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Born in Africa: The Quest for the Origins of Human Life
Africa does not give up its secrets easily. Buried there lie answers about the origins of humankind. After a century of investigation, scientists have transformed our understanding about the beginnings of human life. But vital clues still remain hidden. In Born in Africa, Martin Meredith follows the trail of discoveries about human origins made by scientists over the last hundred years, recounting their intense rivalry, personal feuds, and fierce controversies as well as their feats of skill and endurance.
The results have been momentous. Scientists have identified more than twenty species of extinct humans. They have firmly established Africa as the birthplace not only of humankind but also of modern humans. They have revealed how early technology, language ability, and artistic endeavour all originated in Africa; and they have shown how small groups of Africans spread out from Africa in an exodus sixty thousand years ago to populate the rest of the world. We have all inherited an African past.
The results have been momentous. Scientists have identified more than twenty species of extinct humans. They have firmly established Africa as the birthplace not only of humankind but also of modern humans. They have revealed how early technology, language ability, and artistic endeavour all originated in Africa; and they have shown how small groups of Africans spread out from Africa in an exodus sixty thousand years ago to populate the rest of the world. We have all inherited an African past.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published May 10, 2011
48 people are currently reading
793 people want to read
About the author
Martin Meredith
20 books249 followersMartin Meredith is a historian, journalist and biographer, and author of many acclaimed books on Africa.
Meredith first worked as a foreign correspondent in Africa for the Observer and Sunday Times, then as a research fellow at St Antony’s College, Oxford. Residing near Oxford, he is now an independent commentator and author.
Meredith’s writing has been described as authoritative and well-documented, despite the pessimism inherent in his subject matter.
He is the author of Diamonds, Gold and War, Mugabe: Power, Plunder – which sold over 15 000 copies in South Africa, and The Struggle for Zimbabwe’s Future, The State of Africa and Nelson Mandela: A Biography, among many others.
His most recent book is Born in Africa, published by Jonathan Ball Publishers.
Meredith first worked as a foreign correspondent in Africa for the Observer and Sunday Times, then as a research fellow at St Antony’s College, Oxford. Residing near Oxford, he is now an independent commentator and author.
Meredith’s writing has been described as authoritative and well-documented, despite the pessimism inherent in his subject matter.
He is the author of Diamonds, Gold and War, Mugabe: Power, Plunder – which sold over 15 000 copies in South Africa, and The Struggle for Zimbabwe’s Future, The State of Africa and Nelson Mandela: A Biography, among many others.
His most recent book is Born in Africa, published by Jonathan Ball Publishers.
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August 26, 2023
I often wondered what would I want to become when I grow up. This answer kept changing constantly until when I finished my graduation. At that point I was sure I wanted to go into the Oldest human profession and my career started evolving since then.
Wait, Hold your horses… It is not what you think. Banish your nasty thoughts. The oldest Profession that the world has seen is Tool Design and Manufacture. Human Evolution took a decisive step when our ancestors evolved into two legged Humanoids and thereby left their two hands free to do something that improved our life. Last 2 Million Years transformed us. All from a simple Ape like creature that fashioned a rough Hammer for Hunting and slowly the history took a decisive turn. This brought us to the fore front of the Food chain and made us cross the frontiers in space.
Often - not just by the right wing, fundamentalists, but even the Liberal believers - a question that puts people in a corner is, how Science Keeps changing its Answers every time. As new discoveries and Technologies open up, some of the old findings get revised. This is usually construed as the inconclusive nature of science. They compare this against the answers that Organized religion and their scriptures provide to them which they claim is conclusive.
Many of these so-called believers point to the evolution of Man and the role of Gods hand in it.
I have a long-time acquaintance of me, - who is obviously with Right wing extreme organization - came up to me and said, " I don't believe what 'your ' Science says on Human evolution, specifically Darwin's theory. Science is not trustworthy and not dependable as it keeps changing what it says. I believe only my Scripture because it gives me a conclusive answer"
I was for a moment in a bind. Then when I thought about it, I realized that exactly is why Science and its answers are remarkable!
Science goes by the available Data and proof to Define an idea, analyze that to form Hypothesis and further validate it to form theories. Of course, as new data is available and this whole process is repeated and sometimes the theories have to be dumped to form new Theories, findings and their inferences. This how a Democratic system works.
It is easy to imagine something and to hold on to it as a strict dictum without any proof or validation, just by quoting the will of God. That is simply a belief. But it is quite something else to dare the claims of the scriptures and validate them. When someone asserts something as a word of God and refuses examination, I find that imposing and I can never accept it.
Science is a journey that defines and punctuates the human development. If one must understand this, the whole book is about that and about the experience that went with it.
It all started with a bunch of scientists in 19th Century who followed Darwin who was the first to unravel the origin of Humankind.
Expectedly, Darwin's theory, at that time, shook the foundations of Organized religions that had always put man as the superior being and as an image of God. The Catholic religion and every other Organized religion after that, which subscribed to that thought felt the tremors.
The implications of Darwin’s theory were profound. It opened up the possibility of a world without purpose, or direction, or long-term goal, a world that seemed to be no more than a product of chance. It stripped humankind of its unique status and was seen to undermine Victorian respect for hierarchy and social order. Above all, it threatened the very foundations of Christian belief and morality. On one of his visits to the British Museum, Darwin was pointed out by a clergyman as ‘the most dangerous man in England’.
While the highly conservative scientific Community slowly came around his theory, they initially did not subscribe to his ideas completely. Even though they agreed to his theory about Primates being the ancestors of present-day human reluctantly, his thoughts about the Humankind first evolving out of Africa did not gain wide acceptance. Soon there started a mad rush among the scientists to establish that their country as the place of the genesis where the pioneer species evolved - finding the the missing link. Britain, Germany, and France were among the western nations to fiercely go behind that.
This also gave rise to a scam that held the world of science at ransom for almost 40 years. Many Scientists in the UK subscribed and endorsed this either out of ignorance or with some ulterior motive.
“The gap was soon filled by one of the most audacious hoaxes in history—a fossil find that fooled the British scientific establishment for more than forty years. In 1908, it was said, a labourer digging in a gravel pit at Piltdown in southern England found fragments of thick human skull which he passed to Charles Dawson, a local lawyer and amateur fossil hunter. Over the next few years Dawson visited the site frequently, and in 1911 he found another fragment from the same skull. He took his finds to Arthur Smith Woodward, the Keeper of Geology at the British Museum and an eminent palaeontologist, who expressed keen interest in them.
In 1912, Woodward set off for a summer of digging at Piltdown, joining Dawson and a French palaeontologist, Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. By the end of the season they had found three more pieces of skull bone along with an apelike jaw, assorted mammal fossils and a few crude stone tools—altogether a remarkable haul. Back in London, Woodward pieced together the bits and pieces to produce a reconstruction of the skull; and in December 1912, he unveiled it at a crucial meeting of the Geological Society, naming it Eoanthropus dawsoni—‘Dawson’s dawn man’.
…
A leading neuroanatomist, Grafton Elliot Smith, who specialised in brain studies and supported the ‘brain-led-the-way’ school, concurred with Woodward that Eoanthropus dawsoni—or Piltdown Man, as it was popularly known—represented the ancestor of modern humans.“
However, later scientific advances proved this as systematic hoax perpetrated with help of leading scientists of the day.
