Customer Reviews

The Complete World of Human Evolution

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This book is actually about the evolution of apes, starting with Proconsul and working up to all of the living apes, including us. But it is we who are at center stage, with the others in supporting roles.

The book starts with an extended section on how fossils and evolution are studied. This includes how dates are estimated, how fossils are formed, and how environments and climate fit into the picture. Then there are descriptions of some dig sites. The next section, titled "The Fossil Evidence", covers many fossils from our past, along with some analysis. The final section, "Interpreting the Evidence", is mostly about what the evidence tell us regarding behavior, especially tool use. This will be the payoff for many readers, since it is what makes us human.

There is little technical language; when it is necessary to use a technical term, it is usually explained, for example "humerus (upper arm bone)". There is no way to avoid using the scientific names of the fossil species, but the translations, such as "Greek ape" for "Graecopithecus", will help.

The text is divided into bite-size pieces of 2-6 pages, each with several illustrations. The pieces have such titles as "Dating the Past", "The Neanderthals", "The First Americans". The illustrations consist of photos and drawings, mostly in color, as well as graphs and charts. It's not quite a coffee table book, but I did find myself a few times thumbing through to look at the pictures.

Obviously, a book with such a large scope can't cover any particular topic in any detail. But if you want more information on something, you can Google it. Instead, this book brings everything into one picture, so to speak, showing how the pieces relate to each other. It is a fine introduction or overview for any interested non-scientist.

Among science's "throwaway" lines, few have achieved the status of Charles Darwin's. When "The Origin of Species" was published, he dropped a teasing line about human ancestry at the very end: "Light will be thrown on the origins of man . . ." For over a generation after his death, the most significant human fossil proved a forgery. Stringer and Andrews have updated the record. In doing so, they've given us a finely crafted and superbly produced account of our ancestry. The term "world" is significant, as they display fossils, artefacts and the digs where these items were found from the southern tip of Africa to the edge of South America.

Breaking the study into three segments, the authors relate the history of archaeology, illustrating the evolutionary picture and the tools that detail it. They explain what the fossil evidence demonstrates about our ancestors, primate through hominid to human. Finally, they trace the path of our ancestors' expansion out of Africa into Asia, Australia, Europe and the Western Hemisphere. The running theme of the book is that we belong to the ape family. The primates have a long, diverse history, which firmly set our roots. From African origins, the apes sent emigrants into Asia and Europe. The hominin apes followed those paths and further. Human evolution didn't cease merely because our species inhabited most of the planet. The authors note the complexity of evolutionary forces and caution those who feel there is some "directionality" in our rise. Species survival must reflect knowledge of our roots.

As an enhancement to explaining how data about our evolution has been found and assessed, the authors have selected several sites of major importance. These digs range from the famous Olduvai Gorge excavations of the Leakey family to the Boxgrove site on the south coast of Britain. Each site is historically described and depicted with location and detailed maps. The teams have a say and the techniques involved in revealing the evidence of our past are explained. Analytical methods are related, particularly as they involve the sites. Of major interest is the placing of the site's past environmental in its palaeontological context. There are copious photographs of the site area, the fossils and other artefacts gleaned. It's impossible to see the workers on the digs without wondering how many of them will go on to make significant finds of their own in some new location.

The authors are meticulous in presenting the maximum amount of information possible in a limited space. There are morphological comparisons - skulls, legs and feet, hands and, of course, teeth - of various primates. The illustrations indicate how the passage of time modified structures and what the changes represent. Teeth and jaws, the dietary indicators, are given close, but not overmuch, attention. Among the many examples, a skull from Turkey, "Ankarapithecus meteai" is one of the science's "head scratchers". Although clearly an ape from an ancient time, the skull bears many anomalous characteristics. It may be an ancestor of today's orang utan. Among other mysteries related to this find is that its teeth appear to be closer to the human, than to the ape line.

Although at first glance, this book may appear almost "coffee-table" in its format and its rich illustrative material, it is a compilation of many serious studies. Although topics that have aroused debate are discussed, the sometimes acrimonious exchanges have been mercifully omitted. There is little in the way of speculation here, and the evidence is handled with respect for the work underlying it. The "Further Reading" section is adequate, relying more on books than research papers or field studies, but is fully up to date to the time of publication. The book is a fine addition to any collection of human evolutionary accounts. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

