“This two volume hardbound set aims to provide a fairly comprehensive reference work to the fascinating area of human evolution; or as the book terms it “an authoritative and accessible source of information about the hominin clade of the tree of life.” (Reference Reviews, 2012)
Editor Bernard Wood and a veritable “who’s who” of scholars have produced a volume (in fact two) that is unquestionably the most authoritative and thorough compilation of information regarding human evolutionary studies ever packaged between two (actually four) hardcovers. Often such encyclopedic undertakings end up resembling a soup dish – broad and shallow. Not so the Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Human Evolution. It is destined to become the true tureen (broad and deep) of this genre for years to come. This compilation is a stunning editorial achievement and should find a place on the book shelf of any serious student of paleoanthropology - at ~ 900 pages, it is guaranteed to fill, both literally and figuratively, the gap in any personal or academic library.
"This is both an enjoyable and a truly useful book. If you're rolling in money, go and get it; if not, check it out from the library fast. It'll be an old friend before you know it." (Evolutionary Anthropology, 2012)
"In addition to being an excellent resource for one's own research, Wood's encyclopedia is indispensable for preparing lectures at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. It provides comprehensive treatments of topics that one should remember (but inevitably does not) from their own graduate training. The paleoanthropological perspective and focus on each topic is very useful and difficult to find anywhere else". (UCL Anthropology, 2012)
"The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia's overall comprehensiveness is assured not only by the very ecumenical view of paleoanthropology's scope that is so amply reflected in the volumes' diverse coverage, but by the division of the extensive subject-matter into a huge number of snappy bite-sized pieces." (Elsevier, 2 January 2012)
"As Senior Editor, Professor Wood has assembled a resource of great value to a wide audience across the disciplines. Nowhere else is there a complete inventory of fossils by site of discovery! Francisco Ayala's graceful introductory essay is followed by a list of topics that gives a unique overview of the riches beyond in the full entries. The level of detail is superb, but not overwhelming. About 2500 references." (Professor Caleb E. Finch, University of Southern California, 2011)
"The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Human Evolution is to date the most comprehensive and up-to-date source of information on the topic. It is top-level science made appealing to professonals and non-professionals alike. Its cleverly structured cross-indexed entries make it an irreplaceable book for anyone interested in Paleoanthropology, an absolute must..." (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 2011)
"Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Human Evolution is the most comprehensive and authoritative compilation of information pertaining to the origin of humans that currently exists. Most importantly these volumes are accessible and "user friendly" to the amateur as well as the most sophisticated specialist. I refer to these volume regularly." (The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 2011)
"Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers." (Choice, 1 October 2011)
Bernard Wood is the University Professor of Human Origins in the Department of Anthropology at George Washington University, and Adjunct Senior Scientist at the National Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian Institution. He is a medically-qualified paleoanthropologist who moved into full-time academic life in 1972. He holds the degrees of B.Sc., M.D., Ph.D., and D.Sc. from The University of London. In 1982 he was appointed to the S.A. Courtauld Chair of Anatomy in The University of London, and in 1985 he moved to the Derby Chair of Anatomy and to the Chairmanship of the Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Liverpool. He was appointed the Dean of The University of Liverpool Medical School in 1995 and served as Dean until his move to Washington in the fall of 1997.When he was still a medical student he joined Richard Leakey's first expedition to what was then Lake Rudolf in 1968 and he has remained associated with that research group, and pursued research in paleoanthropology, ever since. His research centers on increasing our understanding of human evolutionary history by developing and improving the ways we analyze the hominid fossil record. He is the author of numerous publications and Director of the Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology at GWU.
