Description: Love Stories: Language, Private Love, and Public Romance in Georgiaby Paul Manning ISBN: 9781442608962Publication Date: May 2015Paperback Publisher's Summary:In the remote highlands of the country of Georgia, a small group of mountain dwellers called the Khevsurs used to express sexuality and romance in ways that appear to be highly paradoxical. On the one hand, their practices were romantic, but could never lead to marriage. On the other hand, they were sexual, but didn't correspond to what North Americans, or most Georgians, would have called sex. These practices were well documented by early ethnographers before they disappeared completely by the mid-twentieth century, and have become a Georgian obsession. In this fascinating book, Manning recreates the story of how these private, secretive practices became a matter of national interest, concern, and fantasy. Looking at personal expressions of love and the circulation of these narratives at the broader public level of the modern nation, Love Stories offers an ethnography of language and desire that doubles as an introduction to key linguistic genres and to the interplay of language and culture.Author:Paul Manning is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Trent University and former editor of the Journal of Linguistic AnthropologyContents:List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction: Setting the Stage for RomanceA Brief Introduction to Khevsur Love Well, Did They, or Didn't They? Georgian Stereotypes about Khevsurs and "the Romance of the Mountains" Language and Desire: Genres and Practices The Khevsurs in History Plan of the Book 1. THE AMBASSADOR The Elchi as Mediator Autonomy, Persuasion, and Desire The Elchi at Work: A Girl's First Night of Sts'orproba Conversation 1: The Elchi and the Girl Conversation 2: The Elchi and the Boy Conversation 3: The Elchi and the Mother 2. SPENDING THE NIGHT TOGETHER Lying Down and Getting Up: Sociable Talk and Sociable Sexuality Intimate Contact: Prohibition and Transgression Boundary: Sex Boundary: Marriage Sociability and Obligation The Role of Different Genres 3. GOING STEADY The Social Life of Vodka Going with Vodka Visiting Vodka Road Vodka The Sexual Life of Vodka Stealing Vodka Saving and Hiding Vodka Drinking Vodka From Casual to Durable Sexual Relations: Sts'orperis and Dzmobilis The Dzmobili Relationship and Its Rivals Night and Day Creating and Maintaining Durable Relationships over Time Creating the Relationship: Oaths and Hints Maintaining the Relationship: Waiting and Exchange 4. INVISIBLE LOVE POETRY The Invisibility of Khevsur Love Poetry: The Absence of the Lyric Mode Articulating Desire in Pshavian Lyric The Erasure of Desire in Khevsur Love Poetry Anonymity: Erasure of the Author of Love Poetry Replacing Individual Desire with Desirability in Praise Poetry 5. DEMONS, DANGER, AND DESIRE: THE "ARAGVIAN" SEXUAL REVOLUTION Scandal Narratives Russian Marriage The Aragvian Way of Love Khevsur Girls' Love Stories: Three Case Studies Mariemi's Story Nanuk'i's Story Ashekali's Story 6. INTELLIGENTSIA AND PEOPLE: A LOVE STORY Genres of Realism and Romance The Story of Natela: A Khevsur Romance of the Nineteenth Century The Story of Natela: A Native Ethnographer of the Twentieth Century 7. ECHOES OF LOVE LOST: SOCIALIST NOVELS AND FILMS Socialist Ethnographies Modernist Novels Socialist Films Modernity and Tradition: Frame Narrative and Framed Narrative Romance, Poetry, and Violence Echoes of Sts'orproba Conclusion: Virtual Romance From Film to Image: Khevsurs in Late-Socialist Art Virtual Romance on Georgian Teen Forums Glossary References IndexReviews:Love Stories is a highly readable and interesting ethnography that will captivate the imagination of its readers as it has Georgian intellectuals. Accessible to undergraduates as an introduction to ethnography, it will also stimulate those interested in kinship, love poetry, socialism and post-socialism, queer anthropology and the history of anthropology. Anthropology News Love Stories contains an abundance of translated examples; in the case of poetry, the Khevsur Georgian original is also provided (in transliteration). In addition to their informational and aesthetic value, the textual materials find use as pedagogical resources to illustrate concepts such as genre, sociability and performativity. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute Although of interest to scholars of post-socialism, the Caucasus, and linguistics, the book is that much sought-after, brief, jargonless, and vividly written ethnographic introduction to anthropological 'intersections' that brings together a variety of classical anthropological topics, all in about 140 pages. Anthropologic This would be a great book to use with students. It is an enjoyable read about a topic that they can relate to. Manning's discussions of applications ranging from commercials and movies to Internet chat rooms would interest students being introduced to folklore or anthropology in a specific context. Erik Aasland, Journal of American Folklore Manning's book is a highly recommendable and enjoyable read. This is not only because of its enticing topic and the eloquent writing style, but also because Manning's treatment and sociohistorical contextualization of the stories of Khevsur love is eye-opening and thought-provoking. Lian Malai Madsen, Journal of Linguistic Anthropology This story opens up questions not only about sex, romance, language, politics, and history, but also about what we know and how we come to know it. It's the kind of book instructors are always on the lookout for: a sophisticated treatment of a complex subject, which is also a compelling read. Deborah Cameron, University of Oxford Take a walk on the mild side, with some crazy twists. Love Stories is about how bossy matchmakers, stolen vodka, poetic jousting, and careful unbuttonings on narrow beds add up to a romantic relationship that is the opposite of sex and the opposite of marriage. Unexpected, compelling, unsettling, and fun. Don Kulick, University of Chicago Paul Manning's splendid account exemplifies the best of social science description and analysis. He takes us along on a captivating journey through the stages of poetically ritualized romance and coupling, revealing much about Georgian history and culture along the way. Beyond introducing us to the Khevsur people and disrupting simplistic thinking about romance and desire, the book masterfully gives life to some core ideas in anthropology, sociology, and linguistics. Laura Miller, University of Missouri-St. Louis
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Book Title: Love Stories : Language, Private Love, and Public Romance in Geor
Book Series: Teaching Culture: UTP Ethnographies for the Classroom
Narrative Type: Nonfiction
Publisher: University of Toronto Press
Original Language: English
Publication Year: 2015
Type: Monograph
Format: Trade Paperback
Language: English
Item Height: 9 in
Author: Manning, Paul
Genre: Ethnography-Georgia (Nation)
Topic: Anthropology / Ethnographies & Case Studies, Anthropology / Social & Cultural Anthropology, Ethnography-Georgia (Nation), Love & Romance, Social Sciences, Society
Item Weight: 15 oz
Item Width: 6 in
Number of Pages: 157
