We tend to see history and evolution springing from separate roots, one grounded in the human world and the other in the natural world. Human beings have, however, become probably the most powerful species shaping evolution today, and human-caused evolution in other species has probably been the most important force shaping human history. This book introduces readers to evolutionary history, a new field that unites history and biology to create a fuller understanding of the past than either can produce on its own. Evolutionary history can stimulate surprising new hypotheses for any field of history and evolutionary biology. How many art historians would have guessed that sculpture encouraged the evolution of tuskless elephants? How many biologists would have predicted that human poverty would accelerate animal evolution? How many military historians would have suspected that plant evolution would convert a counter-insurgency strategy into a rebel subsidy? With examples from around the globe, this book will help readers see the broadest patterns of history and the details of their own life in a new light.
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"Russell has written an excellent, absorbing book about a relatively new scholarship paradigm, evolutionary history. The author's research in history and biology make him uniquely qualified to provide a fresh perspective on melding these two seemingly disparate disciplines. Via such an interdisciplinary approach, Russell promotes a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of the past and present. Highly recommended."
J.N. Muzio, Choice Magazine
"Russell has written an excellent, absorbing book about a relatively new scholarship paradigm, evolutionary history. Highly recommended." -Choice
"... accessible and engagingly written, thoughtful, and thought-provoking... Written in a manner that will make it attractive to scholars and students alike, it will force perceptive readers to re-examine their fields. History, and especially the histories of technology and the environment, surely benefit from the insights of biology and evolution." -- Stephen H. Cutliffe, American Historical Review
"...an engaging case for 'evolutionary history...' -Henry Nicholls, Galapagos Matters
J.N. Muzio, Choice Magazine
"Russell has written an excellent, absorbing book about a relatively new scholarship paradigm, evolutionary history. Highly recommended." -Choice
"... accessible and engagingly written, thoughtful, and thought-provoking... Written in a manner that will make it attractive to scholars and students alike, it will force perceptive readers to re-examine their fields. History, and especially the histories of technology and the environment, surely benefit from the insights of biology and evolution." -- Stephen H. Cutliffe, American Historical Review
"...an engaging case for 'evolutionary history...' -Henry Nicholls, Galapagos Matters
Book Description
This book introduces readers to evolutionary history, a new field that unites history and biology to create a fuller understanding of the past than either can produce on its own. With examples from around the globe, it will help readers see the broadest patterns of history and the details of their own life in a new light.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you don't know anything about evolutionary biology or Darwinian theory as applied to humans, this is a very nice place to start (5 stars for this audience). If you do know evolutionary theory but want to find out how it applied to history a discipline, there is one relevant chapter, but mostly the book will be a waste of time.
Perhaps a quote from the Conclusion (p. 151) says it all: "I hope this book has convinced you of five ideas. First, evolution is ubiquitous. Second, people have shaped the evolution of populations of human and non-human societies. Third, anthropogenic evolution has shaped human as well as natural history. Forth, human and non-human populations have coevolved... And fifth, uniting the insights of history and biology in evolutionary history enables us to understand the past more fully than either discipline does alone."
Perhaps a quote from the Conclusion (p. 151) says it all: "I hope this book has convinced you of five ideas. First, evolution is ubiquitous. Second, people have shaped the evolution of populations of human and non-human societies. Third, anthropogenic evolution has shaped human as well as natural history. Forth, human and non-human populations have coevolved... And fifth, uniting the insights of history and biology in evolutionary history enables us to understand the past more fully than either discipline does alone."
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Ed Russell's EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY is a superb book that promises to fundamentally change the way we understand the past. By uniting insights from evolutionary biology with those from the history of technology and the environment, Russell brilliantly demonstrates that a co-evolutionary tango between humans and nature has been at the heart of much historical change. Many today believe that innovative Englishmen created the Industrial Revolution on their own. But Russell will convince you that the genetic creativity of New World cotton plants and their Amerindian evolutionary partners were equally, if not more, important. This book will change the way you think about the past and deepen your understanding of the enduring connections between humans and nature in the present.
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
As a beginning, it offers more questions than answers. The style is easy to read and enjoyable, but it's only the beginning. Evolutionary History needs more research and application to give its potential.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very Interesting
Great book. Lots of science to understand but provides a good lesson in genetics. If you are interested in co-evolution it's a fascinating read.
Published 5 months ago by parrotmom
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly Recommend!
This ground breaking book is for anyone who loves evolutionary history and biology. This book should be on the bookshelf of every evolutionary historian and biologist! Read more
Published 7 months ago by Jennifer
2.0 out of 5 stars
Primer
This book is a long review essay of the application of Darwin's evolution theory to social phenomena. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Jackal
