Customer Reviews

On Fertile Ground: A Natural History of Human Reproduction

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Professor Ellison has written the definitive book on the physiology and life history of a central pillar of human evolution; reproduction. Moreover, this book is unique in it's elegance and treatment of human reproduction. It melds three often elusive topics that beg to be integrated, evolutionary theory, life history theory, and physiology. As a biological anthropologist with expertise in evolutionary and life history theory, endocrinology, and field methods, Professor Ellison has skillfully woven these perspectives into a concise discussion of how human reproductive physiology responds to environmental challenges. Anthropologists and physiologists have often been at odds in explaining variation in human fertility resulting in frustrating discussions involving the false dichotomy between genes and environment. Ellison rejects these simplistic notions and masterfully outlines how human reproduction consists of an interplay between the genotype and environment, resulting in adaptations that involve graded physiologic responses to ecological challenges such as caloric deficiencies and energetic expenditure. Indeed, the ability of human reproductive physiology to respond to environmental challenges seems to have been a key adaptation during human evolution. 'On Fertile Ground' is the product of years of field and laboratory research by both Ellison and his colleagues, the ramifications of which include a reexamination of human physiological variation, the constraints and selection pressures that shaped human evolution, as well as a fresh perspective on the etiology of contemporary health issues such as breast cancer. The writing is superb and the illustrations are outstanding in their detail and clarity. 'On Fertile Ground' is an extremely valuable and important contribution to contemporary biological anthropology and evolutionary biology as a whole. Indeed, 'On Fertile Ground' will be required reading for undergraduate and graduate students studying reproductive ecology in the biological anthropology program at Yale University. Ellison's work is an extraordinary achievement!

The is a beautifully crafted and engrossing description of human reproductive physiology and sociology. The non-specialist reader will learn more than he or she ever though possible about the nature of being a human being -- and be continually fascinated along the journey. Allan Watts once complained that no "Owner's Manuals" were issued to human beings. Ellison has certainly made a wonderful contribution to one.

Professor Ellison has written the definitive book on the physiology and life history of a central pillar of human evolution; reproduction. Moreover, this book is unique in it's elegance and treatment of human reproduction. It melds three often elusive topics that beg to be integrated, evolutionary theory, life history theory, and physiology. As a biological anthropologist with expertise in evolutionary and life history theory, endocrinology, and field methods, Professor Ellison has skillfully woven these perspectives into a concise discussion of how human reproductive physiology responds to environmental challenges. Anthropologists and physiologists have often been at odds in explaining variation in human fertility resulting in frustrating discussions that typify the false dichotomy between genes and environment. Ellison avoids these potential pitfalls and masterfully presents a fresh and quantitatively compelling perspective that describes the evolution of human reproduction as an interplay between the genotype and environment, resulting in adaptations that involve graded physiologic responses to ecological challenges such as caloric deficiencies and energetic expenditure. Indeed, the ability of human reproductive physiology to respond to environmental challenges seems to have been a key adaptation during human evolution. 'On Fertile Ground' is the product of years of field and laboratory investigation by both Ellison and his colleagues. The ramifications of this research include both the reexamination of human physiological variation as well as the constraints and selection pressures that shaped human evolution. In addition, this research provides a fresh perspective on the etiology of contemporary health issues such as steroid sensitive cancers. The writing is superb and the illustrations are outstanding in their detail and clarity. 'On Fertile Ground' is an extremely valuable and important contribution to contemporary biological anthropology and evolutionary biology as a whole. Indeed, 'On Fertile Ground' will be required reading for undergraduate and graduate students studying reproductive ecology in the biological anthropology program at Yale University. Ellison's work is an extraordinary achievement!

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Human Reproduction. It takes a wonderfully illistrated Anthropological approach in dealing with reproduction in terms of hormones, behavior, maturation, and aging. This book has helped me formulate some great ideas and discussions and has broadened my perspective in Medical Anthropology.

Book was informative of birth in forign cultures, so at least I got something out of it. It was by no means a nail biter though.

Ellison has done wonderful work in ethnology of human progeny. This book is included. Other reviewers have covered this issue well. Yet, like many elite "liberals" (Harvard dean qualifies you as "elite"), he is able to ignore the cultural phenomenon of abortion in the U.S. One out of six viable U.S. pregnancies ends in elective, including sex-selective, abortion. A greater ratio for African-Americans, which would qualify as "genocide," if we "liberals" were not in control of what is and is not genocide. In various locales across the globe, abortion for sex-selection reasons is well-documented. As am ethnofecunditist, surely this is known to Ellison.

Is this ethnological phenomenon included in the scope of this book? A factor that leads to the death of one out of six not-yet-born babies in the U.S.? No. This phenomenon, a cultural practice affecting nearly 20% of babies, is not worthy. Is it alluded-to, somewhere in the text? I could not find this. Others are welcome to post their observations.

If wild tigers killed 1/6 newborns across the U.S., or across the globe, there would be some cultural adaptations, and Ellison would report this. In excellent form. There are many threats to the newborn, and investment in the newborn's future is a strong parameter of our cultural behavior. Ignored by this leading ethno-obstetricologist. Unexcusable.