Primate Diversity [Paperback]

Dean Falk (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0393974286 | ISBN-13: 978-0393974287 | Publication Date: February 22, 2000 | Edition: 1

Primate Diversity successfully synthesizes a thorough look at current primatology research while providing a careful examination of a variety of species.

This well-written, accessible text offers an extensive introduction to the field, its methods, and the animals themselves.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Academically first-rate as well as a bestseller....I am more convinced than ever of the need for Dean's book. -- Jay R. Kaplan, Wake Forest University

Falk's text is written in a highly effective and engaging style. It appears very well-organized and does a good job of covering many aspects of primate biology. -- John C. Mitani, University of Michigan

About the Author

Dean Falk is professor of anthropology at Florida State University and honorary professor of human biology at the University of Vienna. Since receiving her Ph.D. in biological anthropology from the University of Michigan in 1976, her research has focused on early hominids, brain evolution, comparative neuroanatomy, and cognitive evolution (including language origins). Research on cranial blood flow and australopithecine endocasts led Falk to develop the "radiator theory" of brain evolution and to question the conventional interpretations of certain fossils. Falk is the author of Braindance: New Discoveries About Human Origins and Brain Evolution.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (February 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393974286
• ISBN-13: 978-0393974287
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #289,727 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Animals > Apes & Monkeys
  • #43 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Zoology > Primatology

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book for introductory primate course, September 25, 2000

By 

K. A. I. Nekaris (Carbondale, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Primate Diversity (Paperback)

I am using this book for a university level primate survey course. Though some books are now available for upper level primate behaviour and ecology courses, few of these books are accessible to beginning students, many of whom do not yet "know" they have an interest in primatology. This book is up to date, provides pertinent information on the Order Primates in a wonderful easy to read style. This information is accompanied by equally delightful drawings. Furthermore, despite her "accessible" writing style, Falk also introduces the beginning student to many of the important controversies in the study of primate behaviour and evolution.

6 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Better books are out there, January 8, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Primate Diversity (Paperback)

I have been working for a number of years teaching primatology courses, and find this text to be dead last in the list of ones I might choose to assign to my students. If one has little respect for the undergraduate students to whom one is teaching primatology, then it might be OK, but some professors take their jobs seriously. It is a bit light on science, has nice pictures with cutsey captions, and frankly shows an atypical lack of modesty for a scientist in that the author has had herself drawn as the model human in all her cladograms. Whether this book is poor because the author does not believe college students to be capable of comprehending a worthy text (like that of John Fleagle), or because she does not understand theory-driven issues herself is not clear, but in later editions more attention needs to be paid to issues scientific relevance.

More effort needed on this one before it is passable.