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Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History Hardcover – February 14, 2017
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For centuries scientists have written off cannibalism as a bizarre phenomenon with little biological significance. Its presence in nature was dismissed as a desperate response to starvation or other life-threatening circumstances, and few spent time studying it. A taboo subject in our culture, the behavior was portrayed mostly through horror movies or tabloids sensationalizing the crimes of real-life flesh-eaters. But the true nature of cannibalism--the role it plays in evolution as well as human history--is even more intriguing (and more normal) than the misconceptions we’ve come to accept as fact.
In Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History,zoologist Bill Schutt sets the record straight, debunking common myths and investigating our new understanding of cannibalism’s role in biology, anthropology, and history in the most fascinating account yet written on this complex topic. Schutt takes readers from Arizona’s Chiricahua Mountains, where he wades through ponds full of tadpoles devouring their siblings, to the Sierra Nevadas, where he joins researchers who are shedding new light on what happened to the Donner Party--the most infamous episode of cannibalism in American history. He even meets with an expert on the preparation and consumption of human placenta (and, yes, it goes well with Chianti).
Bringing together the latest cutting-edge science, Schutt answers questions such as why some amphibians consume their mother’s skin; why certain insects bite the heads off their partners after sex; why, up until the end of the twentieth century, Europeans regularly ate human body parts as medical curatives; and how cannibalism might be linked to the extinction of the Neanderthals. He takes us into the future as well, investigating whether, as climate change causes famine, disease, and overcrowding, we may see more outbreaks of cannibalism in many more species--including our own.
Cannibalism places a perfectly natural occurrence into a vital new context and invites us to explore why it both enthralls and repels us.
- Print length352 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherAlgonquin Books
- Publication dateFebruary 14, 2017
- Dimensions6.5 x 1 x 9.5 inches
- ISBN-101616204621
- ISBN-13978-1616204624
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Refreshing…A jolly book, written in a breezy style, but the research behind it is impressive.”
—Sy Montgomery (The Soul of an Octopus) for the New York Times Book Review
“[A] deeply researched account. The book is full of wondrous details . . . but its most valuable contribution is in challenging ingrained attitudes.”
—The New Yorker
“Delectable reading.”
—Slate
“In this comprehensive account of a taboo practice, Schutt (Dark Banquet), professor of biology at LIU-Post, finds that cannibalism is more widespread than generally believed and proffers insight as to why different species resort to the practice of cannibalism, with plenty of scientific evidence to support his conclusions….With plenty of examples of cannibalism in humans past and present, Schutt’s well researched and suspenseful work is a must read for anyone who’s interested in the topic—and can stomach the gore.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“A delightful mixture of humor and scholarship. Erudite, amusing and often moving, this is a compelling examination of a serious topic.”
—BookPage
“A wide-ranging, engaging and thoroughly fun read.”
—Science News
“Cannibalism has seemingly always held a place of the utmost abhorrence in human society. But why, asks Schutt, when cannibalism is such a normal part of nature as a whole? In a witty, often funny, and thoroughly fascinating study, Schutt delves into cannibalism as an everyday occurrence throughout the animal kingdom….VERDICT Schutt’s writing is delightfully accessible…and utterly captivating.”
—School Library Journal, starred review
“A learned, accessible, and engaging approach to a meaty and always-controversial subject.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“The perfect literary entrée for those willing to contemplate mummy umami or Tex-Mex placenta while touring the history of animals and people eating their own kind.”
—Scientific American
“Schutt mixes science and history with equal deftness, never indulging in gore for the sake of shock value. His scholarly approach, bolstered by his own investigations and interviews…all make for an endlessly fascinating read.”
—Seattle Book Review
"A fascinating exploration of a normally taboo subject."
—John de Cuevas, contributing editor, Harvard Magazine
“Bill Schutt serves up a deliciously entertaining smorgasbord of scientific reality. He gives us a deeper insight into the way nature really works.”
—Darrin Lunde, Museum Specialist, Smithsonian Institution, and author of The Naturalist.
“Butterflies do it. So do some toads, birds, and polar bears. Did dinosaurs do it? What about the Neanderthals? And what about us, for that matter? If you're hungry for a fun, absorbing read about which animals eat their own kind and why, read this book.”
—Virginia Morell, New York Times bestselling author of Animal Wise: How We Know Animals Think and Feel
“A clear-headed, sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic—and always fascinating—compendium of one of Western culture’s strongest taboos. From the Australian redback spider to the Donner Party, Schutt examines the evolutionary purposes that eating one’s own can serve. But he goes beyond scientific explanation to show how deeply cannibalism is woven into our own history and literature.”
