social fabric. The authors describe the gift not as an object but as a social connection, perhaps the most important social connection because it creates a sense of obligation to respond in kind. They examine the gift in a broad range of cases such as blood and organ donation; volunteer work; the bonds between friends, couples, and family; Santa Claus; the interaction between performers and their audience; and the relation of the artist to society. Written in an engaging manner, The World of the Gift will appeal to anyone who is interested in how the world really operates.

A comprehensive illustrated anthology of material about and by the American Shakers.

For thirty-five years, best-selling author and popular workshop leader Echo Bodine has been using her psychic powers to help people gain clarity and find healing. Now she presents an accessible guide to understanding and exploring one's own psychic abilities. The book begins by dispelling common myths about psychics and defining the four psychic gifts. It then discusses the implications of becoming a professional psychic and offers self-protection techniques. Readers also learn four basic exercises for accessing the "third eye," and ways to interpret and understand psychic information.

Gerald Moore shows how the problematic of the gift drives and illuminates the last century of French philosophy. By tracing the creation of the gift as a concept, from its origins in philosophy and the social sciences, right up to the present, Moore shows

Must a gift be given freely? How can we tell a gift from a bribe? Are gifts always a part of human relations--or do they lose their power and importance once the market takes hold and puts a price on every exchange? These questions are central to our sense of social relations past and present, and they are at the heart of this book by one of our most interesting and renowned historians. In a wide-ranging look at gift giving in early modern France, Natalie Zemon Davis reveals the ways that gift exchange is crucial to understanding alliance and conflict in family life, economic relations, politics, and religion. Moving from the king's bounty to the beggar's alms, her book explores the modes and meanings of gift giving in every corner of sixteenth-century French society. In doing so, it arrives at a new way of considering gifts--what Davis calls "the gift register"--as a permanent feature of social relations over time. Gift giving, with its own justifications and forms in different periods, can create amity or lead to quarrels and trouble. It mixes the voluntary and the obligatory, with interested bribery at one extreme and inspired gratuitousness at the other. Examining gifts both ethnographically (through archives, letters, and other texts) and culturally (through literary, ethical, and religious sources), Davis shows how coercive features in family life and politics, rather than competition from the market, disrupted the gift system. This intriguing book suggests that examining the significance of gifts can not only help us to understand social relations in the past, but teach us to deal graciously with each other in the present.

Set the Table for Conversation and Connection When family and friends gather around the table for good food and fellowship, special memories are sure to follow. Create a warm and welcoming atmosphere with this creative collection of seasonally inspired tablescapes by popular decor blogger Bre Doucette (Rooms for Rent). Entertaining doesn’t have to be stressful. Bre will walk you through every step of the process from planning the perfect get-together to adding special touches your guests will appreciate and remember. But it all starts with a beautifully set table. No matter the season or reason, from casual to elegant, you’ll discover tablescapes for any occasion. Enjoy an enchanting orchard picnic in spring, an alfresco evening in summer, a festive friends-giving in fall, a reflective New Year’s soiree in winter, and eight other one-of-a-kind gatherings. Throughout, you’ll find lavishly photographed details, unique decorating ideas, and spiritual inspiration. Specially selected Scripture verses and heartfelt prayers will help you invite God to any gathering. All of these gifts are waiting for you inside. Come join the table.

European thought is often said to be a gift to the rest of the world, but what if there is no gift as such? What if there is only an economy where every giving is also a taking, and every taking is also a giving? This book extends the question of economies by making a case for an “economy of thought” and a “political economy.” It argues that all thinking and doing presupposes taking, and therefore giving, as the price to pay for taking; or that there exists a “cost of living,” which renders the idea of free thinking and living untenable. The argument is developed against the Enlightenment directive to think for oneself as the means of becoming autonomous and shows that this “light,” given to the rest of the world as a gift, turns out to be nothing.