Product Description
How does bison meat taste after being frozen for 30,000 years? Were Ice Age cave painters trying to create "art" or just record history? How did ancient oil spills occur, before there were oil companies to create them? Those are just some of the questions renowned paleontologist Bjorn Kurten answers in this collection of lighthearted essays on fossils, ancient life, and related topics. Written for the general reader, these lively pieces range from a look at how scientific theories are created to some new views of old myths. Among the topics Kurten examines are the history of the Mediterranean Sea, the origin of birds, the theory of plate tectonics (continental drift), and the discovery of Piltdown Man, the "missing link" fossil forgery that fooled scientists for more than 40 years.And, true to its title, the book offers a humorous "recipe" for freezing a mammoth that is tundra-tested, if not totally foolproof. "You may have to expend a few hundred mammoths before everything works out," the reader is cautioned, "But there are plenty of them." (Although the author hasn't tasted the fruits of his mammoth recipe, he did feast on some ancient bison meat that dated from 30,000 years ago. Kurten described the taste as "agreeable.")Throughout these essays Kurten brings the prehistoric world alive with enthusiasm and humor, emphasizing that paleontology is the study of those that lived long ago instead of those who are long dead. As he says, "Isn't it more fun to see a dinosaur as something that used to live, rather than as the monstrous heap of bones which it happens to be at present?" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great collection of popular science essays
_How To Deep-Freeze a Mammoth_ by Bjorn Kurten is a collection of fourteen essays of about four to ten pages each. Most of the essays in the book were originally published in a Swedish version, which were then translated by Erik H. Friis, and then rewritten, updated, and expanded for this book by the author (the Swedish version is copyright 1981, while this work is copyright 1986). A number of black and white drawings by Hubert Pepper accompany the book.The book is 117 pages long and was a quick read; I read it in a day.

A rather enjoyable, for the most part easy to read book, the first four essays dealt with the author's opinions about the world of science as a whole, contrasting it with the world of pseudoscience. Along the way Kurten attacked some of the more egregious examples of pseudoscience, such as several Nazi "scientists", the Soviet "geneticist" Trofim Lysenko, Creationism (which he dealt with only very briefly), and the Swedish writer Ivan Troeng, who wrote a book claiming that the moon originated in the Pacific Ocean 11,800 years ago as a result of collision between the Earth and a smaller celestial body. Kurten disliked the fact that pseudoscientists point to individuals who truly revolutionized their fields, like Darwin, Mendel, and Galileo, and when the pseudoscientists offer their revolutionary ideas and are rejected by mainstream science, claim that they are being persecuted just as these individuals were (Kurten asserted that simply so much more is known that a true and utter revolution is just not possible anymore). Additionally, Kurten pointed out that the pseudoscientist sets out to prove something; he or she has a preconceived notion of what really exists, and unlike a real scientist his or her mind is closed to alternative possibilities. By way of contrast Kurten provided an example of a successful revolution, of a theory that was met with a lot of skepticism at first but was later accepted, that of plate tectonics.

The remaining chapters dealt more specifically with issues and ideas in paleontology, with essays on the geological and paleontological history of the Mediterranean Sea (which I thought was a bit too brief), ancient natural oil spills, the science and politics of _Archaeopteryx_, the process whereby mammoths and other Pleistocene mammals were preserved more or less intact, and the first Europeans (I found that chapter a bit technical).

One of my favorite chapters dealt with an unusual 20 million year old fossil, that of a Miocene rhinoceros of the genus _Diceratherium_, discovered in 1935 in Grant County, Washington state. The fossil was found by hikers, who thought at first that they had found a very odd cave with some bone fragments. Upon investigation it was discovered that the cave was a mold of an extinct rhinoceros, one apparently formed when flowing lava engulfed the (apparently bloated) carcass of the animal, a mold not unlike those found at Pompeii. Kurten discussed how the lava was able to preserve this form without igniting the body and what was learned from the fossil (the wrinkles and folds of the skin were even preserved).

Another chapter I enjoyed was one on Piltdown Man, without a doubt the most famous forgery in the history of paleontology (if not science as a whole). Not particularly familiar with this history of this controversy, it was interesting to learn that even when the fossil was first produced it was not immediately accepted. "Dualists" believed that the braincase belong to a man and the lower jaw to that of an ape, while "monists," who believed it, pointed out that no anthropoid ape was known from Pleistocene Europe and that teeth were worn down in the same way as found in humans. Even after the famous second Piltdown "discovery" ("Piltdown II") and before the specimen was dated using fluorine content, there were problems accepting the Piltdown Man as real; originally it was thought in hominids that the brain evolved first, then the teeth and jaws, but instead _Australopithecus_ proved that this was just the opposite, that it had human-like teeth but a brain closer to that of an ape. Piltdown Man just didn't fit in. Kurten in the end debunked every find associated with Piltdown Man, even the idea that the fossils could have been found there in the first place; it was later shown that the chemical properties of the Piltdown gravel were not conducive to fossil formation and preservation.

