Oh dear! I've got stuck halfway through. Can't seem to get back to finishing it. I had enjoyed listening to Margaret Visser talking about it at my library. Although I gave it 4 stars when I started reading it, I think I'd agree with Meggo's review below. But I will get it read eventually. Margaret Visser's books always repay the effort. I think it would probably help to read the publications that she footnotes. ( )

Why Do We Say Thank You

Having read a few other books of from Margaret Visser, I was eager to read "The Gift of Thanks" and was once again impressed by Visser's multi-disciplinary approach to the exploration of such a common everyday ritual. The book is sociological, psychological, philological, philosophical, historical, geographical, etc... You can really appreciate how she unpacks the complexity of the many cultural and religious traditions of giving thanks as she weaves together such diverse literary works and philosophies such as Homer's Iliad, indigenous philosophies of the Maoris, Max Weber, and Immanuel Kant.

The most relevant parts of Visser's insights were the intersection of this ancient ritual and modernity, how despite the heavy influences of commercialization and commodification, the social act of giving and its reciprocity continues. But also how modernity changes our perceptions and actions, at one point Visser explores the point that is often made that "I don't need gratitude, everything I want I can buy."

The book is rather long at close to 400 pages, but it is a fast read and Visser's commentary about all the many sources she analyzes is very engaging. Overall, I definitely recommend this book for anyone who has ever thought more about giving thanks. ( )

Ultimately disappointing, this book promised to explore the hows, whys and whens of thanks - why do we say 'thank you', when and how. Interesting to a point, the subject matter felt a little thin when Visser veered into the culture of gift giving, a related topic that merely underscored the non-linear approach Visser adopted. I was worn out before I had read much more than half of the book, but others may find it more insightful and entertaining. Not badly written, and at times fascinating, I couldn't force myself to keep plowing through the thing. ( )