Customer Reviews

The Neandertal Enigma : Solving the Mystery of Modern Human Origins

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Reading Shreeve's book is like listening to a PBS nature program on TV and not watching it. You hear interviews of famous anthropologists and then scenes of students digging at Neandertal sites or currators showing types of skulls to the author.

Shreeve does not "tell us" what to believe; his process is to "reveal" opposing thoughts and somehow let us decide for ourselves. The author lets the story revolve around two subjects that I, the reader, was really interested in: (1) who the heck were the Neandertals and did they die out, or did they mix in with the Cro-Magnon people; and (2) is there anything to the Eve hypothesis, and when did this lady start us.

The author generally lets you hear one side of the story, then the other on the Neandertals and on Eve. As he progresses it all begins to seem clearer and clearer, and actually quite interesting. The impression I received, as a reader, was, yes, there were Neandertals and they died out and did not mix in in any permanent way with the Cro-Magnons; and, yes, there is an Eve somewhere out there and she is not that far off in time.

The way Shreeve writes certainly keeps the readers interest and attention, even though he deliberately lets one scientist influence the reader one way and then another scientist turn the reader another way. It is like a book of discovery which makes the reader think and not just read.

I enjoyed reading this book, and may reread it again later to see if I missed something!

During the great space race of the cold war, Sergei Korolev, the visionary architect of the failed Soviet lunar program, included a writer as an essential part of any expedition to the moon, displaying an informed sensibility of the role of artists in interpreting the philosophical impact of science for the masses. In the spirit of Korolev's unrealized, intrepid writer, James Shreeve explores the enigmatic rise and fall of our vanished first cousins, the Neandertals, and their significance in understanding the origins of modern humans. Shreeve's work on the subject is distinctive for its highly engaging pace and style, reading like a sprawling, pan-millennial detective story, but ultimately, it is his own speculation on the nature of Neandertal consciousness - well deserved after so much exhaustive research - that makes this work such an essential read. After an absorbing globe spanning search for clues, Shreeve's odyssey though the ever shifting revelations and counter-revelations of the scientific community culminates in the brave, intuitive synthesis of facts and mysteries that is the calling of a great writer, revealing the philosophical - and spiritual - dimensions of our interest.

Shreeve's roots are in fiction, and his novelistic sensibilities are what bring this story alive. The Neandertal Enigma is testament to how essential the poetic perspective is in divining the deeper implications of science for our own self-understanding.

I enjoyed this book and found it well worth the read. I especially enjoyed learning how the theory of human evolution in itself has evolved. I can recall reading books as a kid on this topic which showed the state of human evolution in the 1960s. Much has changed.

The DNA and fossil record point to multiple branches in our "family tree". This has lead to the the author speculating on the existence of multiple human species at various times.

The book seems to focus on the homo hablis and homo erectus part of the family tree. The cement is the Neandertal. If I got it correct, Neandertal's evolved out of homo erectus. But later, another species evolved and slowly replaced the Neandertal's.

Despite being a well writen story about the current state of human evolution, the story of the Neandertal is both interesting and tragic. It ends with them disappearing about 28K years ago, attempting to emulate our direct ancestors.

The DNA sections of this book are interesting and well written. Additionally, the interactions and ego collisions of leading scientists in the field is an interesting side bar. Our knowledge of human evolution hinges on their hard work and skeptical nature.

I really enjoyed this book. I am a meteorologist with an interest in evolution in general. The sections on DNA and how to trace our roots was fascinating. The book is written from a story telling perspective as the author attempted to put together a picture of how "we" evolved. The author showed how different scientific disciplines have converged on some key concepts about our evolution. What better way to improve and build upon a theory. Like all science, it pays to be skeptical at times. The author presented the case for our evolution from several perspectives. The center piece was the Neanderthal man, how like us, share a common ancestor in homo erectus, as I understood the book. As a kid I read about human evolution and was surprised how the theories of what species are in our lineage have changed. The fact that different species of "homo" co-existed is fascinating. The fact that our early ancestors co-existed for thousands of years was also interesting. I found it tragic to see how the Neanderthal's attempted to emulate us before flickering out of existence about 28K years ago. The DNA evidence suggesting an out of Africa evolution was probably a key underlying theme to the book.

