Our Rating:
Library Formats:
Book
Age Group:
Adults
Genre:
Non-fiction
Well known TV presenter Prof. Alice Roberts has co-authored this fairly lavish book, along with a number of other experts in the evolution of our species, and I think it’s fair to say that if you are a fan of Alice Robert’s work, you will find this book pretty interesting. This is the second edition, released in 2018, and updates the original 2011 version with the latest theories and evidence, reflecting the fact that this field is itself an evolving thing.
Before the book dives into how we developed from our 7 million year old common ancestor with a chimpanzee, the reader is grounded with a speedy tour/timeline of prehistoric eras, how evolution works, how fossils are formed as well as how the incredibly life-like models presented in this book are created. This book can really be read by anybody looking to begin to find out about this subject – no existing knowledge is assumed and the book is actually packed with tonnes of graphics, diagrams and illustrations.
I think this book successfully unpicks what is a complex story, exploring the 24 known species of hominin, before ending of course with the sole survivor, homo sapiens. It paints a coherent and as complete a picture as it can. I did get a slightly uneasy feeling when reading through the chapters, however, as when one expert author hands over to another the voice inevitably changes. Also, as someone who has enjoyed Alice Roberts’ previous work, I felt I did miss her excellent story-telling skills which made ‘Ancestors’ and ‘The Incredible Human Journey’ so enjoyable.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anybody with some kind of interest in this subject, as an approachable fact-filled book that can be dipped into or read cover-to cover.