Rating: 
Summary: A book for exploring ideas
Review: Before I read this book, I knew very little about Goddess worship. So for me this book was informative. What I liked about this book is it opened my eyes to see the world from a different perspective. I'm sure that this book was written with her own bias. Every book, whether fiction or non-fiction, has this element. It did get me to ask questions about where we are headed as a society where dominating people (considered a male trait) is rewarded. I've noticed since I was a young woman in the seventies and eighties that women are becoming more masculine in their behavior and viewpoint of life. You see this exemplified in popular culture. I would like to see a partnership society where we work together instead of a 'survival of the fittest' mentality. Maybe Ms. Eisler doesn't have the all the facts. I don't know. I would have to read other books on pre-history and Goddess worship to make that decision. Still, if you want to explore the ideas of what it might have been like during pre-history and of what a society based on humanist ideas could be like instead of a world of materialism, this book is for you.
Rating: 
Summary: History or Myth? Does it Matter?
Review: The Chalice and the Blade describes idyllic, Goddess-worshipping societies that Eisler believes existed several thousand years ago in eastern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. She presents images of agrarian villages that had no defensive fortifications because there was no war. The communities were non-violent and egalitarian. There was no hierarchy and no sexism. There was no class system or great disparities of wealth. The people were deeply spiritual and practiced free love. They were profoundly connected to the natural world. Eventually, however, aggressive warrior nomads from the east (patriarchal peoples who worshipped male sky gods) destroyed these peaceful, Goddess-worshipping communities. The warrior nomads killed the men, raped the women, and took the children as slaves. The Goddess was suppressed and the patriarchy has ruled ever since.I read the book as a refreshing, life-affirming counter-myth that challenges the abusive aspects of our patriarchal traditions. The Chalice and the Blade celebrates the value of partnership, equality, collaboration, non-violence, and connectedness to nature. Eisler gives us some sense of the enormous power to heal that resides in the repressed feminine and lunar realms. However, I would offer the following cautions: 1. It is possible that Eisler has extrapolated a few scraps of evidence into a highly idealized society that didn't really exist. 2 . It is possible that Eisler's vision is pyschologically naive in the sense that everything has a shadow or dark side. If the Goddess societies existed, they would, by necessity, have a dark side. 3. It is possible that the problem with western society is not that it has a male image of divinity but that it has a one-sided, gender-specific image of divinity. Substituting a Goddess-based image might not lead to Utopia, but might bring its own set of problems. Perhaps we need images of the divine that honor both genders. 4. Eisler is a nationally known advocate of partnership models as superior forms of human interaction in contrast to "dominator" approaches. Faced with the choice of partnership or domination, the former is clearly preferable. A more neutral way of distinguishing between these two approaches would be to subsitute consensus for partnership and hierarchy for domination. It is possible that each approach - consensus and hierarchy - has its own merits and drawbacks. The negative shadow of consensus systems might be passive aggression, confusion, paralysis. It is possible that when grounded with love and respect, hierarchical systems can be generative and empowering. I suspect that the humanity would best be served by a society that reveres both male and female, earth and sky, soul and spirit, hierarchy and collaboration, passion and gentleness - a social order with a pluralistic approach that reflects mythopoetic diversity and celebrates consciousness. Yet, whatever the book's shortcomings I must confess that my heart is with Eisler.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent scholarly comprensive work....
Review: Riane Eisler's CHALICE AND THE BLADE is one of those books that had to be written. In it, she asks "Did humans at some point in history create a culture that was far more civilized than the so-called civilizations moderns have been and are experiencing?" And, more importantly, can we do it again? Her answer is a resounding YES and YES and YES. To illuminate and support her thesis Eisler presents the reader with a comprehensive and thoroughly researched synopsis of some of the most salient and scholarly material on this subject published in the late 20th Century when Joseph Campbell was completing an academic career researching and writing about myths, James Mellaart had been excavating and writing about Catel Huyuk, and Elaine Pagels was beginning to rock the theological world with her research on the Gnostic gospels and the Nag Hammadi scrolls.
Eisler's work was first published in 1987, when the right-wing lock on US society was only beginning to choke the great social movements that had been ignited in the preceding decades. These movements were initially viewed as somewhat antithetical to the 'Archie Bunker' school of thought and the mainstream academic views promulgated by conservative Western scholars (Jewish, Christian, and Islamic). Main steam scholars had long ago settled on an androcentric canon of beliefs and world view that saw males as superior to females, and promoted the manly enterprises of war and destruction of the natural environment. The scholars Eisler cites expressed different and non-canonical points of view. Eisler explores their works and the works of others as she examines the art, social mores, beliefs, and technology of the Neolithic Age. According to Eisler, the extant information supports the notion that humans once worshipped a Mother Goddess who was viewed as the source of life unlike the later Gods who were War Gods and all about death and dying.The followers of the Mother Goddess were probably centered in Eastern Europe and Western Asia, particularly Crete. Their cultures were destroyed by blade-wielding fiendish tribesmen whom Eisler names 'Kurgans'. These Kurgans, were herders who entered the agrarian areas from the periphery and destroyed what they found. Eisler suggests the Kurgans and their militaristic namesakes have controlled the area as well as the rest of the world ever since, although brief periods of gylanic (female, Humanistic) resurgance occurred in periods demarcated by Christian love (agape), Renaissance Humanism and the 20th Century "New Age" movement. I found this book illuminating and provocative. It seems "He who lives by the sword (blade) dies by the sword" and the sooner we change that the better. Eisler seems to think we should spend more time looking for the grail (chalice of love) and I agree.