“when Kenneth Oakley of the Natural History Museum subjected the fossils to a new dating technique, the fluorine absorption test. The tests established that they were relatively modern. Subsequent investigations swiftly revealed the hoax. Every single one of some forty finds at Piltdown had been forged and planted there: The skull fragments belonged to a modern human, 600 years old; the jawbone belonged to an orang-utan estimated to be 500 years old; the teeth had been filed down to produce a human pattern of wear; all the objects had been carefully stained to give them an aged appearance. What was astonishing was that so many eminent scientists had allowed such a crude forgery to pass without challenge for so long. Piltdown Man was no ordinary hoax: It was a systematic campaign carried out over several years. The early skull fragments were created in advance and salted with the intention that more extensive finds would be planted at a later stage. Pieces were put together to fit in with the prevailing view about what an ancestral human should look like. Convinced of its authenticity, some scientists—including Sir Arthur Smith Woodward—continued to work at the Piltdown site for years in the hope of finding more evidence. In 1948, on his deathbed, Woodward had dictated the text of a book entitled The Earliest Englishman.”
When the Hoax was busted, the next focus was on Asia. Nobody gave a second though to Darwin’s thought that Africa could be the cradle of the Evolution. Slowly and painstakingly the field Scientists and Researcher from Africa could convince the reluctant “Experts” from the west who were sitting in the comfort of their Seat in London or some other city in Europe and dishing out their theories. People like Dart, Leakey (s) and Johnson could slowly turn this around by their Ground braking findings from Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa to start with and slowly moving across African melt pot. Lucy, the first upright Hominid to be unearthed had to face Ridicule and outright rejection for having to question the existing notions.
Interesting there were number of politically and Loaded theories also in the existence around the early 20th Century, notably by Nazi Propaganda engine in name of “Science”. To this day that has given various right-wing organizations and Fundamentalists across the globe a motivation to reject Proper established science and to peddle their own “pseudo-science” as an alternate. Martin does not go into those which understandable due to the fact that he is sticking to established research.
“Lucy was the most complete hominid specimen yet discovered. Excavations over the following three weeks yielded more bones; in all about 40 per cent of the main bones of an entire skeleton—discounting hand and foot bones—was recovered. The bones revealed that Lucy was indeed a young adult female hominid, capable of walking upright, standing at just over three feet tall, with an age estimated to be 3 million years”
In the end Africa was firmly in the Evolution Map. The next frontier to be broken was the notion that the Evolution is a Linear cycle from Ape to Human. However, this was also disproved, and the findings indicated that the Evolution was a process with multiple branches where except for the Branch that resulted in Homo Sapiens, other were dead ends. Some like Neanderthals and other Homo variants also went to extinction but not before contributing the total evolution into Sapiens. In this Martin subtly downplays the intermingling of species without explicitly saying it but instead choosing to point to overlapping timelines they existed.
One thing I find very striking is the parallel on how the conservative west initially fought against Darwin’s Theory and against every other breakthrough until the researchers had to work hard to back their claim with more meticulous work and findings. I am reminded of the furor when Keezhadi was unearthed and how the conservative, religious entitled class propped up various outdated “experts” to sully the findings rejecting the latest tools and technology as it did not suit their narrative.
Even within the scientific narration this book addresses, the same conflict existed when the Science and Technology evolved, and newer disciplines were brought to play into this journey. For example, when the research on evolution was started after Darwin, the people who drove the findings were palaeontologists. When Microbiologists started bringing new insights into the research, they invited Scorn from the palaeontologists. Same events were witnessed when Genetics and Advanced Dating techniques were ushered in.
However, in the end these were just noises, and such arguments only strengthened our understanding of Human Evolution History and Scientific Community at large. That is why I don’t give a two hoot to the argument that Religion gives a “Conclusive” answer about anything, less so on the evolution. Though I have nothing against believers - I myself am not an Atheist – still think that such things are best left to Science and undying Human spirit to find the truth.
Wait, Hold your horses… It is not what you think. Banish your nasty thoughts. The oldest Profession that the world has seen is Tool Design and Manufacture. Human Evolution took a decisive step when our ancestors evolved into two legged Humanoids and thereby left their two hands free to do something that improved our life. Last 2 Million Years transformed us. All from a simple Ape like creature that fashioned a rough Hammer for Hunting and slowly the history took a decisive turn. This brought us to the fore front of the Food chain and made us cross the frontiers in space.
Often - not just by the right wing, fundamentalists, but even the Liberal believers - a question that puts people in a corner is, how Science Keeps changing its Answers every time. As new discoveries and Technologies open up, some of the old findings get revised. This is usually construed as the inconclusive nature of science. They compare this against the answers that Organized religion and their scriptures provide to them which they claim is conclusive.
Many of these so-called believers point to the evolution of Man and the role of Gods hand in it.
I have a long-time acquaintance of me, - who is obviously with Right wing extreme organization - came up to me and said, " I don't believe what 'your ' Science says on Human evolution, specifically Darwin's theory. Science is not trustworthy and not dependable as it keeps changing what it says. I believe only my Scripture because it gives me a conclusive answer"
I was for a moment in a bind. Then when I thought about it, I realized that exactly is why Science and its answers are remarkable!
Science goes by the available Data and proof to Define an idea, analyze that to form Hypothesis and further validate it to form theories. Of course, as new data is available and this whole process is repeated and sometimes the theories have to be dumped to form new Theories, findings and their inferences. This how a Democratic system works.
It is easy to imagine something and to hold on to it as a strict dictum without any proof or validation, just by quoting the will of God. That is simply a belief. But it is quite something else to dare the claims of the scriptures and validate them. When someone asserts something as a word of God and refuses examination, I find that imposing and I can never accept it.
Science is a journey that defines and punctuates the human development. If one must understand this, the whole book is about that and about the experience that went with it.
It all started with a bunch of scientists in 19th Century who followed Darwin who was the first to unravel the origin of Humankind.
Expectedly, Darwin's theory, at that time, shook the foundations of Organized religions that had always put man as the superior being and as an image of God. The Catholic religion and every other Organized religion after that, which subscribed to that thought felt the tremors.
The implications of Darwin’s theory were profound. It opened up the possibility of a world without purpose, or direction, or long-term goal, a world that seemed to be no more than a product of chance. It stripped humankind of its unique status and was seen to undermine Victorian respect for hierarchy and social order. Above all, it threatened the very foundations of Christian belief and morality. On one of his visits to the British Museum, Darwin was pointed out by a clergyman as ‘the most dangerous man in England’.
While the highly conservative scientific Community slowly came around his theory, they initially did not subscribe to his ideas completely. Even though they agreed to his theory about Primates being the ancestors of present-day human reluctantly, his thoughts about the Humankind first evolving out of Africa did not gain wide acceptance. Soon there started a mad rush among the scientists to establish that their country as the place of the genesis where the pioneer species evolved - finding the the missing link. Britain, Germany, and France were among the western nations to fiercely go behind that.
This also gave rise to a scam that held the world of science at ransom for almost 40 years. Many Scientists in the UK subscribed and endorsed this either out of ignorance or with some ulterior motive.