I recommend that one read an introductory text on biological evolution before going into this book, but even without that backgroud "The Complete World of Human Evolution" is a great way to learn about apparent human evolution. The authors incorporate a lot of charts, graphs, and pictures to illuminate the field of paleoanthropology for the educated reader who has no formal background in the field. I liked how the authors introduced the academic study of paleoanthropology to the reader, as well as briefly discussing a handful of important archaeological sites. They discuss primate anatomy and evolution and how this relates to human evolution. In the middle portion they discuss each genus and/or species and how they fit into the entire picture. The final portions discuss the role genetics plays in our understanding of human evolution and migrations. The tone is mildly academic but if one knows how to read there shouldn't be a problem. Again, I particularly enjoyed this book because of the pictures and drawings of fossils, archaeological sites, etc., but they are by no means a crutch for the authors. They elucidate modern ideas about the subject, and they readily admit it when there isn't a consensus about a particular point. Admittedly, the authors believe what they know and one can tell that in their tone. There is also a nice bibliography but I found it to be a little dated. I would have liked to have seen more up-to-date resources about how the nonspecialist reader can find out about new finds and discoveries. Overall, if one is interested in this subject, one can start here.

This book gives a good introduction into the origins and ancestry of the human species. It is divided into three parts.
The first part gives insight in how the research field operates with chapters about the geological timescale, human variation, analytical techniques, dating technologies, taphonomy, etc. What is especially good about this segment is that it also discusses six excavation sites so you get a real feel about what paleoanthropology is all about. This is all done in a short, understandable way, but without simplifying things.
The second part covers the fossil evidence and takes us on the trail of our origins. It covers some 30 million years of history. Beginning with the origins of primates, it takes you on a tour covering the fossils of amongst others Proconsul, Australopithecus Africanus, Homo Ergaster, Homo Erectus, the Neanderthals, Homo Floresiensis, Homo Sapiens. These are all discussed in short chapters doing justice to the scientific issues concerning them (and there are a lot, because all the evidence is scarce and incomplete). Other issues, what makes an ape, migration (multi-regional versus out of Africa), Neanderthal DNA, and others, are also discussed separately.
The third part interprets the evidence. Discussing locomotion in apes and humans, feeding habits, use of tools, art etc.
All in all this book gives a short but clear cut introduction into this field. It is well ordered, written clearly and accompanied by beautiful photography, illustrations and graphics. I also read Carl Zimmer's Smithsonian Intimate guide to human origins but prefer this one because it does more justice to the scientific difficulties and complexities that this field of research has to cope with. (But by all means read that one also! Or his Parasite Rex, which was great!)

Chris Stringer and Peter Andrews did a superlative job with the book. It is the best one I have read on the subject. It is beautifully illustrated with copious colored photos and drawings. The pages are of thick quality paper. The topic is covered thoroughly and competently. It is very up to date and educational. It would make a great gift, a great reference book, a great textbook for an anthropology course, or just a great read for yourself. I think that it is priced at only one-fourth of its real value and I love bargains.
Ralph Hermansen, March 7, 2007

I purchased this book based on a recommendation of a university professor. The book has current information based on up to date data from field work. It is a good solid foundation of ape to man evolution. It reviews field and laboratory methods for dating finds. The book has a good writing style and is very readable with clear and relevant examples. The are also good diagrams and photos of the work and the bones and tools found. I recommend the book for anyone looking for a good overview.

I am not an expert in this area. I saw a TV series on Discovery channel and I got interested. This book offers SO MUCH information!! It is written rigorously like an academic book, but the wealth of pictures, photos, make it an interesting read. I learned a lot from this book. I also like the fact that they provide lots of facts, and not so much speculation. I'd recommend it to people who are interested in learning more about human evolution.

The title explains it all. It is a very complete and thorough (and a bit dry) work drawing a very good picture of the current state of the Theory of Evolution as it pertains to us humans.

This book is not going to produce a shock and awe from its readers, but anybody who desires to learn a great deal about the story of human evolution, need to read this book.

Excellent! Author deals with the subject in a articulate and coherent manner.

This book came out at about the same time as Carl Zimmer's "Smithsonian Intimate Guide to Human Origins." Zimmer's book is far more readable, but contains less detail.

Stringer and Andrews get into considerable detail about the history of human evolution as it is perceived by contemporary scientists. The book is divided into three broad sections: the search for our ancestors, the fossil evidence of their existence and how the evidence is interpreted.

The authors do an excellent job of providing an immense amount of information without bogging down the reader in scientific jargon. Advanced theories and methodologies are explained in terms that a layperson can grasp.

Overall an excellent introduction to the subject for the motivated reader. Most people, however, would probably find Zimmer's book more palatable.

The one thing I really didn't like about this book was the authors propagandizing for extremist global warming views. Reading their chapter on the subject, one would never imagine that there are thousands of respected scientists who don't agree with the alarmists. Of course, both Springer and Andrews, their institutions and colleagues stand to benefit from continued government funding of the "threat." Gee, no one would expect that scientists could be seduced by the prospect of easy money.

Jerry