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Pat Shipman

Alan Walker

The Wisdom of the Bones: In Search of Human Origins Paperback – September 2, 1997

by Alan Walker (Author), Pat Shipman (Author)

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"Fascinating. . . .  As engaging an explanation of how scientists study fossil bones as any I have ever read." --John R. Alden, Philadelphia Inquirer

In 1984 a team of paleoanthropologists on a dig in northern Kenya found something extraordinary: a nearly complete skeleton of Homo erectus, a creature that lived 1.5 million years ago and is widely thought to be the missing link between apes and humans. The remains belonged to a tall, rangy adolescent male. The researchers called him "Nariokotome boy."

In this immensely lively book, Alan Walker, one of the lead researchers, and his wife and fellow scientist Pat Shipman tell the story of that epochal find and reveal what it tells us about our earliest ancestors. We learn that Nariokotome boy was a highly social predator who walked upright but lacked the capacity for speech. In leading us to these conclusions, The Wisdom of the Bones also offers an engaging chronicle of the hundred-year-long search for a "missing link," a saga of folly, heroic dedication, and inspired science.

"Brilliantly captures [an] intellectual odyssey. . . .  One of the finest examples of a practicing scientist writing for a popular audience."
--Portland Oregonian

"A vivid insider's perspective on the global efforts to document our own ancestry."
--Richard E. Leakey

Print length

368 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Vintage
Publication date

September 2, 1997
Dimensions

5.3 x 0.93 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0679747834
ISBN-13

978-0679747833
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Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

ating. . . . As engaging an explanation of how scientists study fossil bones as any I have ever read." --John R. Alden, Philadelphia Inquirer

In 1984 a team of paleoanthropologists on a dig in northern Kenya found something extraordinary: a nearly complete skeleton of Homo erectus, a creature that lived 1.5 million years ago and is widely thought to be the missing link between apes and humans. The remains belonged to a tall, rangy adolescent male. The researchers called him "Nariokotome boy."

In this immensely lively book, Alan Walker, one of the lead researchers, and his wife and fellow scientist Pat Shipman tell the story of that epochal find and reveal what it tells us about our earliest ancestors. We learn that Nariokotome boy was a highly social predator who walked upright but lacked the capacity for speech. In leading us to these conclusions, The Wisdom of the Bones also offers an engaging chronicle of the hundred-year-long search for a "

From the Back Cover

"Fascinating. . . . As engaging an explanation of how scientists study fossil bones as any I have ever read." --John R. Alden, Philadelphia Inquirer
In 1984 a team of paleoanthropologists on a dig in northern Kenya found something extraordinary: a nearly complete skeleton of Homo erectus, a creature that lived 1.5 million years ago and is widely thought to be the missing link between apes and humans. The remains belonged to a tall, rangy adolescent male. The researchers called him "Nariokotome boy."
In this immensely lively book, Alan Walker, one of the lead researchers, and his wife and fellow scientist Pat Shipman tell the story of that epochal find and reveal what it tells us about our earliest ancestors. We learn that Nariokotome boy was a highly social predator who walked upright but lacked the capacity for speech. In leading us to these conclusions, The Wisdom of the Bones also offers an engaging chronicle of the hundred-year-long search for a "missing link," a saga of folly, heroic dedication, and inspired science.
"Brilliantly captures [an] intellectual odyssey. . . . One of the finest examples of a practicing scientist writing for a popular audience."
--Portland Oregonian
"A vivid insider's perspective on the global efforts to document our own ancestry."
--Richard E. Leakey

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage; Vintage Books ed. edition (September 2, 1997)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0679747834
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0679747833
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.3 x 0.93 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,135,915 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #240 in Prehistory
- #1,656 in General Anthropology
- #2,111 in Archaeology (Books)

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SirGeorge

Superb Study of a Superb Discovery

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2019

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"The Wisdom of the Bones" is the story of a fascination journey into the science of paleoanthropology. The discovery of the nearly entire skeleton of the Turkana (or Nariokatoma) boy in Kenya in 1984 set the study of ancient man back on its heels. This youth (perhaps dying at only 9 or ten years old) has shown that the species we call Homo Erectus or Homo Ergaster was not a hunched-over brutish sort of ape-like creature, but a tall, gracile young man whose body would be hard to distinguish from those of modern, arid-country-dwelling people. And he lived about 1.6 million years ago! The main differences are to be found in his brain size and thus his intelligence and capabilities. At his death he stood five feet tall; it is estimated he would have reached six feet had he lived. This marvelous book searches through every possible bit of information that can be gathered about him from only his bones; the authors and their team call upon many experts in vary specialized fields to study and advance theories about the boy's abilities and what his life may have been like. Was he a tool-user? could he speak? Can his intelligence be intimated from such things as his hearing ability and the shape and contours of the inside of his skull? Every time you think all has been learned, another expert comes up with an idea for study that produces amazing results.
Make "The Wisdom of the Bones" by Alan Walker and Pat Shipman part of your Library of Ancient Man. You will read it more than once.