—Cat Warren, New York Times bestselling author of What the Dog Knows: Scent, Science, and the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World
"A masterful and compulsively readable book that challenges our preconceived notions about a behavior often sensationalized in our culture -- and frequently misunderstood in the scientific world.”
—Ian Tattersall, author of The Rickety Cossack and Other Cautionary Tales from Human Evolution
“A fun, entertaining read, and Bill Schutt’s insatiable curiosity for his subject is infectious. If you’re a fan of Mary Roach, you’ll definitely want to check this out.”
—Gina Nicoll, Book Riot
“This wonderful book will speak to the science-minded, to folks who like history, or to anyone who’s crazy-curious about taboo subjects like this.”
—Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm Sez
“Drawing from an impressively broad span of history and zoology, and with a good dose of humour, Bill Schutt offers a fascinating and not-too-gruesome exploration of cannibalism as it appears in both human society and the animal kingdom…. Delightfully engaging and entertaining.”
—Winnipeg Free Press
“A well-organized, thorough, and highly readable study of a phenomenon few of us pause to think about. This is a book you can sink your teeth into.”
—The East Hampton Star
From the Back Cover
Until just recently, cannibalism was considered rare and abnormal in both humans and other animals. Now zoologist Bill Schutt surveys the latest research and delves into biology and anthropology, as well as history, literature, mythology, and pop culture, to bring us the first full-scale work on what science has come to recognize as completely natural behavior.
“Butterflies do it. So do some toads, birds, and polar bears. Did dinosaurs do it? What about the Neanderthals? And what about us, for that matter? If you’re hungry for a fun, absorbing read about which animals eat their own kind and why, read this book.” —Virginia Morell, New York Times bestselling author of Animal Wise: How We Know Animals Think and Feel
“A deliciously entertaining smorgasbord of scientific reality. Schutt gives us a deeper insight into the way nature really works.” —Darrin Lunde, Museum Specialist, Smithsonian Institution, and author of The Naturalist
“From the Australian redback spider to the Donner Party, Schutt examines the evolutionary purposes that eating one’s own can serve.But he goes beyond scientific explanation to show how deeply cannibalism is woven into our own history and literature.” —*Cat Warren, New York Times bestselling author of What the Dog Knows
“Schutt’s well researched and suspenseful work is a must read.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Algonquin Books; First Edition (February 14, 2017)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 352 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1616204621
- ISBN-13 : 978-1616204624
- Item Weight : 1.19 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.5 x 1 x 9.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #771,515 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #600 in Natural History (Books)
- #2,878 in Biology (Books)
- #2,935 in Cultural Anthropology (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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About the author

Bill Schutt (@BillSchuttBooks and billschutt.com) is a vertebrate zoologist, author and Emeritus Professor of Biology at Long Island University.
Bill's new book, "Pump: A Natural History of the Heart" has already garnered great reviews from Publisher's Weekly (starred review), The Wall Street Journal, Booklist, Library Journal and elsewhere. Readers can purchase Pump wherever books are sold.
Schutt's last non-fiction book, "Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History" (Algonquin) examines the phenomenon of cannibalism in nature and among humans. With great reviews from The New York Times (Editor's Choice), Boston Globe, Publisher's Weekly, Scientific American and The New Yorker, "Cannibalism" was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon and was a Goodreads Choice Awards finalist. "Cannibalism" was illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne, renowned artist and Schutt's long-time friend and AMNH colleague.
Schutt is currently finishing up his first solo novel and is also working on a new popular science book about teeth.
Schutt's first book, "Dark Banquet: Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood-Feeding Creatures" garnered rave reviews from the likes of E.O. Wilson and the New York Times. The Library Journal and Amazon.com both named Dark Banquet one of the "Best books of 2008". Additionally, Barnes and Noble selected "Dark Banquet" for its 2008 "Discover Great New Writers" program.
Bill's first novel, "Hell's Gate", (w/ J.R. Finch) was published by William Morrow/HarperCollins in 2016. "Hell's Gate" is the first in a historical-science thriller trilogy featuring R.J. MacCready, the Indiana Jones of zoology. "Hell's Gate" received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and Kirkus Reviews and counts James Cameron, Alice Cooper, Clive Cussler, and James Rollins as fans.
Book two in the R.J. MacCready Trilogy "The Himalayan Codex" hit bookshelves in June 2017 with a starred review in Publisher's Weekly, and the "The Darwin Strain" was published in 2019.
Bill Schutt was born in New York City and grew up on Long Island. After graduating from Lindenhurst High School, he attended Southampton College before graduating from C.W. Post with a BA in Biology. Schutt then attended SUNY Geneseo where he earned a Master's Degree in Biology.