If you like science, prepare yourself for a treat. If you
like a good mystery, the same applies. If you like a well
written story, same-o. From the first phrase ("I met my
first Neandertal in a cafe in Paris..." - Who could resist
a line like that?) through the science and speculation,
Shreeve has put together a terrific tome on the Neandertals
and what we know about them. The fate of the Neandertal and
their collision with modern man is one or the greatest
riddles of all time and the author clearly conveys his
enthusiasm. His explanations of everything from prehistoric
technology to current theories are lucid and concise and
draw the reader in to the adventure. Highly recommended.

The best thing about this book is that it is not just about Neandertals or Human origins. It covers enough from peripheries of science and the humanities as well as detailed natural history to make it accessible and interesting to anyone who has the slightest interest in this confusing subject.

Though Shreve identifies the complex issues allowing us to doubt everything, the book is far from confusing and there is an enormous amount of travel and biographical notes of the people he has met that Shreve has marshalled in. By all accounts this was an expensive and time consuming book to put together and almost no stone has been left unturned.

I think the fascination with this topic is because it asks the big question - What makes us human? Fortunately, though many answers are offered, Shreve takes care not to make any dogmatic assertion and provides a balanced overview of all the ideas, key workers and key debates.

As a student, I liked the way he discussed the basics of the biological species concept showing how difficult separating species can be at times, especially if using fossils. He also shows us how lots of ideas can be manufactured only to be holed by later workers or evidence.

Most of the book is very fluid. My only criticism is the lack of more illustrations of neandertals - perhaps in colour and a lack of any detail on the classic illustration showing Ramapithecus leading to Cromagnon which has been shown so many times, though this famous picture is discussed.

I think this book shows what science is not. It is not about a solution to the problem that you can believe and cling to. Rather, it is a provisional statement of current understanding and if it seems to explain things, all the better (speaking in the context of human origins).

So many people and ideas are mentioned that this is true journalism, no holes barred, sharp, comical, witty and above all accessible.

I thouroughly recommend it to anyone.

I read this book many years ago and it is still one of my all-time favorites. It combines an anthropologist's journey to answer questions about neanderthals with the scientific debates over human evolution. It is suspenseful and thought-provoking. Mr. Shreeve is a creative, objective and often witty science writer who will make you want to read more about this fascinating science.

Though the mitochondrial DNA evidence was just starting to be accepted when this book was written, it is still an excellent resource. It will also enlighten new anthropology enthusiasts about the separate battlecamps of multi-regional and replacement theorists in the human origins debate.

If you are on this page, you should just buy the book already. Then go get The Seven Daughters of Eve by Bryan Sykes!

This book is probably already outdated, but it is still a good read. Everything about the Neandertals, as the book make clear, is the subject of often heated controversy. The author does a good job of giving all sides in the story their say, even if the to-and-fro arguments make it hard to come to come to a conclusion. There's plenty of information here in a not too-hard-to-read book.

I started this book with no interest in human origins whatsoever, and finished it with a keen interest in the field. This is due to the skill with which Shreeve presents the vast and confusing field of paleoanthropology.

What sets this book apart from others in the field is that Shreeve focuses on modern-day humans--the scientists involved in these debates--and lets us discover the ancient world through their eyes. It's easier to relate to the confusion, jealousy and occasional triumphs felt by these scientists than to a bunch of dusty, silent skeletons. The book doubles as both a great overview of paleoanthropology as well as a primer on how scientists really act. These are not cold, detached people in white coats--they really care about what they're doing, and really take it personally.

This is the best science writing I've read in many years.

An absolutely unputdownable book, written in a fast-moving non-techie style takes the reader from his or her modern home to the hearths and hunting grounds of our distant ancestors. It draws together many divergent theories into a compulsive and convincing picture of early man. I defy anyone not to want to go out and knap some flints after this!