Another interesting chapter dealt with Neandertals. Kurten speculated that the prominent eyebrow ridges had evolved to give the Neandertals an intimidating glare, a threatening glance to frighten other organisms, a feature not unlike the false eyes developed by some defenseless animals such as several butterfly species.

The chapter on cave art was excellent and was accompanied by a number of illustrations. Kurten mentioned in passing that the larva of a gadfly is one of the animals found represented in a particular cave; a small figurine made from jet of a larvae was discovered. This may have represented one of the animals eaten by man at the time, as these larvae, which are found inside the skin of reindeer, are a delicacy among modern Inuit. Kurten discussed the role cave art played and discussed their possible religious and magical purposes (briefly mentioning that the term cave art may be a misnomer, that likely the late Pleistocene landscape was "studded with pictures" not unlike highway billboards, with art placed on rock walls, tree trunks, and boulders). Kurten favored the notion that it may have been used for instructional purpose for children, noting that the animals were often rendered with very precise detail, so precise that it took zoologists to notice it (for instance animals clearly in heat were depicted), and that it was produced for its own enjoyment (noting the many very erotic depictions of women, something generally passed over in popular surveys, a few of which were produced here and are not for kids).
... Read more

Product Description
In thisdynamic account, award-winning science writer Ann Gibbons chronicles an extraordinary quest to answer the most primal of questions: When and where was the dawn of humankind?Following four intensely competitive international teams of scientists in a heated race to find the “missing link”–the fossil of the earliest human ancestor–Gibbons ventures to Africa, where she encounters a fascinating array of fossil hunters: Tim White, the irreverent Californian who discovered the partial skeleton of a primate that lived 4.4 million years ago in Ethiopia; French paleontologist Michel Brunet, who uncovers a skull in Chad that could date the beginnings of humankind to seven million years ago; and two other groups–one led by zoologist Meave Leakey, the other by British geologist Martin Pickford and his French paleontologist partner, Brigitte Senut–who enter the race with landmark discoveries of their own. Through scrupulous research and vivid first-person reporting, The First Human reveals the perils and the promises of fossil hunting on a grand competitive scale. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Who Knew Paleoanthropology Was So Dangerous!
Ann Gibbons does a wonderful job pulling back the veil on the backbreaking, contentious, and often life-threatening work of paleoanthropologists.Delving deep into the politics of both the land and the infighting of the scientists she captures the passion for our human history that those working in this field must possess, and their hopes of finding that impossible find: a new hominid species.Tim White's publication of his find, Ardipithecus ramidus, in 2009, really began back in 1994 with the discovery of a fossil so delicate and fragile it took over a decade to fully excavate and restore it.This book really emphasizes how difficult this field is and the hardships these scientists go through to flesh out the story of our ancestry.

What this book is NOT is a direct recounting of human evolution, rather it is the story of the scientists and the refining of the scientific process itself, which is still a fascinating and wonderful read.It should give those who are not directly involved in science a better appreciation for the sacrifices that scientists make in order to bring an ever greater understanding of ourselves and the universe in which we reside.And I have to say, as a scientist myself, I am blown away by just how dangerous and deadly the work of paleoanthropologists can be.These guys are hardcore!

Superb hiistory of human archeology.
This author has a very keen perception and understanding of how archeologists work and think. In particular, as it applies to human evolutionary discoveries, she gives the reader such an in-depth understanding of how present-day humans look for their own ancestry with an intensity that gives her story a real-life picture of how it all developed. This intensely human aspect supported by the true science of discovery makes this book a real pleasure to read. Her research on the subject must be incredible and is obviously very professional.

First Human
This book is OK., but is not up to date. The Humans found in Atapuerca, Spain and especially those from Dmanisi in Georgia are missing.

How Being Human can get in the way of Finding Humans
Anne Gibbon's book covers the competitive, combative, political and sometimes nasty relationships as well as many other not so nice characteristics that come with being human even in the honorable pursuit of scientific discovery. She chronicles the discoveries from the original Leakey'sto the Toumai skull and teeth found by Michael Brunet in 2002.There were two other finds in the previous ten years that can claim the title of earliest member of the Human Family.The lack of absolutetitle of "The First Human" is due to three problems : first is that a clear definition of the characteristics of belonging to the Human family is not clearly defined or agreed upon;secondly each find is a different part of the skeleton and of multiple individuals so any clear comparison is also impossible; and finally our innate human character to be open minded to our own beliefs and closed to all others. What's fascinating is that our (human) group dynamics is the same regardless of pursuit - This could be Barbarians of the Gate with the only difference that it takes place in the remote dry regions of Africa rather than the plush skyscrapers of Manhattan.

