Secular Pinoy

What's the best indroductory book on human evolution? I've recently read The Wisdom of Bones by Alan Walker and Pat Shipman, and that got me interested in the current state of hominid evolution. So what say you guys?

BTW, I would prefer a book that is not too technical, as I am a business major, not a science major. Thanks!

cricket

Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors by Sagan/Druyan.

Secular Pinoy

Yes, as I was typing my post, I did think of Sagan's book in particular. But Sagan is a astronomer, and the book is a bit dated (Early nineties, if I recall). I was thinking more of the Leakeys and Johanson. Well, I probably will try to acquire Sagan's book, as I'm a bit of a fan of his.

cricket

My nomination for a "dated" book that is excellent nonetheless is The Dragons of Eden by Sagan. (Warning: you will not be impressed by the chapter about how computers can play "hangman".)

cricket

I somewhat enjoyed Johanson's Lucy, and if you liked it you might also like The Neandertal Enigma - I don't it handy; can't remember the author's name.

The best though IMO would be

Ascent of Man – William Calvin
The Evolution of Consciousness – Robert Ornstein
The Moral Animal – Robert Wright
The Red Queen – Matt Ridley
The Evolution of Desire – David Buss
The Dragons of Eden – Carl Sagan
The Blind Watchmaker – Richard Dawkins

cricket

Those books Ive recommended -- other than Lucy and Neandertal -- are far less bonesy than most Johanson/Leakey works.

I might try to find 'the Riddled Chain' by McKee; I haven't read it yet but it looks interesting.

cricket

Do you like that distinction? I think it's useful, and I think I just invented it: "bonesy" for the Johanson/Leakey genre, vs the fluffier evolutionary psychology style books.

Secular Pinoy

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.

Quetzal

I think I'd have to throw my vote in with cricket about "Shadows...". It may be slightly dated (and not include the most up-to-date recent finds), but it does provide an outstanding non-technical primer on hominid evolution. "Dragons..." otoh, although I enjoyed it, really IS dated. If you had to choose one or the other, choose "Shadows...". BTW: Druyan IS an anthropologist, so her contribution to "Shadows..." eliminates the "Sagan is an astronomer" quibble.

I guess it depends on how technical you want to get?

Oolon Colluphid

In order of uninitiated-friendliness, I’d go for:

1. Richard Leakey’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0465053130/internetinfidelsA/" target="_blank">The Origin of Humankind</a>, which being part of the Science Masters Series is aimed at the general public. I’d also recommend Gribbin and Cherfas’s <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140294813/qid=1014639839/sr=1-1/ref=sr_sp_re/202-1478198-1847032" target="_blank">The First Chimpanzee</a>, for its emphasis on the molecular evidence, though one of their ideas is disputable (early A’piths being chimp and gorilla ancestors). Otherwise excellent for the not-too-dedicated reader.

2. Ian Tattersall’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195109813/internetinfidelsA/" target="_blank">The Fossil Trail: How We Know What We Think We Know About Human Evolution</a>. I’ve only just got a copy, but its full title seems appropriate, and the bits I’ve read look okay for the non-science person.

3. The best single-volume resource is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0521467861/internetinfidelsA/" target="_blank">The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution</a>, which is mostly okay for the intelligent layperson, if you can keep track of the details, of which there are plenty. It’s brilliant, but not the first port of call, unless you’re good at keeping track of your comparative PCRs, zygomatic arches and plesiadapiforms! One to move on to once you know your africanus from you afarensis.

Beyond those, you're into the realms of Klein, Fleagle and the degree-level texts.

And don't forget the TO <a href="http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/" target="_blank">Fossil Hominid FAQs</a>.

Hope that helps!

Oolon