Post #204021 by mbonga on Wed, Dec 21, 2005 12:09 PM

Another thread here was talking about the reality of jungle tribes vs. the sanitized cultural perception of them, like in the movie "King Kong." Here's another book I recently read related to that theme. Sorry for the gore and the language, but I don't like to censor. And thanks for the reading tips: I'll see if I can find those 2 books you mentioned in a bookstore.

"State of Fear"
Michael Crichton
New York: Avon Books
2004

(p. 580)
"You just don't get it, do you?" Kenner said. "You think
civilization is some horrible, polluting human invention that
separates us from the state of nature. But civilization doesn't
separate us from nature, Ted. Civilization protects us from
nature. Because what you see right now, all around you--
this is nature."
"Oh no. No, no. Humans are kind, cooperative . . ."
"Horseshit, Ted."

(p. 586)
It was Sambuca, though Bradley could barely focus on his
face. The world was gray and faint. But he saw that Sambuca
was grinning at him, revealing a row of yellow pointed teeth.
And then Sambuca held up a knife so Ted could see it, and
smiled again, and with two fingers grabbed the flesh of Ted's
cheek and sliced it off with the knife.
There was no pain, surprisingly no pain but it made him
dizzy to see Sambuca hold up the bloody chunk of his cheek
and, grinning, open his mouth and take a bite. The blood ran
down Sambuca's chin as he chewed, grinning all the while.
Bradley's head was spinning now. He was nauseated and ter-
rified and revolted, and he felt a pain at his chest. He looked
down to see a young boy of eight or nine cutting flesh from
his underarm with a pocket knife. And a woman raced for-
ward, screaming for the others to get out of the way, and she
hacked a slice from the back of his forearm. And then the
whole crowed was upon him, and the knives were every-
where, and they were cutting and yelling and cutting and
yelling and he saw one knife move toward his eyes, and felt
his trousers tugged down, and he knew nothing more.

(p. 597)
Morton heard the barking and frowned.
"What's the matter?" Jennifer said. "The rebels chasing
us with dogs?"
"No, that's not a dog."
"It didn't really sound like a dog."
"It's not. They've learned a trick in this part of the world.
They bark like a dog, and when the dogs come out, they
eat them."
"Who does?"
"Crocs. That's a crocodile you hear. Somewhere behind
us."