Gods of the Upper Air: How a Circle of Renegade Anthropologists Reinvented Race, Sex, and Gender

Gods of the Upper Air follows Franz Boas and his circle of anthropology students in early 20th century America as they developed revolutionary ideas about human culture and diversity. Their research and fieldwork challenged the prevailing scientific racism and eugenics movements of the time. The book tracks the parallel stories of Margaret Mead, Ruth Benedict, Ella Cara Deloria, and Zora Neale Hurston as they conducted groundbreaking anthropological studies across the globe. Their investigations into different societies' approaches to gender, sexuality, race, and human development produced findings that contradicted the established wisdom of Western academia. Through extensive archival research and historical context, King reconstructs both the professional and personal relationships within this group of scholars during a pivotal period in American social science. The narrative covers their field experiences, intellectual evolution, and battles against institutional resistance. The work demonstrates how scientific observation and cultural immersion can overturn deeply ingrained societal assumptions about human nature. Its examination of these anthropologists' lives and work reveals the origins of modern concepts regarding cultural relativism and human equality.

Readers found the book illuminating for its portrayal of Franz Boas and his students challenging racist and sexist scientific assumptions in the early 20th century. Many noted how it connects historical debates about cultural differences to current conversations about race, gender, and immigration. Liked: - Clear explanations of complex anthropological concepts - Rich details about the personal lives of Boas, Mead, Benedict, and others - Shows how these anthropologists gathered evidence to counter prejudice - Writing style makes academic history accessible Disliked: - Some sections bog down in academic minutiae - Structure jumps between different time periods - Limited coverage of critiques of Boas's methods - Too much focus on personal relationships vs. scientific work Ratings: Goodreads: 4.16/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (450+ ratings) NPR's Best Books of 2019 Winner of Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Nonfiction "Made me understand how revolutionary their ideas really were," noted one Goodreads reviewer. Multiple Amazon reviews called it "timely" for current cultural debates.

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🔎 Franz Boas and his students conducted their groundbreaking anthropological work during a time when eugenics was considered legitimate science in America, with forced sterilization laws in effect across multiple states. 🌎 Margaret Mead's research in Samoa, featured prominently in the book, sparked intense controversy that continues today, particularly regarding her conclusions about adolescent sexuality in traditional cultures. 👥 The "circle" of anthropologists included several remarkable women who broke significant gender barriers in academia, including Ruth Benedict, who became the first woman to receive tenure in the Columbia University anthropology department. 📚 Author Charles King is not an anthropologist by training but a professor of international affairs and government at Georgetown University, bringing a unique perspective to this historical narrative. 🏆 The book won the 2020 Francis Parkman Prize from the Society of American Historians for literary and scholarly distinction in American history writing.