Schutt enrolled at Cornell University under the mentorship of John W. Hermanson where he began studying various aspects of anatomy, evolution, and behavior in bats. Initially, Schutt investigated the passive digital lock, a ratchet-like mechanism that allows some bats to hang for extended periods of time without muscle fatigue. Gradually, Bill became more involved in the study of vampire bats - their anatomy, evolution, behavior, and especially, their ability to move efficiently on the ground. Schutt maintained a colony of vampire bats at Cornell for three years. Schutt and his coworkers used the force platform and a hi-speed camera to study the forces generated during flight-initiating jumps by the common vampire bat. After graduating with a Ph.D. from Cornell in 1995, Bill taught for three years at Bloomfield College in New Jersey while simultaneously working on a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History with Nancy Simmons.
In 1998, Bill Schutt accepted a faculty position at Southampton College (Long Island University). In 2005, he transferred to his undergraduate alma mater, LIU-Post, where he was a Professor of Biology (teaching undergraduate courses in Human Anatomy and Physiology, Comparative Anatomy and Vertebrate Paleontology) until he took an early retirement in 2020 (after 22 years at LIU). Bill is now a full-time author and maintains strong ties to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), where he is a Research Associate in the Department of Mammalogy.
Bill Schutt has been an active member of the North American Society for Bat Research (NASBR) for 26 years, serving on their Board of Directors for eight years.
Bill lives in New York with his wife and son.
Readers can learn more about Bill Schutt at his website www.billschutt.com and Facebook page (Bill Schutt, author). They can also contact him via email at william.schutt@liu.edu and follow him on Twitter (@BillSchuttBooks) and GoodReads (Bill Schutt, Author).
For Interviews & Media, contact Amanda Dissinger - Senior Publicist, Hachette Book Group, Amanda.Dissinger@hbgusa.com
For Speaking Engagements, contact Ashley Himes at Hachette Speakers Bureau, ashley.himes@hbgusa.com
Agent for nonfiction: Gillian MacKenzie - Gillian MacKenzie Agency - gmackenzie@gmalit.com
Agent for Fiction and Young Readers: Elizabeth Rudnick - Gillian MacKenzie Agency - erudnick@gmalit.com
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I’d read about large-scale, survival cannibalism in China/PRC during the “Great Leap” of 1958-61. But the author glossed over the non-famine, political cannibalism, which took place during Mao’s 1966-76 Cultural Revolution. That is a period rarely spoken about, even in China, and I read only one translated book about those atrocities—best word for said events. Although author avoids the 1960s-70s, he does discuss other rarer types of cannibalism practiced by the Chinese over the past 2500 years.
With both Kindle and Audible versions to hand, I was able to read the beginnings of each Kindle chapter, and then I listened to narrator Tom Perkins read the chapters I chose. Author does a journeyman’s-job explaining Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE) including Kuru, CJD, scrapie, and “Mad Cow Disease.”
Note that there are chapters in this book—such as the upteenth retelling of the Donner family—that didn’t interest me.
10/10 would read again, 10/10 would buy again, 10/10 would zoom meet with the author over tea.
I seriously adored it. I cried when I finished it. Looking for more by the same offer and definitely looking into he recommended reading material. (Eat Thy Neighbor was impossible to put down).
tl;dr U F-ING LOVED IT AND I HATE READING.
Top reviews from other countries
From the first page to the last page, this book is filled with genuinely fascinating revelations and surprising facts about cannibalism across a range of species (including humans), providing a balanced and objective consideration of the practice that effectively challenges Eurocentric ideas around nature and morality.
By no means is this book encouraging you to eat your co-workers, but it does encourage readers to reconsider their preconceptions around cannibalism and learn some interesting science/history along the way.
Honestly one of my all time favourites.
Would highly recommend for anyone who's interested in expanding their knowledge base.
- It is well researched (facts from the litterature and conversations with scientists)
- The writting style of the author is halfway between science paper and casual conversation (easy to read)
- And I've always had a curiosity associated with zoology (I am extremely biased)
Though I must add that I was/am not a big fan of the epilogue, but it didn't affect my appreciation for the book as a whole.
The book fails on every level of analysis. The anthropological, archaeological, and sociological evidence and theoretical approaches that he mentions are well and truly out of date. The author is subjective, and fails to apply any scientific methodology to his analysis - surprising since they guy is meant to have a PhD and works at a natural history museum. The chapter on cannibalism in the future is completely ridiculous. There are far better and more insightful books available. Save your money and buy yourself a good coffee and a donut you won't regret it.



