I went to the store. On a chilly Sunday afternoon, I went to the store in desperation because we were out of chili powder for the tacos I was already making. These two sentences say the same thing, except the last one gives a much better picture. Whenever you read something, details are key. The Mountain People is an ethnography written by an anthropologist named Colin Turnbull. His book took place in the 1960s and was published in 1972. His research focuses on the Ik people who live in the region of Uganda, Sudan and Kenya. The details of his stories are what make his research appealing to the ordinary person. He does a great job of describing a picture in words for his audience. The Ik people were going through a difficult time because of the war and other government problems in their country. Traditionally hunters, the Ik are forced to farm and reside in areas to which they are not accustomed, leading to a complete change in their way of life. Turnbull shows us that the Ik are now a self-first society while they rarely take care of each other. One of the most important qualities that a good anthropologist should possess is the ability to remain objective during their research. Turnbull told his readers that the Ik were not his first choice and in fact, they were not even his second. His first two research trips were unsuccessful and he therefore “settled” with the Ik. He tells us that even though he wasn't "excited" about his trip like the other two, he says it could have helped him to be more objective overall. Another thing that helps the anthropologist remain objective is field experience. Turnbull has already written a book, The Forest People. With Turnbull already having middle of paper ...... of its historical aspect. Historians define history as written records and so for me, this ethnography is history. This book offers a glimpse into a world that a normal school history textbook will not. It gives a firsthand insight into a group of people I had never heard of before. Turnbull mentions World War II as one of the reasons the Ik became the ruthless society they were or are. This interested me because it shows the consequences of this war that I normally wouldn't have thought about. I now have a deeper understanding of the Ik people and all that they entail. This book will be beneficial to me and to my future students that I teach. I have seen first-hand how unforgiving a society can be when basic needs cannot be met. I thoroughly enjoyed this ethnography because I was able to look up close and personal at another society..