The First Human
This book, while highly readable and almost chatty, contains some excellent scientific content. Iplan to read just about anything Ann Gibbons writes on this or a related subject in the future. ... Read more

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Discusses prehistoric life from the appearance of the first tiny plants to the first people. ... Read more

Product Description
Paperback, 216 pages.ABSTRACT

Skeletal remains of an archaic man were found in the Great Basin of the United States.Radiocarbon date is 3500 years.Distinguishing features include protruding brows unlike those of any other hominid species, archaic or modern.The skull is broad based and the posterior view differs from that of modern man.Presented are 18 photographs of skull parts, 7 photographs of body and extremity bones, and 69 photographs of paleolithic artifacts.The claim is well supported that this is a newly reported species, and it is given the name Homo americanus.

It is proposed that this archaic species made and used the paleolithic artifacts found in huge numbers in the region.Appendixes I and II add parts of the author's books, Earliest Man of America in Oregon, U.S.A.; with photographs of paleolithic artifacts, and Originations of Life from Volcanoes and Petroleum.Some paleolithic tools are claimed to be 3-4 million years old.The author bases his theory of multiple originations of life on fundamentals of geology, physics, chemistry, biology, and observations of plants and animals.The presented archaic man found in North America provides additional support for that theory. CONSISTENT RECENT REPORT

Amy Dansie, an anthropologist at the Nevada State Museum reported 10,000 hours studying 550 burials excavated prior to 1900 in the Great Basin in Nevada, including five over 9000 years old.She noted, "The 9,000 to 9,500-year-old Spirit Cave Man, Wizards Beach Man, and Kennewick Man share some distinctive traits not often found in later western Native Americans, but which may be a combination of traits of a pre-racial common ancestor of all modern humans, and the emerging proto-Indian."Society for American Archaeology Bulletin, 17:30, at 31., May 1999. ... Read more

Product Description
In the last few hundred years, Africa has witnessed the slave trade, the ivory trade, the diamond trade, and the rubber trade, each representing a separate chapter of discovery and exploitation. In the 1920s, another type of "trade" burst onto the stage with the discovery of our oldest human ancestors, beginning with the Taung Child, Australopithecus africanus, found in South Africa in 1924. Then came the sensational discoveries in East Africa made by Louis and Mary Leakey in the 1950s and 1960s, and by their son in the late 1960s. Their discoveries produced unprecedented scientific "wealth" about our origins and instantly captured the public's attention. Although trafficking in humans and extracting minerals can hardly be equated with the pursuit of human origins, their respective quests have followed a similar trajectory: exploration, discovery, territorial competition, and personal gain.When the search for fossil hominids shifted to the Horn of Africa in the 1970sÑspecifically, the Afar Depression of EthiopiaÑthe stream of fossil and artifact discoveries that followed produced the longest and most complete single record of human fossil or artifact remains in the world. This book takes us behind the scenes of the explorations in this unique desert area, focusing especially on the 1970s, when the valley was first mapped and many fossils and archaeological sites were discovered, but continuing to the present. As co-founder of the expedition that discovered Lucy and leader of most of the first site-surveys in the Afar, Jon Kalb has years of experience with the region, its politics, and the scientists involved in the excavations. A participant himself in the "bone wars" that accompanied these discoveries, Kalb recounts the cut-throat competition and back stabbing that often were part of the media-highlighted race to find the oldesthominid fossil. He weaves this story in the rich fabric of Ethiopian society and politics, including the overthrow of Haile Sellassie (whose neighbor he was for a time), the brutal dictatorship that followed, the plight of the region's peoples, and the international maneuverings for control of the fossil finds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Fresh View on Looking at Old Fossils
I thought all this time that seeking old fossil material in some hot dry place would be boring but this book took away that idea.Its really entertaining, besides being full of facts about the part of Africa where we might have started being human.
I would recommend it to any one who wants to chuckle and learn at the same time...

