The Raw and the Cooked by Claude Lévi-Strauss

"The Raw and the Cooked" is an anthropological analysis of the myths and customs of tribal societies, particularly those in South America. The author explores the concept of binary opposition, such as raw versus cooked or nature versus culture, as a fundamental structure in these societies' mythologies. The book provides a detailed and systematic study of the symbolic use of food and cooking in primitive societies, suggesting that the way a society categorizes food is a window into understanding its culture.

The 4069th greatest book of all time

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Total Points: 96

Since this book was first published in 1964, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 96.0.

This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.