“The gap was soon filled by one of the most audacious hoaxes in history—a fossil find that fooled the British scientific establishment for more than forty years. In 1908, it was said, a labourer digging in a gravel pit at Piltdown in southern England found fragments of thick human skull which he passed to Charles Dawson, a local lawyer and amateur fossil hunter. Over the next few years Dawson visited the site frequently, and in 1911 he found another fragment from the same skull. He took his finds to Arthur Smith Woodward, the Keeper of Geology at the British Museum and an eminent palaeontologist, who expressed keen interest in them.
In 1912, Woodward set off for a summer of digging at Piltdown, joining Dawson and a French palaeontologist, Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. By the end of the season they had found three more pieces of skull bone along with an apelike jaw, assorted mammal fossils and a few crude stone tools—altogether a remarkable haul. Back in London, Woodward pieced together the bits and pieces to produce a reconstruction of the skull; and in December 1912, he unveiled it at a crucial meeting of the Geological Society, naming it Eoanthropus dawsoni—‘Dawson’s dawn man’.
…
A leading neuroanatomist, Grafton Elliot Smith, who specialised in brain studies and supported the ‘brain-led-the-way’ school, concurred with Woodward that Eoanthropus dawsoni—or Piltdown Man, as it was popularly known—represented the ancestor of modern humans.“
However, later scientific advances proved this as systematic hoax perpetrated with help of leading scientists of the day.
“when Kenneth Oakley of the Natural History Museum subjected the fossils to a new dating technique, the fluorine absorption test. The tests established that they were relatively modern. Subsequent investigations swiftly revealed the hoax. Every single one of some forty finds at Piltdown had been forged and planted there: The skull fragments belonged to a modern human, 600 years old; the jawbone belonged to an orang-utan estimated to be 500 years old; the teeth had been filed down to produce a human pattern of wear; all the objects had been carefully stained to give them an aged appearance. What was astonishing was that so many eminent scientists had allowed such a crude forgery to pass without challenge for so long. Piltdown Man was no ordinary hoax: It was a systematic campaign carried out over several years. The early skull fragments were created in advance and salted with the intention that more extensive finds would be planted at a later stage. Pieces were put together to fit in with the prevailing view about what an ancestral human should look like. Convinced of its authenticity, some scientists—including Sir Arthur Smith Woodward—continued to work at the Piltdown site for years in the hope of finding more evidence. In 1948, on his deathbed, Woodward had dictated the text of a book entitled The Earliest Englishman.”
When the Hoax was busted, the next focus was on Asia. Nobody gave a second though to Darwin’s thought that Africa could be the cradle of the Evolution. Slowly and painstakingly the field Scientists and Researcher from Africa could convince the reluctant “Experts” from the west who were sitting in the comfort of their Seat in London or some other city in Europe and dishing out their theories. People like Dart, Leakey (s) and Johnson could slowly turn this around by their Ground braking findings from Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa to start with and slowly moving across African melt pot. Lucy, the first upright Hominid to be unearthed had to face Ridicule and outright rejection for having to question the existing notions.
Interesting there were number of politically and Loaded theories also in the existence around the early 20th Century, notably by Nazi Propaganda engine in name of “Science”. To this day that has given various right-wing organizations and Fundamentalists across the globe a motivation to reject Proper established science and to peddle their own “pseudo-science” as an alternate. Martin does not go into those which understandable due to the fact that he is sticking to established research.
“Lucy was the most complete hominid specimen yet discovered. Excavations over the following three weeks yielded more bones; in all about 40 per cent of the main bones of an entire skeleton—discounting hand and foot bones—was recovered. The bones revealed that Lucy was indeed a young adult female hominid, capable of walking upright, standing at just over three feet tall, with an age estimated to be 3 million years”
In the end Africa was firmly in the Evolution Map. The next frontier to be broken was the notion that the Evolution is a Linear cycle from Ape to Human. However, this was also disproved, and the findings indicated that the Evolution was a process with multiple branches where except for the Branch that resulted in Homo Sapiens, other were dead ends. Some like Neanderthals and other Homo variants also went to extinction but not before contributing the total evolution into Sapiens. In this Martin subtly downplays the intermingling of species without explicitly saying it but instead choosing to point to overlapping timelines they existed.
One thing I find very striking is the parallel on how the conservative west initially fought against Darwin’s Theory and against every other breakthrough until the researchers had to work hard to back their claim with more meticulous work and findings. I am reminded of the furor when Keezhadi was unearthed and how the conservative, religious entitled class propped up various outdated “experts” to sully the findings rejecting the latest tools and technology as it did not suit their narrative.
Even within the scientific narration this book addresses, the same conflict existed when the Science and Technology evolved, and newer disciplines were brought to play into this journey. For example, when the research on evolution was started after Darwin, the people who drove the findings were palaeontologists. When Microbiologists started bringing new insights into the research, they invited Scorn from the palaeontologists. Same events were witnessed when Genetics and Advanced Dating techniques were ushered in.
However, in the end these were just noises, and such arguments only strengthened our understanding of Human Evolution History and Scientific Community at large. That is why I don’t give a two hoot to the argument that Religion gives a “Conclusive” answer about anything, less so on the evolution. Though I have nothing against believers - I myself am not an Atheist – still think that such things are best left to Science and undying Human spirit to find the truth.
March 22, 2013
Born in Africa provides a decent high-level overview of the work that paleoanthropologists (a discipline that combines paleontology and physical anthropology) have done to uncover the evolutionary lineages of modern humans (homo sapiens). The book is divided into two parts with the first section detailing (in chronological order) the fossil discoveries by paleontologists and their evolving interpretations of the evidence. The second describes physical characteristics of our hominid ancestors as well as what has been learned of their behavior, culture and technology.
I took away two main points from the book.
First, that paleoanthropologists appear to be a group of vainglorious, back-biting, treacherous, sniping, disloyal self-promoters who would eagerly sell out their saintly grandmother if they thought it would bring them the slightest advantage. If you meet a paleoanthropologist check their hand thoroughly before shaking it, or better yet, make them pass through a metal detector first. I would also urge you to never … ever turn your back on one. Somewhat more seriously, there’s no doubt that science can be a full contact sport as individuals battle vigorously over competing ideas. Even so, paleoanthropologists appear to be in a class unto themselves.
Second, that the evolutionary path leading to homo sapiens is complicated and messy with branchings and dead ends, conflicting evidence and clues, and where scientific misinterpretations can derail the field for decades. Like reality itself, our evolutionary heritage does not present itself in a neat and tidy package.
The book is well-written and interesting but is also fairly short, meaning that Meredith breezes very quickly through a lot of human history. I would also say, that Meredith gives rather too much credence to certain theories than they deserve. One such example is Niles Eldredge’s and Stephen Jay Gould’s theory of punctuated equilibrium, which has not received broad scientific support and at most would only be responsible for explaining a few minor and infrequent events in the fossil record (as Richard Dawkins has stated it is an "interesting but minor wrinkle on the surface of neo-Darwinian theory").
I took away two main points from the book.