Stoned in Ethiopia!
Wow! If you like science, this book has it all. Kalb gives a serious accounting of plate tectonics, geology, anthropology, paleoanthropology and politics. Both the politics of Ethiopia and of hominid anthropology.
This is the second book that I have read where Don Johanson, discoverer of the Lucy fossil, is lambasted. I am beginning to believe that Johanson left alot of people in his wake, including Kalb, on his way to fame and fortune. Kalb even gives details of Johanson's marijuana smoking exploits. Scandalous!
It is Kalb who worked behind the scenes to elucidate the geology of the Afar region of Africa and set the stage for the advancement of many discoveries in the field of paleoanthropology. And he did it while dodging the bullets of a communist revolution! Kalb survives even though he is suspected of being a CIA operative planted in Ethiopia under the guise of his scientific mission. Kalb suspects that it was his falling out with Johanson that caused this little tidbit of doubt to be planted in the minds of the Ethiopian government. Kalb spends alot of effort over a few years fighting this charge, but he eventually loses and is expelled from Ethiopia.
Kalb's story includes his sometimes angst ridden dealings with the Ethiopian government, who it seems are caught in the middle of a struggle of competing groups to exert dominance over the rich fossil beds of the Afar triangle. The struggle is not just between competing organizations of American science, but also between the Americans and a French team that comes close to stealing the show.
The only flaw in the book is the way that Kalb weaves the recent history of Ethiopia into the book. That could have been a book in and of itself. Kalb is best when discussing geology and anthropology. The Ethiopian revolution and subsequent war with Somalia and Eritrea is distracting to the reader. Kalb's first hand journalist account of the struggles of the Ethiopian government is superb, but it would have stood on it's own. Kalb tried to write two books in one and almost pulled it off.
One of the reasons why I read this genre of books is that it always offers surprises. One of Kalb's characters, Doug Cramer, assists in creating a couple of interesting fireside stories. Cramer taught Anatomy at NYU medical school. As an alumnus of NYU medical school, I remember Cramer well. We used to call him "The Viking" for his looks and demeanor. Cramer used to tell us that he was a "pastist", and now, twenty-five years later I understand what he meant. I am sure that Kalb could easily have written a book solely dealing with Cramer's antics.
This is a must read for any armchair paleoanthropologists like myself. I am now inspired to read "Lucy" again given all the information I have about Johanson. The book was a page turner for me and I think that you will enjoy it.
Thank you, Jon Kalb, for your contribution to paleoanthropology. I hope that you can get back to Ethiopia to make some of the discoveries that you say will eventually be unearth there.

Down and dirty with J Kalb
The geology is a bit daunting, but the book is quite readable for anyone with a smattering of earth science background.

The inside poop on competing researchers is funny as hell. Kalb shows SOME restraint in detailing Johanson's efforts to block his (Kalb's) access to the Afar, more restraint than was called for if Kalb's claims are true...

Insights into the politics and history of Ethiopia abound.

Great stuff overall. Well written.

Fascinating reading!
Kalb takes a subject which could be as dry as old bones in a desert and makes it living and fresh.He combines real life drama with an informative tour of the competitive worlds of geology and anthropology.A fellow member of the Texas Coalition of Authors told me, "He is the personification of Indiana Jones."

I have read many books and many soon become a weariness of the flesh (Ecclesiastes 12:12) but not this one.It is fascinating reading; informative and entertaining.

A Truly Superior Book about Doing Science.
This is a book about exploring for humanoid fossils in the Afar Depression of Ethiopia from 1967 to 1976 during the overthrow of the Haile Selassie government and the beginning of the Derg--Mengistu Marxist regime.Rare indeed is the book that gives a good sense of the ambience along with immense readability. It is mostly about the geology and anthropology of the Ethiopian Rift Valley, but anyone interested in science will find this book fascinating because it is really a story about "doing" science: the fun, the people, the jealousies, ambitions, dirty pool, and and an exceedingly fine discussion of why the digging and excitement occurs in Ethiopia.

This book must have caused its publishers agonies of indecision. It doesn't fit usual categories: It is a personal memoir; an account of Ethiopian history; an overview of the geology of the rift valleys and a thorough discussion of the activities of anthropologists searching for human ancestors along with explanations of how they know where to look for these goodies. the whole thing is interspersed with amusing and exciting anecdotes. The geology part of this book is as fascinating as anything you are likely to read. Partly this is because the Afar Triangle is such a formidable place, parts of which are among the lowest and hottest areas on earth. But don't think that this is a geology text book--far from it. I could say a whole lot more in favor of this book, but you get the idea that I think it is superior--well worth a good look. ... Read more

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One of the world's most beloved science writers tells the fascinating story of human evolution, from the first signs of life on earth three and a half billion years ago to the emergence of modernhumankind. ... Read more

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Seeking to disprove the theory of human evolution, the author examines the fossils of the so-called "ape men." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (66)

Great work! Detailed findings
I thought this book was fantastically researched with great detail. Lubenow really did his work in writing this book. It shows all the cover-ups and swept-under-the-rug details by evolutionists with the so-called ape-men. I would recommend this book to anyone showing an interest in the facts of ancient man.