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W. B. Abbott

Our nearest ancestor, with a modest brain, upright gait, a talent for sharp stone tools, and a gathering / hunting way of life.

Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2013

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This terrific book focuses on the Nariokatome Boy, a 1.6M yr old Homo Erectus’ skeleton. World-class excavator and discoverer Kamoya Kimeu found the first pieces, Richard Leakey's team spent 5 years patiently digging and sifting a volume of earth the size of a house to find the rest. Alan Walker and Meave Leakey re-assembled the skeleton. (Both are temperamentally suited to the work- as children, they flipped their jigsaw puzzles over and built them picture-side-down, cardboard-side-up, because the pictures made it too easy!)

Once the skeleton is in hand, in Kenya's anthropological museum, Walker describes the history of discovery and understanding of Homo Erectus, including the previously discovered fossils found in Java, China, South Africa and East Africa. The scientific descriptions were published by Walker, based on his own work as an anatomist, and collaborators around the world who could add skills and understanding he didn't have.. The Boy is most complete Homo Erectus skeleton so far. Like us. But not us. Pat Shipman, Walker’s wife, is gifted writer. The story is his, the voice hers.

This book is so interesting and well written that I read it out-loud to a 10 year old at settling down and going sleep time. I've re-read it many times and given at least half a dozen copies away.

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John R. Evans

A 'must read' if the subject interests you

Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2014

Even though it's 18 years since this classic account was published, it's still very relevant. Back in the 1980s the 'Nariokotome boy' was the most complete erectus skeleton discovered, and Alan Walker and his co-workers used the opportunities it gave for in-depth study quite brilliantly, and with some surprising results. This book was the outcome.
One of the great things about it is that Walker gives full credit to all those who collaborated, starting with Kamoya Kimeu and his 'gang' who made the first discoveries, Richard Leakey who did much of the early work with him, B Holly Smith who determined how old the boy was at death, and many others. The clear insights into how they thought and worked are fascinating, a credit to Pat Shipman's writing of Walker's story.
The only reason I hesitated about giving the work its 5-star rating was the 'sag' in pace about 1/3 the way in, where it gives too detailed an account of earlier discoveries of erectus fossils and their fate.

2 people found this helpful

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Dick Marti

Your intro to the Nariokotome boy

Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2007

Palaeoanthropology is a favorite topic of mine; I've read quite a few books on human origins and evolution, but this one is one of the best. The author does not merely dig up this skeleton of the Nariokotome boy, a 9-12 year old Homo erectus, describe it, and then move on to the next set of bones. Rather, he inquires deeply into everything this skeleton can tell him about its species and to do this the author wisely does not depend only on his own skills, which are considerable enough, but elicits the cooperation of other experts who are more narrowly focused on specific anatomic parts. Thus the pelvis is farmed out to experts and the author receives information that allow conclusions regarding brain size at birth. The author faxes measurements of the vertebrae to another expert and receives information relevant to motor control of intercostal muscles and how this may be important for speech. The teeth are studied in detail to learn what they can tell us of the boy's age and maturation pattern in comparison to humans and chimpanzees. While the author devotes much of the first part of this book to describing the history of human paleontological investigations, particularly as they relate to Homo erectus, the latter part of the book is a highly skilled description of what can be gleaned from dry bones dead 1.7 million years when experts collaborate and cooperate. The author says that his wife, his co-author, actually did most of the writing. If true, she has done a marvelous job describing her husband's work as if we are hearing it from him. I hope to see more published by these two.

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Mr stephen p barlin

Excellent read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 25, 2016

Verified Purchase

Great book readable by anyone. It conveys the excitment of working in the field of human evolution but the principles and ideas put forward here are good sound science. I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in what it means to be human.

J. Blue

Wordy but Fascinating.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2015

Verified Purchase

This was recommended to me and it is very interesting and engaging....rather a wordy writing style but not so bad as to detract from the subject matter.

One person found this helpful

Liam Flahive

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2015

Verified Purchase

excellent value and quality

Cliente de Amazon

Gran descubrimiento

Reviewed in Mexico on June 8, 2017

Verified Purchase

El libro relata la investigación de un descubrimiento de restos fósiles específicamente de una especie, sin embargo, también relata características de otros descubrimientos. Investigación muy completa sobre el descubrimiento y da puntos de vista muy interesantes acerca de la evolución que la especie descubierta presentaba. En general muy bien escrito y fácil de leer, aunque no representa un libro que englobe toda la historia de las especies involucradas en la evolución humana.

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