First, that paleoanthropologists appear to be a group of vainglorious, back-biting, treacherous, sniping, disloyal self-promoters who would eagerly sell out their saintly grandmother if they thought it would bring them the slightest advantage. If you meet a paleoanthropologist check their hand thoroughly before shaking it, or better yet, make them pass through a metal detector first. I would also urge you to never … ever turn your back on one. Somewhat more seriously, there’s no doubt that science can be a full contact sport as individuals battle vigorously over competing ideas. Even so, paleoanthropologists appear to be in a class unto themselves.
Second, that the evolutionary path leading to homo sapiens is complicated and messy with branchings and dead ends, conflicting evidence and clues, and where scientific misinterpretations can derail the field for decades. Like reality itself, our evolutionary heritage does not present itself in a neat and tidy package.
The book is well-written and interesting but is also fairly short, meaning that Meredith breezes very quickly through a lot of human history. I would also say, that Meredith gives rather too much credence to certain theories than they deserve. One such example is Niles Eldredge’s and Stephen Jay Gould’s theory of punctuated equilibrium, which has not received broad scientific support and at most would only be responsible for explaining a few minor and infrequent events in the fossil record (as Richard Dawkins has stated it is an "interesting but minor wrinkle on the surface of neo-Darwinian theory").
March 6, 2014
Evolution.
Java Man
Piltdown Man
Peking Man
Great overview of fossil finds in the search for the missing link.
December 13, 2022
A good outline of the origins of human kind. The amount of scientific language made the novel a little abrupt and stopped the flow of the writing.
June 28, 2021
"CHAPTER 1 - THE VALLEY OF WILD SISAL"
7/10
About the type of areas where you can find old skeletons. Basically a rift in Africa, Great Rift Valley. You need fossil conditions and also an area where the fossils will be visible from the ground.
Relistened to it. Really miss these initial chapters… soooo good. It feels like a calm bedtime story making you relax. Anyhow, I will stop writing when I relisten to a chapter from now on. I used to do it in reviews, but it's not always ideal.
"CHAPTER 2 - DART’S CHILD"
8/10
These chapters are now about individual archeologists. I specifically like how our knowledge progressed. But it's weird to focus on single people. Science is not about personalities. It's about facts and discoveries we all make together.
The fake Piltdown Man cranium that was "found" in Britain and this find dominated the fossil discussions and made it hard for any Africa-focused anthropologist to be heard or supported.
When Dart found Australopithecus many didn't see it as that important because of the Piltdown Man fossils. But Dart was also not a great researcher and messed up quite a few things like not taking photos of the place where he found the fossil so that researchers could properly date it. He also didn't share the cast with researchers so most just doubted his claims.
"CHAPTER 3 - BROOM’S TRIUMPH"
9/10
More initial post-Darwin anthropology/archeology/paleontology. Broom considers himself the best ever in his field. This chapter is amazing. I did relisten to it to fully enjoy the scope of it. First time around I unfortunately felt lost at times because I wasn't fully focused.
"CHAPTER 4 - WHITE AFRICAN"
8/10
This chapter feels more modern and detailed. Leaky is written like a real man you could talk to and not a historical figure. He was also a more modern researcher and knew what to search for and what he could find as past researchers had already uncovered the basics. Still, it's pretty primitive stuff even at this point. Random people still just find some money and go dig by themselves.
"CHAPTER 5 - DEAR BOY"
8,5/10
Leaky divorces to date a 20 year old artist. He also experiences great controversy for overestimating the age of his finds by a lot.
We develop a new understanding of our species and evolution. There are evolutionary lines and some humanoid species are not our forefathers, like Neanderthals. Hard to understand how they came to this conclusion though as dating fossils is hard.
The over 50 finds of Piltdown Man are all proven to be bad fakes in the 50's and it's surprising anyone could even fall for this silly scam.
Leaky starts finding fossils and is slowly becoming more popular and get more monetary support after having been a dirt poor digger. The public is eagerly following this research too. With the new improved carbon dating and more scientific digging method this feels more serious. With frauds easily uncovered and even Leaky becoming more scientific it feels like the public also has a clear picture of this research area. It's not just guesswork.
Overall the chapter feels like a scientific quantum leap. Every progress is fast and it feels like proper science.
"CHAPTER 6 - HANDY MAN"
7,5/10
When, the now famous, Leaky is asked by the media about his finds he spins creative stories the media adores. Other archeologists criticise him for it. He doesn't include any of this stuff in his papers yet he concludes the cause of death for ancient fossils based on just a hole in the cranium. He's both famous, but also made fun off by researchers. He names his new find Homo habilis, per Dart's suggestion, just because he wanted the species to have tool making abilities to sell the story in the media/to the public.
"CHAPTER 7 - KOOBI FOR A"
7/10
Leaky's arrogant uneducated son takes over the legacy. Other diggers are better but Leakys are more famous and get support this way. I seemed to have read here that old Leaky remarried again - it was actually the young Leaky finding a partner. Studying the subjects a bit more fixes my reviews in a good way.
"CHAPTER 8 - HADAR"
7/10
New archeologists want to gain fame. More uneducated diggers appear and some want to surpass Leaky and they use similar bravado in the media. Putting themselves front and center and instead of the expedition leader or the team.
Lucy is found.
"CHAPTER 9 - LAETOLI"
7/10
Some low-tier bickering about some minor things that are hard to understand. Largely it just feels like the individual researchers want to decide everything. A female digger wants her name taken off paper for example as she disagrees with some theories. But this is small stuff. And mostly the arguments are about things they cannot know. So it's silly to see some big fight over how old a tool is when you can't date it. I get that they disagree, but why the fighting?
There are also some arguments about evolution here where some argue that all these species are our ancestors as they claim that species competing for the same resources could not survive in the same period of time.
"CHAPTER 10 - BONES OF CONTENTION"
7/10
With molecular techniques the archeologists now lose control over the debate as the timeline becomes clear without them. Apes and man have the same ancestor. Anthropologists get mad for being left out.
"CHAPTER 11 - TURKANA BOY"
6,5/10
More findings.
"CHAPTER 12 - A DANCE THROUGH TIME"
6,5/10
"CHAPTER 13 - NEW FRONTIERS"
6,5/10
"CHAPTER 14 - LITTLE FOOT"
6,5/10
"CHAPTER 15 - PROTOTYPES"
6,5/10
"CHAPTER 16 - PIONEERS"
6,5/10
This and the prior chapters are largely now just focused on new fossil finds. So we hear about a lot of different humanoid species and fossils. But it's so many species and findings by unnamed researchers that it is hard to keep track of everything.
"CHAPTER 17 - SAPIENS"
6,5/10
Findings in the 90's dispute common theories about races/groups having different ancestors. We all have common human ancestors in Africa.
"CHAPTER 18 - EXODUS"
6,5/10
This is actually a very nice topic. Unfortunately he barely tackles it. He just mentions a few studies about the out of Africa studies. Then mentions skin color as a genetic difference example. A bit weak chapter but maybe fine enough intro.
My final opinion on the book
I read Martin Meridith's amazing book, Fate of Africa, so clearly I'll read anything he writes. That book is a perfect intro to 20th century Africa.
While that audiobook was nearly 30 hours long with deep history this one is under 7 hours long and written in a much more accessible way and even kids could easily follow along here. Many chapters are things you already know. Basic fossil findings and such instead of being deep detailed history about everything. Often we just hear about a finding and how they expanded our understanding of humanoid evolution. Basic intro stuff.