Ugh
What an insult to science....How could this have even been published? At least it admits its just creationist nonsense...

Very interesting, but still some holes for me
I really enjoyed reading this book even though I walked away wanting to read another book on the matter to hopefully clear up some points.The author provided a lot of great data and compelling information, but at the end I still felt there were questions and holes that he either did not answer or could not answer.The ending chapters were definitely the weakest parts in the book (and not necessary to the otherwise well-researched content) and some of the logic he used to "prove" his points did not seem very scientific (I didn't feel that way about the rest of the book).Overall though, it's a good resource and provides a thorough outline of the human fossil record.He exposes many details about the hoaxes, why the human recordappears to rule out evolution, how the scientific community deals with fossils, etc.He provides insight about how fossils are examined, how dating occurs, how guesses turn into "facts," and then how those guesses become the foundation for other theories and other dates.

Enlightening and Comprehensive
"Bones of Contention" is the most comprehensive and concise work available dealing with the erroneous theory of human evolution. I was amazed about how false and inconsistent the story of human evolution really is. Lubenow easily disintegrates the theory of human evolution and brings to light what evolutionary paleoanthropologists would rather you didn't know. There is so much misconception, misinformation and deceit that it makes you wonder why more people don't know about it.
It is clearly shown that there IS NO chronological or morphological sequence in the fossil record at all. You quickly realise that evolutionists only show you the fossils that make a sequence. They ignore all the other fossils that totally destroy any possible sequence.
Lubenow deals with every relevant fossil, from `lucy' to the Neanderthals, and he also deals with many concepts relevant to this subject like genome comparisons and the laetoli footprints.
This is a must have book for anyone interested in a critical look at human evolution.
Five Stars

Great book. Very informative
Got here fast, and in great shape. Good book very informative. five stars cause Im very pleased with this order. ... Read more

Product Description
We are interested in the evolution of hominin diets for several reasons. One is the fundamental concern over our present-day eating habits and the consequences of our societal choices, such as obesity prevalent in some cultures and starvation in others. Another is that humans have learned to feed themselves in extremely varied environments, and these adaptations, which are fundamentally different from those of our closest biological relatives, have to have had historical roots of varying depth. The third, and the reason why most paleoanthropologists are interested in this question, is that a species' trophic level and feeding adaptations can have a strong effect on body size, locomotion, "life history strategies", geographic range, habitat choice, and social behavior.

Diet is key to understanding the ecology and evolution of our distant ancestors and their kin, the early hominins. A study of the range of foods eaten by our progenitors underscores just how unhealthy many of our diets are today. This volume brings together authorities from disparate fields to offer new insights into the diets of our ancestors. Paleontologists, archaeologists, primatologists, nutritionists and other researchers all contribute pieces to the puzzle.

This volume has at its core four main sections:

· Reconstructed diets based on hominin fossils--tooth size, shape, structure, wear, and chemistry, mandibular biomechanics
· Archaeological evidence of subsistence--stone tools and modified bones
· Models of early hominin diets based on the diets of living primates--both human and non-human, paleoecology, and energetics
· Nutritional analyses and their implications for evolutionary medicine

New techniques for gleaning information from fossil teeth, bones, and stone tools, new theories stemming from studies of paleoecology, and new models coming from analogy with modern humans and other primates all contribute to our understanding. When these approaches are brought together, they offer an impressive glimpse into the lives of our distant ancestors. The contributions in this volume explore the frontiers of our knowledge in each of these disciplines as they address the knowns, the unknowns, and the unknowables of the evolution of hominin diets. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Lot More "Unknown" than "Known"
I bought this book because I am interested in the proper diet for humans at our stage of evolution, but really didn't learn much in that regard.While it is clear we didn't evolve eating grains, and our ancestors consumed less omega-6 fatty acids and more omega 3's, what is not clear to me is the evolutionary effects of fructose, saturated fats, and cooked proteins.If that is because science doesn't yet know, that would explain the vagueness of the conclusions in that regard, but it also diminishes the value of the book.Also, while the essays near the end of the book addressed the difference between past human diets and today's, they sometimes lumped all animal proteins and all animal fats together, without distinguishing between today's typical grain-fed birds and animals and those raised on organic pasture land.Overall, I found the book somewhat interesting, but not particularly helpful.

