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Your Body: The Fish That Evolved
We know more about our bodies than ever before, but there remain many unanswered questions. Accessible and endlessly fascinating, this discussion of evolution and the human body reveals which features humans have inherited from fish, amphibian, reptile, four-legged mammal, and primate ancestors; while also exploring how the human body is likely to evolve in the future. Such questions as Why do our elbows and knees bend in opposite directions? Why do men and women walk differently? Why do men have nipples? Why is childbirth so painful? Why do we sleepwalk? and Why do so many of us suffer from back pain and dental problems? have fascinating answers rooted in human evolution from fish.
- GenresNonfictionScience
288 pages, Hardcover
First published May 31, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 22, 2012
Without mincing words, this was a fascinating read.
It is a simple, lucid and logical explanation of the principles of evolutionary biology. That we all began as single celled organisms, and then through natural selection, evolved into what we are today.
Apart from the content, what wins points for me is that this book is extremely easy to read and understand. It's not written as a science book as much as a series of interesting stories. And at every point, it makes you think about the history of your body parts (your limbs, for instance, were once many millions of years ago, fins) and about the sheer beautiful underlying logic of the natural world itself, of which we are only a part.
Forget the last few chapters (where, in my opinion, Keith Harrison rambles off into medicine and all sorts of other areas that I didn't want or expect). Read this book for the first ten chapters (only a hundred pages or so, not as daunting as you'd think). And wonder!
It is a simple, lucid and logical explanation of the principles of evolutionary biology. That we all began as single celled organisms, and then through natural selection, evolved into what we are today.
Apart from the content, what wins points for me is that this book is extremely easy to read and understand. It's not written as a science book as much as a series of interesting stories. And at every point, it makes you think about the history of your body parts (your limbs, for instance, were once many millions of years ago, fins) and about the sheer beautiful underlying logic of the natural world itself, of which we are only a part.
Forget the last few chapters (where, in my opinion, Keith Harrison rambles off into medicine and all sorts of other areas that I didn't want or expect). Read this book for the first ten chapters (only a hundred pages or so, not as daunting as you'd think). And wonder!
September 16, 2014
One among the finest non fiction books i've came across. Written in a lucid and accessible manner the book is really thought provoking.
May 28, 2020
Lovely book! Very accessible and a relatively easy read even for those of us who have very little knowledge within this field. Easy to follow, understand and appreciate!
January 9, 2008
This is an amazing book. Keith Harrison is one of the best non-fiction writers I've ever come across, and this is potentially the best book I've read all year. Covering a range of subjects from how we developed a spine to why men have nipples, this book will explain how life evolved in an informal and unintimidating manner. Also, it is refreshingly short, and the chapters were succinct and satisfying.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews