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The Naked Ape: A Zoologist's Study of the Human Animal [Paperback]

Desmond Morris
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)

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Book Description

April 13, 1999 0385334303 978-0385334303
"A startling view of man, stripped of the facade we try so hard to hide behind."  In view of man's awesome creativity and resourcefulness, we may be inclined to regard him as descended from the angels, yet, in his brilliant study, Desmond Morris reminds us that man is relative to the apes--is in fact, the greatest primate of all.  With knowledge gleaned from primate ethnology, zoologist Morris examines sex, child-rearing, exploratory habits, fighting, feeding, and much more to establish our surprising bonds to the animal kingdom and add substance to the discussion that has provoked controversy and debate the world over. Natural History Magazine praised The Naked Ape as "stimulating . . . thought-provoking . . . [Morris] has introduced some novel and challenging ideas and speculations." "He minces no words," said Harper's.  "He lets off nothing in our basic relation to the animal kingdom to which we belong. . . He is always specific, startling, but logical."
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Frequently Bought Together

The Naked Ape: A Zoologist's Study of the Human Animal + The Human Zoo: A Zoologist's Study of the Urban Animal (Kodansha Globe) + The Naked Woman: A Study of the Female Body
Price for all three: $36.00

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Here is the Naked Ape at his most primal - in love, at work, at war. Meet man as he really is: relative to the apes, stripped of his veneer as we see him courting, making love, sleeping, socialising, grooming, playing. Zoologist Desmond Morris's classic takes its place alongside Darwin's Origin of the Species, presenting man not as a fallen angel, but as a risen ape, remarkable in his resilience, energy and imagination, yet an animal nonetheless, in danger of forgetting his origins. With its penetrating insights on man's beginnings, sex life, habits and our astonishing bonds to the animal kingdom, The Naked Ape is a landmark, at once provocative, compelling and timeless. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

"A startling view of man, stripped of the facade we try so hard to hide behind." In view of man's awesome creativity and resourcefulness, we may be inclined to regard him as descended from the angels, yet, in his brilliant study, Desmond Morris reminds us that man is relative to the apes--is in fact, the greatest primate of all. With knowledge gleaned from primate ethnology, zoologist Morris examines sex, child-rearing, exploratory habits, fighting, feeding, and much more to establish our surprising bonds to the animal kingdom and add substance to the discussion that has provoked controversy and debate the world over. Natural History Magazine praised The Naked Ape as "stimulating . . . thought-provoking . . . [Morris] has introduced some novel and challenging ideas and speculations."

"He minces no words," said Harper's. "He lets off nothing in our basic relation to the animal kingdom to which we belong. . . He is always specific, startling, but logical." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


Product Details

  • Paperback: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Delta (April 13, 1999)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0385334303
  • ISBN-13: 978-0385334303
  • Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.7 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #51,553 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Desmond Morris was born in 1928. Educated at Birmingham and Oxford universities, he became the Curator of Mammals at London Zoo in 1959, a post he held for eight years.

In 1967 he published The Naked Ape which has sold over 10 million copies worldwide and has changed the way we view our own species forever.

An accomplished artist, TV presenter, film maker and writer, Desmond Morris's books have been published in over thirty-six countries.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
48 of 50 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic December 30, 1999
Format:Paperback
Desmond Morris wrote "The Naked Ape" in the late 1960's, and it is a classic which established the field of evolutionary anthropology. His ideas were revolutionary at the time, and he clearly says so. If there is a fault in the book, it is that he covers too much ground too quickly. I think his purpose at the time, however, was simply to condition the reader to thinking of people as an animal that has been subject to the forces of biological evolution on the Savannah for 98 percent of our evolution. Our species only formed farming communities 10,000 years ago.

Much of Morris's conjecture has been turned into solid research in more recent years. For example, studies have found that males are sexually attracted to females having a waist/hips ratio of 0.7. This is universal among contemporary societies including primitive societies. When shown diagrams of women having different waist/hips ratios, male members of the primitive societies chose the 0.7 ratio and specifically indicated child bearing ability being linked to it. Females universally are attracted to males having a waist/hip ratio of 0.85.

The argument between nurturing versus evolution is likely to continue. This book started the argument. It is certainly a serious argument. Some readers may prefer not to think as humans as being animals. Some readers, particulary those interested in newer cultural trends such as feminism, may find certain of Morris's arguments objectionable. The material is oriented towards understanding how biological evolution of Homo Sapiens has affected their social behavior. It is not directly related to how to get along with your lover or spouse. However, the book was as thought provoking today as when it was written. It is an excellent introduction to the field of evolutionary anthropology.

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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Naked As In Stripped Of Our Illusions Of Self September 8, 2005
Format:Paperback
If human beings ever make contact with an intelligent species from beyond planet earth, then the observations those "people" might make about us would probably read quite a bit like the ones evolutionary zoologist Morris makes in this humorous but deadly serious study of the human animal. The very things we have come to see as mundane about ourselves are the very traits Morrison zeroes in on here. Very little escapes this careful study, although in some cases humanity might collectively wish it had. In this book the human species is anatomically, psychologically, sociologically and biologically cataloged and classified. We read a dispassionate critique of our mating habits, the ways in which we raise our young, our preferences for foods, for where we live, for how we interact with one another, and what bodily features are universally desired over others. In the end I was left both amazed and embarrassed to be among the membership in this great and crazed life form.
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49 of 56 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars the naked ape September 29, 2000
Format:Paperback
This book can rightfully be called a classic. It represents an early account of the ways in which an evolutionary perspective can illuminate human behavior. It confronts a wide range of subjects, from the signaling value of postures to the role of infant crying. The use of a carnivore model to interpret the evolution of the human family is admirable, in its attempt to link such a phenomenon with knowledge of other animals, if misleading. All this said, however, The Naked Ape should be read cautiously by anyone seeking a current understanding of similar subject matter. For example, Morris' claim that human behavior should best be understood in complex nations such as Britain (p. 51:"The only solution is to take average results from large samples of the most successful societies. The small, backward, and unsuccessful societies can largely be ignored.") represents an assumption since turned on its head by evolutionary psychologists. Read alone, this book will generate interest but too-often misinform; read in combination with more recent work (e.g. Pinker's How The Mind Works) this book can be seen as most valuable.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to understand for non-native English speaker
Quite shocking view for human being ourselves, but very impressed.
Yes, we human belongs to one of ape species. Read more
Published 13 days ago by Yoshimasa Jimba
5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Deal
Great book. Told it like it is. Truly fascinating. If you like science this is a must read as it was it college once upon a time.
Published 1 month ago by DAVID FRANK LAMPKE
5.0 out of 5 stars RELEVANT
Not only is this an extremely interesting book, it's also interesting how well it has stood up over time. Still relevant!
Published 1 month ago by Dragonfly
5.0 out of 5 stars Good as when I read it as a kid
Definitive treatise on the human animal's ability to evolve its society faster than it can evolve itself. A must read for anyone today who thinks we're "civilized."
Published 1 month ago by G. Glick
5.0 out of 5 stars Two thumbs up!
This book should be distributed in schools to spread critical thinking and to destroy ignorance. Every page is a fantastic reservoir of knowledge. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Pedro
3.0 out of 5 stars The book has aged with me
I really enjoyed this book when it first came out but now, of course, I'm older and have a larger point of reference. Read more
Published 5 months ago by desertwiffie
5.0 out of 5 stars Years Ago
Read this years ago and consider it one
of the best books I have read. Planning to read it again.
Published 6 months ago by Nole
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Book
This book contains some very interesting views on human's possible aquatic past which inspired me to do some additional research on the subject.
Published 7 months ago by lolitabean
5.0 out of 5 stars the origin of God
well.... if you still did not, you simply must.... believer or not, no matter..... you will understand a lot of yourself and the culture around you
Published 8 months ago by Michal
3.0 out of 5 stars Revolutionary in 1967, Not So Much Today
The Naked Ape was certainly an important book for its time, as it helped people think about themselves and their fellow humans in a different light. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Glenn Gallagher
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