If you are interested in knowing more about our ancestor's diets, and how we have evolved over the last 100,000 years, but you already know our ancestors' diets consisted of more omega-3 fatty acids and virtually no grains, this book may be of limited value to you. ... Read more

Product Description
The Human Fossil Record series is the most authoritative and comprehensive documentation of the fossil evidence  relevant to the study of our evolutionary past. This second volume covers the craniodental remains from Africa and Asia attributed to the genus Homo. In this monumental and groundbreaking new series, the authors use clearly defined terminology and descriptive protocols that are applied uniformly throughout. Organized alphabetically by site name with detailed morphological descriptions and original, expertly taken photographs, each entry features:

• Location information

• History of discovery

• Previous systematic assessments of the fossils

• Geological, archaeological, and faunal contexts

• Dating

• References to the primary literature ... Read more

Product Description
This engaging introduction to the human prehistoric past presents the chronicle of human physical and cultural evolution. Rather than an encyclopedic, all-inclusive survey of the human evolutionary story, this text presents human prehistory within a framework of themes, issues, and debates. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great overview of human development
This was the text for an intro to archaeology course I ended up dropping. Since I'll be signing up for the course again next spring, I decided to read it anyway.

Most of my archaeology background comes from books like Lekson's The Architecture of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico (Chaco Canyon Series), Cordell's Prehistory of the Southwest (New World Archaeological Record), and Reed's Chaco's Northern Prodigies: Salmon, Aztec, and the Ascendancy of the Middle San Juan Region after AD 1100 on Ancestral Puebloans (AKA Anasazi or Hisatsinom) in the Four Corners area. So it's good to get a more general background from Feder.

Feder weaves recent research into his narrative, making his book as current as books get.

He also discusses different methods of dating, and many other techniques that reveal prehistoric cultures.

His descriptions of field research in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe make me want to do fieldwork even more, especially after exploring Chacoan Great Houses and Anasazi outliers.

A faculty member in West Valley College's Park Management program recommended Renfrew's Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice (Fifth Edition) as a more complete text. I haven't read it so I don't know how it compares.

Feder's Past in Perspective reads a bit more like a New York Times bestseller than a textbook.

His out-of-print Lessons From the Past: An Introductory Reader in Archaeology reprints relatively recent articles about unusual archaeological applications in forensics, and in reconstruction of recent history, like combatant movements during the battle of the Little Bighorn.

Both books will give you a general idea of what archaeology is about.

Review for Past in Perspective
Book was shipped almost immediately, and in better condition than described. Would buy from this seller again.

Strong on Fossil Forms, Weak on Latter-Day Cultures
I have used this book for about three years in my archaeology class, discontinuously I must admit. It's good for those who want a strong biological perspective in humankind's cultural evolution, but it comes up short when it comes to regional civilizations. Treatment of the state-level societies in each region (e.g., Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Mesoamerica, Andean America) could be more detailed, and the book would be easier to follow if it used a sequence of culture model for each region from its Neolithic to florescence to decline. In treating fossil hominids and their material culture, from the earliest human and humanlike forms through the Lower Paleolithic to the Mesolithic traditions and their makers, however, this is a solid presentation.

Putting more than the past into perspective
Kenneth Fader's "The Past In Perspective" is a book designed for those who wish to learn the basics regarding the field of archaelology. Focusing on the cultural evolutions of mankind, Fader never lapses into thejargon so popularly found in some textbooks. This is a book designed tointroduce over five million years of human evolution, so naturally it isbest for those who are new to the topic. Although I used this book for myarcheology class, it contains information that could interest anyone with aflair for history. All in all, it is easy of to follow and does its best torepresent all sides ofarguments that are presented, although at times itseems to stress a war between religous and evolutionary ideas that may, ormay not exist as much as the author would like them to. ... Read more

Product Description
The Early Pleistocene sediments of Peninj, west of Lake Natron (Tanzania), contain a wealth of archaeological and paleontological sites formed during the emergence of the genus Homo and the extinction of the last australopithecines. Peninj has preserved tantalizing evidence that hominids, living in an open savanna, were acquiring animal resources through predation. Evidence also suggests that hominids repeatedly visited points on the landscape to conduct specific and distinct activities, such as butchering or tool manufacture. The lithic assemblage reveals complex planning in stone tool production and use, and the oldest evidence of woodworking. The results of the research described here constitute a major contribution to the study of human evolution and to reconstructing the behavior of early Homo erectus. (Oxbow Books 2010) ... Read more

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One of a new series of full-color, magazine-style books about some of history's most fascinating characters offers readers a new and interesting perspective on "Lucy," the prehistoric times in which she is believed to have lived, and her significance to human history. ... Read more

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This volume brings together faunal analysts working at many sites spanning the East African Pliocene. Although most chapters focus on the vertebrate fauna of particular localities, authors take a broad approach that seeks to compare paleoenvironmental and paleoecological patterns across localities and among various taxonomic groups. This volume aims to synthesize large amounts of faunal data, and to present the evolution of East African vertebrates in the context of environmental and climatic changes during the Pliocene.

