Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Ergaster · 02-25-2002, 04:38 AM

The book you probably want is The Fossil Trail by Ian Tattersall. It will give you a reasonably up-to-date picture of hominid evolution, and will also outline how views have changed over time. Seems to fit your criteria best--a good overview, but not too technical and not a thousand pages long.

Deb

Quote:

Originally posted by secularpinoy:
The Blind Watchmaker??? I did mention human evolution, not just evolution in general. Hehehe. I have read it, yes, and I liked it a lot, but it didn't talk about australopithecines, homo erecti(?), and neanderthals.

Does Johanson's book Lucy talk about human evolution in general, or just Lucy in particular? Same with The Neandethal Enigma, is it centered mostly on that particular hominid? The rest, it seems, are mostly on evo-psych, and while I have nothing against it, it's also not what I had in mind.

What I'm looking for is a book detailing the latest understanding of the human family tree, from the pithecines to the early homo to sapiens, with neanderthals as side branches that became extinct. A book that doesn't revolve around one particular branch (the book I had read, The Wisdom of Bones is mostly on the Homo Erectus), but talks about all the branches.

[edited to spell the man's name right. Argh!]

[ February 25, 2002: Message edited by: Ergaster ]

Writer@Large · 02-25-2002, 05:13 AM

If you're a scientific lightweight like me, and prefer starting with something a little eaiser

, try tattersall and Schwartz's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0813339189/internetinfidelsA/" target="_blank">Extinct Humans</a>. Some science, some history, a lot of great images.

--W@L

hedonist ogre · 02-25-2002, 06:56 AM

I enjoyed From Lucy to Language by Johanson. It contains background information about what's involved in finding and dating the fossils and great photographs of most of the major hominid fossils. For each major fossil, the discovery and its place in the family tree is briefly discussed.

Secular Pinoy · 02-25-2002, 02:18 PM

Gee, thanks guys. Ok, so I might get Sagan's book after all. And I'm very much interested in The Origin of Humankind, since it's part of the Science Masters Series. The rest seem like good picks as well. I've added them all to my list. Again, thanks guys.

Valentine Pontifex · 02-25-2002, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hedonist ogre:
I enjoyed From Lucy to Language by Johanson. It contains background information about what's involved in finding and dating the fossils and great photographs of most of the major hominid fossils. For each major fossil, the discovery and its place in the family tree is briefly discussed.

Yes. If one has to get a book on human evolution,

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684810239/nationalcenter02" target="_blank">From Lucy to Language</a>.
This might be the first book on human evolution that actually concentrated on the evidence and not the personalities or the authors' discoveries.
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0813339189/nationalcenter02" target="_blank">Extinct Humans</a> is a nice book as well and is nice followup to the first one though I have some reservations on it.

Amazon is offering a combination of From Lucy to Language and Lucy: The Beginnings of Humankind. The former book is rather good read though it is two decades old and thus a bit dated.

Secular Pinoy · 02-28-2002, 03:33 AM

What a lucky break. I was going to buy those books you guys recommended next week on amazon.com. But earlier today, as I was checking out this new mall in the area, I happen to find this obscure bookshop. I wasn't expecting much since they only have a half shelf of science books, mostly illustrated books on volcanoes and dinosaurs. Then I found EO Wilson's Consilience! What a lucky treat, as I was really looking forward to read this book as well. When I picked it up, the book behind it just happens to be Richard Leakey's The Origin of Humankind! I go, wow, this is just perfect. And on the next rack below, I got Richard Feynman's Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! There was even M. Ridley's Genome, but I already have it, but felt quite happy seeing it there nonetheless.

Now, you guys might be wondering what's so great about all this. Well, you see, over here, when someone talks about science, it's usually about UFOs and astrology! Pop-sci books are a rare treat here. You'd be lucky to find a book by SJ Gould, Carl Sagan or Jared Diamond. Almost all books in the science section of a bookshop are full color illustrated books. It seems that science is best learned via pictures, and not read, or so the bookshop owners think. And when you actually get a book with few pictures, it happens to be about alien abductions (John Mack) or about the internet (No wonder, the next shelf is the computer-books section). Sigh.

Add to that that I live in one of the most fanatically religious democratic country in the world, where Darwinism and science are grudgingly accepted, at best. So my brief excursion for today is quite a haul. I would never have dreamt of getting this much in one go. I've always bought my books online, and forced to use the more expensive shipping rates if I ever wanted to get my order in less than four months, and in reasonably good condition.

Anyway, I've already started reading Leakey's tome when I got home, and paused only to go online to share this tale. I don't know how easy, or hard, it is to get a good pop-sci book in your country, but I'd bet it's a whole damn better than here. Well, time to get off my soapbox and hit the books. Again, thanks for the recommendations, guys.

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02-25-2002, 05:13 AM	#12
Writer@Large Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 7,198	If you're a scientific lightweight like me, and prefer starting with something a little eaiser , try tattersall and Schwartz's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0813339189/internetinfidelsA/" target="_blank">Extinct Humans</a>. Some science, some history, a lot of great images. --W@L

02-25-2002, 06:56 AM	#13
hedonist ogre Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 205	I enjoyed From Lucy to Language by Johanson. It contains background information about what's involved in finding and dating the fossils and great photographs of most of the major hominid fossils. For each major fossil, the discovery and its place in the family tree is briefly discussed.

02-25-2002, 02:18 PM	#14
Secular Pinoy Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Quezon City, Philippines Posts: 1,994	Gee, thanks guys. Ok, so I might get Sagan's book after all. And I'm very much interested in The Origin of Humankind, since it's part of the Science Masters Series. The rest seem like good picks as well. I've added them all to my list. Again, thanks guys.

02-28-2002, 03:33 AM	#16
Secular Pinoy Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Quezon City, Philippines Posts: 1,994	What a lucky break. I was going to buy those books you guys recommended next week on amazon.com. But earlier today, as I was checking out this new mall in the area, I happen to find this obscure bookshop. I wasn't expecting much since they only have a half shelf of science books, mostly illustrated books on volcanoes and dinosaurs. Then I found EO Wilson's Consilience! What a lucky treat, as I was really looking forward to read this book as well. When I picked it up, the book behind it just happens to be Richard Leakey's The Origin of Humankind! I go, wow, this is just perfect. And on the next rack below, I got Richard Feynman's Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! There was even M. Ridley's Genome, but I already have it, but felt quite happy seeing it there nonetheless. Now, you guys might be wondering what's so great about all this. Well, you see, over here, when someone talks about science, it's usually about UFOs and astrology! Pop-sci books are a rare treat here. You'd be lucky to find a book by SJ Gould, Carl Sagan or Jared Diamond. Almost all books in the science section of a bookshop are full color illustrated books. It seems that science is best learned via pictures, and not read, or so the bookshop owners think. And when you actually get a book with few pictures, it happens to be about alien abductions (John Mack) or about the internet (No wonder, the next shelf is the computer-books section). Sigh. Add to that that I live in one of the most fanatically religious democratic country in the world, where Darwinism and science are grudgingly accepted, at best. So my brief excursion for today is quite a haul. I would never have dreamt of getting this much in one go. I've always bought my books online, and forced to use the more expensive shipping rates if I ever wanted to get my order in less than four months, and in reasonably good condition. Anyway, I've already started reading Leakey's tome when I got home, and paused only to go online to share this tale. I don't know how easy, or hard, it is to get a good pop-sci book in your country, but I'd bet it's a whole damn better than here. Well, time to get off my soapbox and hit the books. Again, thanks for the recommendations, guys.

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