Becoming Half Hidden is a fascinating study of Inuit shamanism, with a strong focus on psychological elements. It is very much an academic text and will be a difficult read for anyone without a strong background in psychology and perhaps also philosophy or theology. Elements of the study of folklore and mythology seem rather deemphasized. Merkur treats his subjects with a reasonable amount of respect, unlike some of the scholars whose work he quotes. All in all, this is no doubt an important academic work, but even well-educated nonspecialist readers will find it unapproachable.