Martin also focuses a lot on evolution theories and how single thinkers make up claims about how evolution works and what the fossils could tell us. Very opinionated and biased "research". But apparently it's just how this research area works unfortunately. It's fun to read about this stuff, but it feels a bit less scientifically minded than you'd want it to be.
It's basically a really strong intro to humanoid fossils. The initial chapters about historical people are really engaging. Later the book turns into an encyclopedia about fossil finds and without photos and illustrations the final chapters may feel a bit dry and technical. But it's still good for laymen as an intro. And you can look up photos in the book or online.
I very much enjoyed this read. Good writing, clear narration, good explanations, good topics included. For me, as a social scientist, it's not fully my area of expertise so I didn't always fully focus on the fossil sizes and such, but that's on me. It's a really good book and if you like this topic you'd adore this book. It's really, really good, but requires you to focus on it.
I relistened to first 14+ chapters. The narration is amazing. Maybe the best narrator I've ever heard. I don't usually take this much note of it, but he made the book come to life. The audiobook is very strongly recommended for this. But it does get technical at the end.
7/10
About the type of areas where you can find old skeletons. Basically a rift in Africa, Great Rift Valley. You need fossil conditions and also an area where the fossils will be visible from the ground.
Relistened to it. Really miss these initial chapters… soooo good. It feels like a calm bedtime story making you relax. Anyhow, I will stop writing when I relisten to a chapter from now on. I used to do it in reviews, but it's not always ideal.
"CHAPTER 2 - DART’S CHILD"
8/10
These chapters are now about individual archeologists. I specifically like how our knowledge progressed. But it's weird to focus on single people. Science is not about personalities. It's about facts and discoveries we all make together.
The fake Piltdown Man cranium that was "found" in Britain and this find dominated the fossil discussions and made it hard for any Africa-focused anthropologist to be heard or supported.
When Dart found Australopithecus many didn't see it as that important because of the Piltdown Man fossils. But Dart was also not a great researcher and messed up quite a few things like not taking photos of the place where he found the fossil so that researchers could properly date it. He also didn't share the cast with researchers so most just doubted his claims.
"CHAPTER 3 - BROOM’S TRIUMPH"
9/10
More initial post-Darwin anthropology/archeology/paleontology. Broom considers himself the best ever in his field. This chapter is amazing. I did relisten to it to fully enjoy the scope of it. First time around I unfortunately felt lost at times because I wasn't fully focused.
"CHAPTER 4 - WHITE AFRICAN"
8/10
This chapter feels more modern and detailed. Leaky is written like a real man you could talk to and not a historical figure. He was also a more modern researcher and knew what to search for and what he could find as past researchers had already uncovered the basics. Still, it's pretty primitive stuff even at this point. Random people still just find some money and go dig by themselves.
"CHAPTER 5 - DEAR BOY"
8,5/10
Leaky divorces to date a 20 year old artist. He also experiences great controversy for overestimating the age of his finds by a lot.
We develop a new understanding of our species and evolution. There are evolutionary lines and some humanoid species are not our forefathers, like Neanderthals. Hard to understand how they came to this conclusion though as dating fossils is hard.
The over 50 finds of Piltdown Man are all proven to be bad fakes in the 50's and it's surprising anyone could even fall for this silly scam.
Leaky starts finding fossils and is slowly becoming more popular and get more monetary support after having been a dirt poor digger. The public is eagerly following this research too. With the new improved carbon dating and more scientific digging method this feels more serious. With frauds easily uncovered and even Leaky becoming more scientific it feels like the public also has a clear picture of this research area. It's not just guesswork.
Overall the chapter feels like a scientific quantum leap. Every progress is fast and it feels like proper science.
"CHAPTER 6 - HANDY MAN"
7,5/10
When, the now famous, Leaky is asked by the media about his finds he spins creative stories the media adores. Other archeologists criticise him for it. He doesn't include any of this stuff in his papers yet he concludes the cause of death for ancient fossils based on just a hole in the cranium. He's both famous, but also made fun off by researchers. He names his new find Homo habilis, per Dart's suggestion, just because he wanted the species to have tool making abilities to sell the story in the media/to the public.
"CHAPTER 7 - KOOBI FOR A"
7/10
Leaky's arrogant uneducated son takes over the legacy. Other diggers are better but Leakys are more famous and get support this way. I seemed to have read here that old Leaky remarried again - it was actually the young Leaky finding a partner. Studying the subjects a bit more fixes my reviews in a good way.
"CHAPTER 8 - HADAR"
7/10
New archeologists want to gain fame. More uneducated diggers appear and some want to surpass Leaky and they use similar bravado in the media. Putting themselves front and center and instead of the expedition leader or the team.
Lucy is found.
"CHAPTER 9 - LAETOLI"
7/10
Some low-tier bickering about some minor things that are hard to understand. Largely it just feels like the individual researchers want to decide everything. A female digger wants her name taken off paper for example as she disagrees with some theories. But this is small stuff. And mostly the arguments are about things they cannot know. So it's silly to see some big fight over how old a tool is when you can't date it. I get that they disagree, but why the fighting?
There are also some arguments about evolution here where some argue that all these species are our ancestors as they claim that species competing for the same resources could not survive in the same period of time.
"CHAPTER 10 - BONES OF CONTENTION"
7/10
With molecular techniques the archeologists now lose control over the debate as the timeline becomes clear without them. Apes and man have the same ancestor. Anthropologists get mad for being left out.
"CHAPTER 11 - TURKANA BOY"
6,5/10
More findings.
"CHAPTER 12 - A DANCE THROUGH TIME"
6,5/10
"CHAPTER 13 - NEW FRONTIERS"
6,5/10
"CHAPTER 14 - LITTLE FOOT"
6,5/10
"CHAPTER 15 - PROTOTYPES"
6,5/10
"CHAPTER 16 - PIONEERS"
6,5/10
This and the prior chapters are largely now just focused on new fossil finds. So we hear about a lot of different humanoid species and fossils. But it's so many species and findings by unnamed researchers that it is hard to keep track of everything.
"CHAPTER 17 - SAPIENS"
6,5/10
Findings in the 90's dispute common theories about races/groups having different ancestors. We all have common human ancestors in Africa.
"CHAPTER 18 - EXODUS"
6,5/10
This is actually a very nice topic. Unfortunately he barely tackles it. He just mentions a few studies about the out of Africa studies. Then mentions skin color as a genetic difference example. A bit weak chapter but maybe fine enough intro.
My final opinion on the book
I read Martin Meridith's amazing book, Fate of Africa, so clearly I'll read anything he writes. That book is a perfect intro to 20th century Africa.
While that audiobook was nearly 30 hours long with deep history this one is under 7 hours long and written in a much more accessible way and even kids could easily follow along here. Many chapters are things you already know. Basic fossil findings and such instead of being deep detailed history about everything. Often we just hear about a finding and how they expanded our understanding of humanoid evolution. Basic intro stuff.
Martin also focuses a lot on evolution theories and how single thinkers make up claims about how evolution works and what the fossils could tell us. Very opinionated and biased "research". But apparently it's just how this research area works unfortunately. It's fun to read about this stuff, but it feels a bit less scientifically minded than you'd want it to be.
