This work can be considered a kind of autobiography of the French author Levi-Strauss, who had a great influence on modern anthropology, and describes the author's intellectual journey from philosophy to anthropology.
By directly addressing the customs of Brazilian Indians, it contains comprehensive reflections on humanity and society, while also meaningfully suggesting various problems of modern civilization.

And it is also necessary to mention the whitish larvae, the koro, which swarm on some of the trunks of the decaying trees.
The Indians, offended by the white man's ridicule, are now unwilling to admit that they find the insects tasty, and they vehemently deny that they are even eating them.
But you only have to wander 20-30 meters into the forest to see the horrific sight of a huge pinheiro tree, blown to pieces by avid koru eaters, on the ground.


And if you happen to walk into any Indian's house - before they can hide it again - you'll see a cup swarming with larvae.
As a last resort, we told him that we ourselves wanted to eat the cork.
A whitish oil flowed from the insect's body, and I tasted it hesitantly.
It had a buttery, firm yet delicate texture and a juicy coconut flavor.
--- p.325-~326

The world began without humans, and it will end without humans.
The institutions, customs, and practices that I will spend my life cataloging and trying to understand are but temporary flowerings of a creative process that would be utterly meaningless if humanity were not allowed to play its destined role.
But that role does not assign any independent position to us humans.
Moreover, even if man himself were to be damned, his futile efforts would proceed in the direction of arresting a universal process of decline.

--- p.742