Dancing in the Streets - by Barbara Ehrenreich (Paperback)

The "Ecstatic Revels of Feasting, Costuming, and Dancing" by Barbara Ehrenreich is a groundbreaking exploration into the origins and evolution of communal celebrations in human history.

This book delves into the biological and cultural roots of our species' desire for collective joy, tracing it back to ancient times and uncovering its indigenous presence in Western civilization.

From the medieval practice of Christianity as a "danced religion" to the suppression of mass festivities by church officials and European colonizers, Ehrenreich sheds light on the complex history of communal celebrations.

Despite the elites' fears that such gatherings would undermine social hierarchies, the author shows how they have inspired revolutionary crowds and uprisings throughout history.

With a focus on the persistence of group revelry in modern times, including the 1960s rock-and-roll rebellion and the "carnivalization" of sports, this book offers a compelling and optimistic perspective on the power of collective joy.