Rating:
Summary: A Useful Revisionist Exercise
Review: Riane Eisler marshalls compelling evidence from many disciplines to assert that the struggle between a "gylanic" social structure based on male-female partnership exemplified in ancient Crete and Turkey, and a male dominated "androcracy", has been the major unseen force shaping western history and is once again in our time coming to a head." Eisler writes that the "root of the problem lies in a social system in which the power of the blade is idealized." In contrast to this male-oriented power, Eisler describes the power of the chalice, "the power to transform death into life through the mysterious cyclical regeneration of nature." Her book poses a radical revisioning of the past which pushes the advent of civilization further back into the Neolithic era to include cultures which practiced a "gylanic" form of society. Regarding biblical history and morality, Eisler notes that "to the extent that it reflects a [male] dominator society, it is at best stunted." Continuing with biblical history as she advances her analysis forward to the present day, Eisler writes that "the more gylanic followers of Jesus tried to transform the cross on which he was executed into a symbol of rebirth- a symbol associated with a social movement that set out to preach and practice human equality and such "feminine concepts as gentleness, compassion and peace." Eisler also details the attempt by some Gnostic Christians to establish a continuum of psycho-sexual identity in the face of opposition from church patriarchs as another instance of the gylanic retreating in the face of androcratic political power. I found this revisionist adventure to be very useful, and I recommend it to those seeking the reintegration of a culture mesmerized by scientism, materialism, and the faux enlightenment of prosperity.
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Summary: The MOST IMPORTANT book I've ever read...
Review: Based on the work of the remarkable archaeologist Marija Gimbutas and many other scientists and scholars, Riane Eisler discusses Truth after Truth of our world's wonderful Prehistory in which, rather than the caveman Lie, our ancestors were peaceful, highly artistic, compassionate people who loved and celebrated all Life and worshipped the Goddess. The remains of their cities prove that they lived communally with no slaves and no signs of war for 2000 years until the cruel, bloody invasions of the peripheral, nomadic Indo-Europeans. Our "civilization" has ever after been based on the Dominator model: a history filled with wars, slavery, murder, rape, violence; men dominating women, children, and other men; in which values of compassion and peace are set aside or suppressed. I was continually amazed that in each chapter, Eisler brings up new points for discussion, speaking directly to the Soul about our history and the Present. And from the Truth of our Prehistoric past, when people were developing a truly peaceful and egalitarian society, we definitely can make this a reality for our future. This can be a world in which every Person is truly Free and Equal, a world without war or violence, in which the Arts flourish, creativity has no bounds, and we live at peace with all of Nature and ourselves: "the power of creativity and love - symbolized by the sacred Chalice, the holy vessel of life - is the governing principle."
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Summary: If you like reading influential visionary books read this!
Review: Riane Eisler's The Chalice and The Blade is a great book for many reasons. One is that is has influenced many other writers, including men. Another is that it is a books which influences aspects of feminism today. First published in 1988, it is also a book that has created controversy down to this day. It is spurned and embraced by feminists and non-feminist, philosophers and historians. Some feminists either want to add this book as a great item to their lexicon, or burn it and look elsewhere. Non-feminists also want to burn it. Philosophers love or hate the vision and ethics of the book. Historians scorn the book or are intrigued by its posssibilities. These are all signs of greatness, when great emotion and reaction is incited. I credit Riane Eisler with great vision, for that is what this book is: A vision of how things could have been, are, and may be. Visions are meant to expand the mind and open people's eyes to different possibilities. Eisler's famous vision fueled by Marija Gimbutas's work on goddess anthropology from the same time period. Eisler envisions a past where the chalice was worshipped, a golden age of peace that did not involve the subjugation of women in their "proper place" before everything went wrong in the Garden of Eden, but an age when men and women lived together in peace. She writes of a Utopian Society attacked from outsiders who believed in subjugation and social hierarchy. (You may want to check out Catal Huyak, the controversial Turkish site where fodder for much of this began)I understand criticisms that dislike Eisler's laying the entire blame for all that is wrong at the feet of men, but really, who has been in power? It's not just about wether women are cruel, it's about who has the power. That's been men for millenia. It's a very recent phenomena that women are getting equality at all. Patriarchy isn't all bad, there are many good things about it, and men. (My husband is one, and Lord of The Rings is another:)We're all human. Looking back at Eisler's landmark work knowing what we now know, gives rise to many more speculations. Recently in the Black Sea there were found what looks like actual ones of Women Amazons, or Riders who carry weapons. This isn't that far from Catal Huyak. I'm not sure what it all means but I hope we find out. Chalice and the Blade is a speculative vision, which means, like fiction or a political treatise that it is not meant to be taken as actual history. It is, yes, a revision, of history, and what is wrong with that? People are always speculating about history, novels written about it. If people are so upset about a book, chances are, you should read it. The Cahlice and the Blade is a vision of what might be another aspect of history, and done to keep humanity's minds open to a diferent future. Since it was written in 1988, it's good to keep up on material that has been researched since and been discovered. For instance, thanks to Paula Gunn Allen, we know that while not being a Ridiculous Utopia, she does write in her essay, When Women Throw Down Bundles: Strong Women Make Strong Nations, that certain tribes of Indians did live in a Society much like Eisler describes before their people were cruelly and methodicaly tortured and killed. Eisler's book is a landmark in feminism, and women's alternative spirtuality movements, and philosophy and for that reason, should be read to see the big picture. In an age where many men are still misogynists, this book is empowering. I reccommend this book to those with open minds, and those with questions. I recommend as additional reading and viewing: The Frailty Myth, by Colette Dowling, The Paula Gunn Allen Essay I mentioned. I give the book four stars because of it's influence and vision. I would've given it five if it was updated with new info.