It's basically a really strong intro to humanoid fossils. The initial chapters about historical people are really engaging. Later the book turns into an encyclopedia about fossil finds and without photos and illustrations the final chapters may feel a bit dry and technical. But it's still good for laymen as an intro. And you can look up photos in the book or online.
I very much enjoyed this read. Good writing, clear narration, good explanations, good topics included. For me, as a social scientist, it's not fully my area of expertise so I didn't always fully focus on the fossil sizes and such, but that's on me. It's a really good book and if you like this topic you'd adore this book. It's really, really good, but requires you to focus on it.
I relistened to first 14+ chapters. The narration is amazing. Maybe the best narrator I've ever heard. I don't usually take this much note of it, but he made the book come to life. The audiobook is very strongly recommended for this. But it does get technical at the end.
October 20, 2011
An excursion in time. BIG time! Who were we? How did we get here? This journey starts 7 or 8 million years ago and traces our origins, thanks to the incredibly patient work of palaeoanthropologists who spend their lives looking for and at bones that are found only occasionally and often by accident.
When did we start walking upright, and why? When did our brains increase to their present size? How can we tell? When did tools, fire, language become part of our lives? How do we know? These are the puzzles being pieced together in this fascinating glimpse into the distant past.
Contrast with this the here-and-now squabbles among the scientists who spend their lives working on solving these riddles. We hominids come out looking like what we are--complex, complicated beings. Our past remains shrouded; our future equally uncertain. We live in the tumult of the present Are other creatures different?
A scholarly and highly accessible trip into vast uncharted territories by an author who knows his stuff.
When did we start walking upright, and why? When did our brains increase to their present size? How can we tell? When did tools, fire, language become part of our lives? How do we know? These are the puzzles being pieced together in this fascinating glimpse into the distant past.
Contrast with this the here-and-now squabbles among the scientists who spend their lives working on solving these riddles. We hominids come out looking like what we are--complex, complicated beings. Our past remains shrouded; our future equally uncertain. We live in the tumult of the present Are other creatures different?
A scholarly and highly accessible trip into vast uncharted territories by an author who knows his stuff.
September 18, 2021
In the past few months I have read three or four books about fossil evidence for human evolution. Last Survivor covers the technical aspects of dating and movement from controversy to consensus through new discoveries in great detail. Fossil Men, which came out this year, covers personalities and political controversies which have affected the study of hominid fossils. However, the strength of Meredith’s book is that he focuses on the established scientific consensus while just enough information about the controversies to allow the reader to enjoy the narrative of discovery without confusing the main established points. So far, this is the most clear and concise description I have read. In fact, the final two chapters review and emphasize the current consensus. Definiteky accessible to the general reader while being accurate enough to serve as an introduction for the more serious student. I plan to use this to supplement the textbook for general courses that include human evolution.
August 18, 2024
Interesting read. Don't expect scientific information on humanoid fossils, this book is on who found them how, when and where.
October 29, 2011
Ths book is not what I expected. I thought it would be a walk through the evolution of humans and a case for why homo sapiens likely came from Africa. However, that's not what this was at all! Though, Meredith did touch on those topics.
This was a walk through the search for fossils and the "missing links" in Africa. He covered the finding of all major fossils in Africa of all supposed human ancestors. I also covered the insane drama that happened between all of the archeologists and paleoanthropoligists, etc that worked in Africa through the 20th Century. It was a historical account of the scientists rather than their subjects.
While the book was not what I was expecting, I did enjoy it. It was a short book, and made the sometimes confusing field of human and human ancestor fossils (and what it all means and where everyting lines up) much easier to understand.
If you're into fossils and human pre-history it's interesting, but definitely not a book about evolution or man's origins in Africa!
This was a walk through the search for fossils and the "missing links" in Africa. He covered the finding of all major fossils in Africa of all supposed human ancestors. I also covered the insane drama that happened between all of the archeologists and paleoanthropoligists, etc that worked in Africa through the 20th Century. It was a historical account of the scientists rather than their subjects.
While the book was not what I was expecting, I did enjoy it. It was a short book, and made the sometimes confusing field of human and human ancestor fossils (and what it all means and where everyting lines up) much easier to understand.
If you're into fossils and human pre-history it's interesting, but definitely not a book about evolution or man's origins in Africa!
October 17, 2011
This was wonderful, giving a broad overview of exactly what the title says: the quest for the origins of human life.
I loved "Lucy's Child" by Donald Johanson, who gets more than a mention here, but that was just one specific part of the quest, in one area of Africa. I had no idea how much of Africa had yielded fossil treasures nor that the trail went so far back into history. It's mind-boggling how science today can pinpoint how old a shard of bone is, and build up a human skeleton, and then extrapolate from that to what ancient man ate, how we lived, and died and so much more.
As the timeline progresses, it also becomes clear what a competitive field paleoanthropology is and how cut-throat the academics are, each claiming that their discovery is more or less the "missing link" to end all debate.
Living on the south eastern tip of Africa, I also was unaware of how much South Africa and the Southern and Eastern Cape in particular had to reveal. Would now love to visit Blombos Cave at Still Bay and head off to the Karoo to fossick for fossils!
I loved "Lucy's Child" by Donald Johanson, who gets more than a mention here, but that was just one specific part of the quest, in one area of Africa. I had no idea how much of Africa had yielded fossil treasures nor that the trail went so far back into history. It's mind-boggling how science today can pinpoint how old a shard of bone is, and build up a human skeleton, and then extrapolate from that to what ancient man ate, how we lived, and died and so much more.
As the timeline progresses, it also becomes clear what a competitive field paleoanthropology is and how cut-throat the academics are, each claiming that their discovery is more or less the "missing link" to end all debate.
Living on the south eastern tip of Africa, I also was unaware of how much South Africa and the Southern and Eastern Cape in particular had to reveal. Would now love to visit Blombos Cave at Still Bay and head off to the Karoo to fossick for fossils!
November 13, 2020
Audiobook Review
As a tour guide, I have always felt very intimidated about going to the Cradle of Humankind on the western outskirts of Johannesburg in South Africa. The reason being, all books available have given me absolutely no tangible information that I could give to visitors.
This book has been absolutely phenomenal. In a sense, I’m not really a novice, because I have visited these sites fairly regularly, and have just told clients to refer any questions they have to the site guides, but after having listened to this book, I finally feel like I have an understanding of the Cradle of Humankind and can finally give people background to this!
This book is very well researched and even a complete novice will be able to learn an incredible amount.
Thank you to both the author and the narrator for doing such a great job!
As a tour guide, I have always felt very intimidated about going to the Cradle of Humankind on the western outskirts of Johannesburg in South Africa. The reason being, all books available have given me absolutely no tangible information that I could give to visitors.
This book has been absolutely phenomenal. In a sense, I’m not really a novice, because I have visited these sites fairly regularly, and have just told clients to refer any questions they have to the site guides, but after having listened to this book, I finally feel like I have an understanding of the Cradle of Humankind and can finally give people background to this!
This book is very well researched and even a complete novice will be able to learn an incredible amount.
Thank you to both the author and the narrator for doing such a great job!