Product Description
Taking us back roughly 45 million years into the Eocene, "the dawn of recent life," Chris Beard, a world-renowned expert on the primate fossil record, offers a tantalizing new perspective on our deepest evolutionary roots. In a fast-paced narrative full of vivid stories from the field, he reconstructs our extended family tree, showing that the first anthropoids-the diverse and successful group that includes monkeys, apes, and humans-evolved millions of years earlier than was previously suspected and emerged in Asia rather than Africa. In The Hunt for the Dawn Monkey, Beard chronicles the saga of two centuries of scientific exploration in search of anthropoid origins, from the early work of Georges Cuvier, the father of paleontology, to the latest discoveries in Asia, Africa, and North America's Rocky Mountains. Against this historical backdrop, he weaves the story of how his own expeditions have unearthed crucial fossils-including the controversial primate Eosimias-that support his compelling new vision of anthropoid evolution. The only book written for a wide audience that explores this remote phase of our own evolutionary history, The Hunt for the Dawn Monkey adds a fascinating new chapter to our understanding of humanity's relationship to the rest of life on earth.Illustrations: 14 color illustrations, 26 b/w photographs, 22 line illustrations ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

If you liked "The Link", you'll love "Hunt for the Dawn Monkey"
I picked up Chris Beard's The Hunt for the Dawn Monkey after reading The Link: Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor, which discussed the hyped-up primate fossil called Ida. I was fascinated by the paleontological debate surrounding the evolution of monkeys and apes (known collectively as anthropoids). However, The Link only skimmed the surface of the debate and, frankly, did not provide enough evidence to prove that anthropoids evolved from lemur-like ancestors (adapids). I wanted more and believe I made the right decision in choosing Beard's The Hunt for the Dawn Monkey.

Chris Beard is an expert in primatology from the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh. His book goes into great detail about the debate over primate evolution. He spends a lot of time discussing the lines of evidence supporting the various theories of anthropoid evolution. He starts with the earliest expeditions and ends with his own discoveries in China. Much of the evidence for all sides comes from fossil dentition, so dentists will enjoy this book. However, while Beard explains the science in detail, he writes clearly and avoids too much jargon, allowing non-dentists (like me) to follow his chain of reasoning.

Beard's proposed thesis is that primates evolved neither from adapids or tarsier-like ancestors (omomyids), but rather from a third proto-anthropoid. He bases his conclusion largely on Eocene primate fossils he discovered in China (Eosimias - literally the "dawn monkey") that look more like anthropoids and haven't yet specialized to the same degree as tarsiers and lemurs. I personally found his conclusions convincing - more so that the "adapid theory" proposed in The Link. However, more importantly, Beard goes through each theory and objectively describes the evidence for and against. In fact, most of the book dwells on the evolution of the debate over primate evolution rather than simply pushing his argument. I found this useful for readers who were not initiated into the debate. While Beard has his own preferred theory, he provides enough evidence for readers to make their own decisions.

This book was published before The Link, but I think it is still definitely worth reading. The authors of The Link criticize Beard's thesis for relying too much on statistics and fragmented fossils, rather than whole specimens like Ida. Beard has responded in an op-ed suggesting that Ida is merely another adapid/lemur, not an ancestor of anthropoids ([...]). Even if the Ida fossil changes the debate, The Hunt for the Dawn Monkey will provide you with the necessary context and background to be able to look at this debate objectively and intelligently.

In short, if you liked The Link and have the time and patience to read a more thorough book, you'll love The Hunt for the Dawn Monkey. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1974 in a remote region of Ethiopia, Donald Johanson, then one of America's most promising young paleoanthropologists, discovered "Lucy", the oldest, best preserved skeleton of any erect-walking human ever found. This discovery prompted a complete reevaluation of previous evidence for human origins.

In the years since this dramatic discovery Johanson has continued to scour East Africa's Great rift Valley for the earliest evidence of human origins. In 1975 this team unearthed the "First Family", an unparalleled fossil assemblage of 13 individuals dating back to 3.2 million years ago; and in 1986 at the Rift's most famous location, Olduvai Gorge, this same team discovered a 1.8 million-year-old partial adult skeleton that necessitated a reassessment of the earliest members of our own genus Homo.

Johanson's fieldwork continues unabated and recently more fossil members of Lucy's family have been found, including the 1992 discovery of the oldest, most complete skull of her species, with future research now planned for 1996 in the virtually unexplored regions of the most northern extension of the Rift Valley in Eritrea.