Rating: 
Summary: Revisionist histories do women no good at all.
Review: My issues with the book are that it is not historical fact, but speculative history at best. Theory'.not fact'..not history'.Theory. Eisler has not laid out a case for any of her claims and many of her ideas are contradicted by what is actually known of the times and areas she speaks of. Since most of her work is based off of Marija Gimbutas, whose work has been rather discredited as well, it is tainted from the onset. She also attempts, when she does have any shred of evidence to apply it to the whole of humankind like a blanket, ignoring the many cultures that were actually present and any that would contradict her tidy little paradigms. Just because something may have been done one way someplace'.doesn't hold that it was done that way everywhere. This is as true now as it was 5000 years ago. Another issue I take with Ms. Eisler's theories are that she divide the genders into strictly 'male = bad' and 'women (or maybe I should use womyn) = good'. Human beings don't work that way and some of the cruelest and callous individuals I know are female. Even giving that there is nothing to back up her claims of that peaceful and nurturing matriarchal society (that the big bad men came and destroyed), when you apply basic human nature to the idea'it has even less credence. Finally, I dislike the way that Eisler handles criticisms of her book. Her comments are not addressed to the real issues that have been raised about her ideas, but in attacking anyone that brings them up, with comments that they have an agenda to discredit her as part of the evil patriarchal system. The idea that there are some real issues with her scholarship never seems to cross this woman's mind. It is my contention that revisionist histories such as this do women no good at all overall.
Rating:
Summary: Not Perfect, But Important to Read
Review: This book, in many ways, changed the way I thought. It raises awareness to the fact that there were goddess worshiping, female oriented societies in Neolithic times. It examines these societies and compares them to the warring, male-dominated cultures that eventually took over. In the book, some of the interpretation of the archeological evidence is speculative, but usually only in regards to the meaning of the symbols used in those cultures, and when this type of speculation occurs, it is easy to spot so you can judge for yourself. In regards to larger issues about the structure of those ancient cultures, the conclusions drawn based on the archeological remains are more concrete and obvious. This book is an easy and enjoyable read, and opens your mind to how things might change as we swing back towards being in balance with the feminine aspect.
Rating:
Summary: a sustainable model?
Review: The author makes a thought provoking point that in the last three or four thousand years , 'man'kind had taken a wrong route in terms of cultural evolution . She disputes the view that the process of evolution always leads to a better state than the previous one . She quotes chaos theory to explain that in times of unstable equilibrium , the system can swing to one of many directions , not necessarily the best one . Thus when the peace loving society(who worshipped the life giving powers of the chalice) of the neolithic age went into an unstable state due to sudden emergence of the warrior class( who worshipped the life taking powers of the blade) , the system unfortunately swung from a partnership society to a dominatory society , where male dominance ensured that females did not enjoy the same place in society as before . She argues that all major religions served to impreganate this model in the minds of every person and that most of the artistic,scientific progress happened inspite of the prevalent androcratic religious tradition rather than due to it. In the concluding sections of the book she paints a rosy future where we might have a partnership model once again , and gives a model of a family where woman will have equal rights and privileges , and the child will be most precious resource in the society, taken care not just by parents but also by uncles,aunts etc
Overall a readable book , but in many parts of the book , all the negative qualities are ascribed only to the males . Its still not clear how a society can be sustained mostly by qualities of caring,compassion and those feminine qualities . Though the example of minoan civilisation is quoted for this, we still might not know for sure what were the defects of its civilisation .
Rating:
Summary: Understanding
Review: Every History teacher in our world should read this book. It certainly cleared up a lot of questions I had regarding why our world is presently like it is. It would be helpful to update our children's historical education.
Most importantly, historical facts are being proven true by scientic data and modern technology.
5000 years of Dominator/Submissive behavior has taken its toll on sociey and the Earth...this reading will help you define it in your own life.
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