October 16, 2019
A good basic outline
A good basic outline on the search for the origins of humanity. I found the book an enjoyable read, providing enough information on this complex subject without overwhelming the reader. The only thing lacking were maps showing the location of some of the major discoveries and also more detailed pictures of these discoveries - the fossils themselves, particularly the early hominid skulls, which would help the reader understand better the early evolutionary process.
A good basic outline on the search for the origins of humanity. I found the book an enjoyable read, providing enough information on this complex subject without overwhelming the reader. The only thing lacking were maps showing the location of some of the major discoveries and also more detailed pictures of these discoveries - the fossils themselves, particularly the early hominid skulls, which would help the reader understand better the early evolutionary process.
August 21, 2011
I had only heard bits and pieces of the politics involved in bone hunting and this fleshed those things out. I would have been interested in more of the politics in the Neanderthal debate. Meredith very nicely summarized the latest thinking on human origins and when the current line of humans migrated out of Africa. I enjoyed the book very much.
March 1, 2018
I’m a history major, I’ve read a lot of great history books, but this one is my new favorite. I could not put this book down and yet I really didn’t want it to end either. It’s not dull or dry, reads easily and understandably. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history, archeology, fossils, and learning about the continent of Africa.
April 27, 2012
A highly readable history of the search for early human ancestors. This is a great primer for those unfamiliar with the field, and there's plenty of interesting backstories and circumstances surrounding major anthropological discoveries if you are.
July 27, 2023
A well-written overview of the history of paleoanthropology in Africa and beyond. The author provides a number of useful references for follow-up reading on historical events and individual actors in the fascinating and on-going effort to understand how humans evolved.
January 5, 2020
Good overview, and very readable.
November 20, 2022
This is a super interesting book though it is a little dated.
September 27, 2024
AN EXCELLENT SURVEY OF THE SEARCH FOR OUR ANCESTORS
Author Martin Meredith wrote in the Preface to this 2011 book, "This book follows the endeavors of scientists striving to uncover the mysteries of human origins over the past 100 years... The route back to this ancient world has been marked by misfortune, false hopes, fraud and extraordinary feats of skill and endurance. The early stages of the quest were dominated by a handful of ambitious individuals, obsessed by their work and driven by hopes of fame and glory. Their goal was to find the oldest human ancestor...
"[T]he science of paleoanthropology has been renowned not just for the exploits of researchers in the field but for their intense rivalry, personal feuds and fierce controversies. One field scientist observed ruefully in his memoirs how the profession was plagued by 'treachery, cutthroat competition and backstabbing.' ... The results of the quest have been momentous. Scientists have identified over twenty species of extinct humans. They have firmly established Africa as the birthplace not only of humankind but also of modern humans... We have all inherited an African past." (Pg. xiii-xiv)
Of Richard Leakey's 1470 skull discovery, he notes, "Alan Walker observed that apart from its large brain, it differed little from Australopithecus africanus. Leakey disagreed. He was convinced that it was a species of Homo---and therefore represented the world's 'earliest known man.' ... In jubilant mood, Leakey took the skull to Nairobi to show his father, knowing how pleased he would be to see such evidence supporting his long-cherished belief in human antiquity... 'It's marvelous,' [Louis] remarked, adding with a laugh, 'but they won't believe you.'" (Pg. 79-80)
He recounts the rivalry between Richard Leakey and Donald Johanson: "Johanson wanted to more than to match Leakey; he was determined to surpass him and establish himself as pre-eminent in the field. So often did Johanson talk of his ambition that several of his colleagues thought he had become obsessed with the idea... Johanson had often been scathing about Richard Leakey's lack of academic credentials. The two fossil-hunters had nevertheless developed what appeared to be a firm friendship... in 1973, Leakey had gone out of his way to encourage him, making introductions, taking him into the field, offering advice... But after finding Lucy, Johanson's ambition soared further... 'He wants everything for himself... and it was all because he wanted to pass Richard.'" (Pg. 90)
Later, he states, "Johanson... had endured a lean period. He had not made a fossil discovery since 1977. His hopes of resuming his expedition to Hadar had been thwarted by a moratorium imposed by the Ethiopian authorities in 1982 on foreigners wanting to undertake paleoanthropological research. One of the reasons for the ban had been Johanson's admission in his book Lucy of his grave-robbing exploit in Hadar. When Johanson subsequently asked Leakey for permission to study new fossils in Kenya, Leakey had rebuffed him. 'I consider you a scoundrel,' Leakey told him by letter." (Pg. 118)
He summarizes, "the fossil evidence was beginning to indicate to paleoanthropologists that in the million years after 2.5 million years ago, there had been no simple linear transition from one species of Australopithecus to a successor species of Homo but rather a period of wild evolutionary experimentation." (Pg. 120)
Later, he adds, "The threshold between australopithecines and the first species of Homo is little more than a blur. The fossil record between 2.5 and 2.0 million years ago is so sparse that paleoanthpologists have yet to determine which species of Homo came first and when it emerged from the ranks of australopithecines. What appears certain is that Homo arrived at a time when the world was experiencing another dramatic change in climate... wild swings from wet to dry conditions followed by droughts---which put enormous pressure on hominids to adapt." (Pg. 163)
This is an excellent and very informative (not to mention UP-TO-DATE!) book on the quest for human evolution, that will be of great value to anyone seeking such a survey overview.
Author Martin Meredith wrote in the Preface to this 2011 book, "This book follows the endeavors of scientists striving to uncover the mysteries of human origins over the past 100 years... The route back to this ancient world has been marked by misfortune, false hopes, fraud and extraordinary feats of skill and endurance. The early stages of the quest were dominated by a handful of ambitious individuals, obsessed by their work and driven by hopes of fame and glory. Their goal was to find the oldest human ancestor...