From Lucy to Language is a summing up of this remarkable career and a stunning documentary of human life through time on Earth. It is a combination of the vital experience of field work and the intellectual rigor of primary research. It is the fusion of two great writing talents: Johanson and Blake Edgar, an accomplished science writer, editor of the California Academy of Sciences' Pacific Discovery, and co-author of Johanson's last book, Ancestors.

From Lucy to Language is one of the greatest stories ever told, bracketing the timeline between bipedalism and human language. Part I addresses the central issues facing anyone seeking to decipher the mystery of human origins. In this section the authors provide answers to the basics -- "What are our closest living relatives?" -- tackle the controversial -- "What is race?" -- and contemplate the imponderables -- "Why did consciousness evolve?"

From Lucy to Language is an encounter with the evidence. Early human fossils are hunted, discovered, identified, excavated, collected, preserved, labeled, cleaned, reconstructed, drawn, fondled, photographed, cast, compared, measured, revered, pondered, published, and argued over endlessly. Fossils like Lucy have become a talisman of sorts, promising to reveal the deepest secrets of our existence. In Part II the authors profile over fifty of the most significant early human fossils ever found. Each specimen is displayed in color and at actual size, most of them in multiple views. With them the authors present the cultural accoutrements associated with the fossils: stone tools which evidence increasing sophistication over time, the earliest stone, clay, and ivory art objects, and the culminating achievement of the dawn of human consciousness -- the magnificent rock and cave paintings of Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Americas.

In the end From Lucy to Language is a reminder and a challenge. Like no species before us, we now seem poised to control vast parts of the planet and its life. We possess the power to influence, if not govern, evolution. For that reason, we must not forget our link to the natural world and our debt to natural selection. We need to "think deep", to add a dose of geologic time and evolutionary history to our perspective of who we are, where we came from, and where we are headed. This is the most poignant lesson this book has to offer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

From Lucy to Language
This is a great textbook.The photos are good quality and the writing is interesting.

Excellent compilation of images depicting Human Evolution
I'd wanted this book for awhile, after seeing it at a local bookstore. But I never bought it. My boyfriend gave it to me for Christmas and I was extremely excited to get a chance to look through it thoroughly. The images are beautifully done and it's an easy read. I now keep it on my coffee table, giving everyone who comes by an opportunity to look through it. All agree that it is a great buy.

From Lucy to Langauge
This is an excellent text for those interested in paleoanthropology and human evolution in general. It is superbly illustrated and the activities of the paleontologist explained in terms that are understandable to the informed layman and provide a fascinating insight into this field.

Beautiful Book on How We Came to Be
The title of this book is at the same time both informative and misleading.

It's misleading because it actually goes back millions of years before Lucy walked the earth. And its discussion on language is quite minimal. So if you are looking for a book on language or Lucy, you might want to look elsewhere.

On the other hand, if you're not being quite this picky, this is an excellent overview of the development of humankind. Dr. Johanson was on the team that discovered Lucy, and since this is the second edition of the book which now goes back further than Lucy changing the name might not have made sense.

The book goes back further because new findings in the fossil record now go back to some 7 million years (Lucy is 3.5 millian years old).

The problems with printing any book like this are clearly illustrated by the 'Kennewick Man.' The previous edition of this book was published in 1996. A very short while later, the 'Kennewick Man' was discovered in Washington State that may completely alter the way we think the Americas were populated. This individual died about 9,400 years ago and reconstruction of his appearance from the skull remains has him looking a lot like Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart. Perhaps this lends credulence to European travellers also reaching the Americas as well as Asians coming over the Siberian Land Bridge.

This is a fascinating book, profusely illustrated with excellent photographs of fossils and commentary explaining what these fossils show.

Great
I am very pleased with my results.My package came quickly and was exactly what I was expecting. ... Read more

Product Description
Some of the most important clues indicating human brain evolution come from the cranial cavities of ancient skulls. Endocasts of these crania provide excellent three-dimensional models that yield information regarding the size, surface features, and asymmetry patterns of hominid brains. Looked at as a group, these endocasts provide essential information regarding the human brain’s overall development.

Brain Endocasts, Volume Three of The Human Fossil Record, is the only comprehensive, single-volume work dealing exclusively and uniformly with fossil hominid brain endocasts. Never-before-published photographs come together with easily accessible, coherent descriptions to create a detailed reference on the paleoneurological evidence for human evolution.

Each entry offers essential information related to the location, dating, associations, and morphology of a given endocast. The text also covers the latest methodologies and techniques available for studying endocasts. In addition, a concise summary shows how these fossil records contribute to our understanding of human evolution and behavior.

Written by some of the foremost authorities on the subject, Brain Endocasts is an invaluable resource for advanced students, researchers, and instructors in paleoanthropology, neurology, and evolutionary biology. ... Read more