"[T]he science of paleoanthropology has been renowned not just for the exploits of researchers in the field but for their intense rivalry, personal feuds and fierce controversies. One field scientist observed ruefully in his memoirs how the profession was plagued by 'treachery, cutthroat competition and backstabbing.' ... The results of the quest have been momentous. Scientists have identified over twenty species of extinct humans. They have firmly established Africa as the birthplace not only of humankind but also of modern humans... We have all inherited an African past." (Pg. xiii-xiv)
Of Richard Leakey's 1470 skull discovery, he notes, "Alan Walker observed that apart from its large brain, it differed little from Australopithecus africanus. Leakey disagreed. He was convinced that it was a species of Homo---and therefore represented the world's 'earliest known man.' ... In jubilant mood, Leakey took the skull to Nairobi to show his father, knowing how pleased he would be to see such evidence supporting his long-cherished belief in human antiquity... 'It's marvelous,' [Louis] remarked, adding with a laugh, 'but they won't believe you.'" (Pg. 79-80)
He recounts the rivalry between Richard Leakey and Donald Johanson: "Johanson wanted to more than to match Leakey; he was determined to surpass him and establish himself as pre-eminent in the field. So often did Johanson talk of his ambition that several of his colleagues thought he had become obsessed with the idea... Johanson had often been scathing about Richard Leakey's lack of academic credentials. The two fossil-hunters had nevertheless developed what appeared to be a firm friendship... in 1973, Leakey had gone out of his way to encourage him, making introductions, taking him into the field, offering advice... But after finding Lucy, Johanson's ambition soared further... 'He wants everything for himself... and it was all because he wanted to pass Richard.'" (Pg. 90)
Later, he states, "Johanson... had endured a lean period. He had not made a fossil discovery since 1977. His hopes of resuming his expedition to Hadar had been thwarted by a moratorium imposed by the Ethiopian authorities in 1982 on foreigners wanting to undertake paleoanthropological research. One of the reasons for the ban had been Johanson's admission in his book Lucy of his grave-robbing exploit in Hadar. When Johanson subsequently asked Leakey for permission to study new fossils in Kenya, Leakey had rebuffed him. 'I consider you a scoundrel,' Leakey told him by letter." (Pg. 118)
He summarizes, "the fossil evidence was beginning to indicate to paleoanthropologists that in the million years after 2.5 million years ago, there had been no simple linear transition from one species of Australopithecus to a successor species of Homo but rather a period of wild evolutionary experimentation." (Pg. 120)
Later, he adds, "The threshold between australopithecines and the first species of Homo is little more than a blur. The fossil record between 2.5 and 2.0 million years ago is so sparse that paleoanthpologists have yet to determine which species of Homo came first and when it emerged from the ranks of australopithecines. What appears certain is that Homo arrived at a time when the world was experiencing another dramatic change in climate... wild swings from wet to dry conditions followed by droughts---which put enormous pressure on hominids to adapt." (Pg. 163)
This is an excellent and very informative (not to mention UP-TO-DATE!) book on the quest for human evolution, that will be of great value to anyone seeking such a survey overview.
September 7, 2023
The book "Born in Africa" by Martin Meredith provides an intriguing exploration of human origins while delving into the biographies of the individuals who uncovered fossils and clues in this fascinating journey. It offers a unique perspective on the relationship between scientists and enthusiasts, shedding light on how the pursuit of knowledge can sometimes diverge from rational thinking when not handled carefully.
However, I noticed that the book could have delved deeper into the political contexts of the locations it covers. Additionally, it seems a bit outdated, given significant discoveries in this field since its release. Perhaps a new edition by Meredith could incorporate these recent findings.
On a positive note, the narrator of the Audible version delivers a clear and engaging performance, making the audiobook a worthwhile choice for those interested in this topic.
However, I noticed that the book could have delved deeper into the political contexts of the locations it covers. Additionally, it seems a bit outdated, given significant discoveries in this field since its release. Perhaps a new edition by Meredith could incorporate these recent findings.
On a positive note, the narrator of the Audible version delivers a clear and engaging performance, making the audiobook a worthwhile choice for those interested in this topic.
January 17, 2021
What a fascinating read. Having read Martin’s brilliant book “Fortunes of Africa - 5000 years of history” and having been always interested in history of African continent and in Africa as a cradle of humankind, I decided to read this one, and was not disappointed. Another great book by Martin, full of details of history of early scientific discoveries, of passionately exploring and relentlessly searching for evidence scientists, on African continent linked with history of early humans and their ancestors, and of results of later genetic studies confirming one common African lineage in human ancestry. Well written, easy read reflecting a breadth of author’s research, knowledge of, and passion for the topics presented.
December 21, 2018
Very good introduction to our prehistoric ancestors and the process involved in discovering fossils that are anything from six million to fifty thousand years old.
October 22, 2022
Good explanation of the evolution of early Homo and what forces entered into the forces to evolve. Includes archaeological history of discovery.
January 9, 2025
Pretty interesting read, makes me want to delve further into this avenue of science and anthropology.
September 17, 2016
Too many names, i didn't even bother to look them up in the internet. Many field stories, controversies, debates included,which i found unnecessary for my goal of attaining new solid facts about human origins.
April 2, 2013
A bit overboard for me regarding the scientific details, I can only take so much science till I start to lose interest and it seems this book though written for a popular audience is for those with some extensive knowledge in anthropology, a field I only have slight interest in, I would probably be more interested in the anthropology field except it is full of bat bleep insane Marxists with disturbing fetishes for people or groups very different than themselves. The author mentions early in the book that Apartheid era South Africa banned the teaching of evolution...I find that very hard to believe, even the radical baptist private school I attended taught evolution (and quite extensively, more than I was ever taught in the USA's horrible public school system...the irony) but they taught it along with creationism...I do not endorse Apartheid but even during Apartheid there were over ten million mixed black/white people in South Africa so evidently it was either not that effective or exaggerated, and I kind of felt that condescending attitude from the author lumping people of faith with white supremacists. I still enjoyed the book particularly his descriptions of the different forms of man and its ancestors.
December 9, 2013
A through and detailed analysis of the origins of Mankind. Nothing earth shattering or new revealed other than the many permutations our ancestors went through in the making of homo sapiens. There are details throughout the book on australopithecus, olduvai man etc. I was fortunate to visit Koobi fora among other archeological sites in Kenya and Tanzania in my youth. Richard E Leakey's work on this subject if profound.
East Africa really is the cradle of mankind, the ability to eat and store cooked food clearly changed everything, the other designs of our species were strong contenders but not adaptable to change, the winning ingredient.
Although not a comparison because it isn't on paleontology, Guns Germs, and Steel offered a much more insightful position on human evolution. My concern is more about how we got from where we were to where we are so quickly!
East Africa really is the cradle of mankind, the ability to eat and store cooked food clearly changed everything, the other designs of our species were strong contenders but not adaptable to change, the winning ingredient.
Although not a comparison because it isn't on paleontology, Guns Germs, and Steel offered a much more insightful position on human evolution. My concern is more about how we got from where we were to where we are so quickly!
February 5, 2016
This is a very 'human' history of the field of paleoanthropology in Africa. The first half of the book felt more like reading a novel about African adventurers , and I say it as a good thing. I thought the book struck a good balance between facts about the fossils and the story of the scientists in that half. But after the chapters on the Leakey family and Donald Johanson, ratio of facts/stories began to tip more and more in the favor of facts. Don't get me wrong, many of the concepts explained then were interesting, but i thought it lacked the smooth amalgamation of the science and the history of the first half. Still this is a great book for any one trying to get to know this field and its history.
June 18, 2015
A fascinating look at the quest for humanity's evolutionary origins. The first section focuses primarily on famous (and infamous) archaeologists and the highly competitive search for signs of our oldest ancestor, an endeavor rife with backstabbing, boasting, vitriol, and questionable research tactics. While highly compelling, it can be hard to keep track of all the competing theories and their validity in that kind of narrative, so fortunately the author also includes a second section more clearly delineating the currently accepted conclusions and the approximate timeline of evolutionary development that brought us through the millennia to modern man.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
May 14, 2019
A very handy, readable, quick summary of paleoanthropology in Africa. For anybody who even casually follows anthropology, the content of much of this book will likely be familiar. But the book quite nicely traces the history of hominid skull discovery in southern Africa and along the continent's Rift Valley, and how the prevailing evolutionary theories of the time were challenged and overturned by yet newer finds. For laypersons, the book might serve as a fitting companion to television programs—such as the Alan Alda-hosted PBS series “The Human Spark”—which cannot fully explore the revolutionary science behind the various theories of human evolution.
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