The Evolution of Human Intellect: Discover the Information that Schools and Religions Aren't Yet Teaching

by L.N. Smith

Why did women lose their facial hair during evolution? Where did the notion of god(s) come from? Why did self-awareness arise in the torso before migrating behind the eyes? What transition sparked the feud between science and religion? All of these questions have simple and logical answers, which are entertainingly revealed in the form of two amusement park attractions.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Psychology, Religion, Philosophy, History, Evolution

74 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 2, 2012

Reviews

[Andrea Hickman Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

First: I received a free copy of this from the author.

Now that required disclaimers are out of the way ... I really enjoyed this, but I'm going to start with the things I didn't like.

There were some aspects that really annoyed me. What on earth does Disney have to do with anything? Also, the excessively United-States-centric viewpoint, but that's something that usually annoys me. The scientist in me wanted references constantly. I was hoping for a list of further reading at the end, but there was nothing. And, of course, the scientist in me kept screaming "Nonsense! There's no way to know that!" Even the disclaimer (somewhere around chapter 5 if I remember correctly) that this is a fictional history didn't help as it was really just a throwaway comment that could easily be missed.


I thought that the tone of the book seemed to be aimed at young adults, possible even children, which made me wish even more for a list of further reading. I don't know if I've got the target audience correct, but if I don't, all I can say is that just about every adult I know will stop reading around chapter 2 or 3 because of the style of writing (by which I mean the existence of the guide Sarah and the unnecessary digressions). I'm not usually a fan of allegory (insert obligatory Tolkien quote here), but this did a very good job of it and I found it a useful tool in thinking about these issues. I can't judge the accuracy of most of the book, particularly not without references, but the bits that I knew anything about seemed to mostly be accurate (if you ignore all the stuff that we cannot possibly know).

I think this is a great introduction to the topic, which must usually be quite heavy on the philosophy, psychology, neurology and so on

[Sisa Petse · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have noticed two things here, first there is a book called “Evolution of Human Intellect” by L.N. Smith, and then an adaptation of the book into a film/play titled “Spirit Mountain” by the same author. Therefore, I will assume that the dialogue in the play is the actual content in the book that I don’t have. And my comments are based only on these 43 pages.

To be honest I was attracted by the title Evolution of Human intellect. Intellect (dictionary definition) is the ability to think reason and understand. Typically emotions are downplayed in the knowing process as well as in the development of intellect. Some people believe reason and emotion are two distinct faculties. In this play the author has unequivocally demonstrated that emotions are an integral part of the evolution of the human intellect. On page 4 he writes “the story for today follows Emotion on its extended journey.” And on pg10 again “Emotion is the architect of intellect. And let me say it again. Emotion is the architect of intellect.” And I fully agree with this.

I would also like to commend the author for the expect use of various cartoon characters in an amusement park in this work. In doing so, he has effectively managed to unpack a highly academic and complex work and made it accessible to people as young as 13 years. They are used as interlocutors mainly to facilitate a conversation. This particular art (use of dialogue to derive/impose a particular theory) was invented by Socrates; the Socrates of the early dialogues would typically strikes up a conversation with one or a few interlocutors which eventuates in a question. In this particular play Sarah is the main source of wisdom, the river of truth (p21).

However, I am not happy with the order of developments in chapter 4 “The first Modern Humans” he starts with the invention of stone tools; break from emotion signaling and then melting of ice caps. My understanding of the chronology is that, melting ice caps exposed these primates to more predators, to escape quickly bi-pedalism (it provided better mobility) developed. This freed up the forward limbs that were to become hands and hence we began making stone tools. Bi-pedalism also meant we could see so much further. The two activities; tool making-creativity and seeing further-memory, escalated our need for a bigger brain that marked a break from emotional signaling. This is a big step for the evolution of the intellect.

In chapter 8, the author wrote that it remain unclear what caused the collapse of the independent ancient Mayan civilization, for answers I think he must ask the Portuguese and the Spanish. He could have added the Incas and Aztecs as well.But he answers himself “Francisco Pizarro wanted to conquer the Incas of Peru, just as Hernando Cortés had easily conquered the Aztecs of Mexico eleven years earlier.”
He also fails to explain the sudden lull between 470AD and 1300AD. This period is important and relevant to the topic because it was a ‘throwback’ in terms of intellectual development, the reason being, after the fall of the Roman empire a new Holy Roman empire was declared under the tutelage of the Catholic church, as a results citizens were mostly obsessed with God and nothing much happened. In chapter 13 “Shells of Ignorance” I think the author should have included the period above.

In conclusion, I think religious beliefs of the author have severely clouded his objectivity in the topic. In the last chapters he begins to bring God and mentions only nature. He knows very well that there is a nature-nurture debate. It’s the debate surrounding the question of to what extent behaviour is the result of hereditary or innate influences (nature), or is determined by environment and learning (nurture). Assessing the relative contribution of each is extremely difficult, since both interact continually through out development. This includes the evolution of human intellect.

[Ziyanda Xaso · Rating 2 out of 5]

First the title of this book promises too much, it really does not deliver what it states. The use of the Disney theme ride and Sara, the guide, is completely unnecessary and really detracts from the ideas presented in the book. I was really annoyed by that and almost gave up on the book altogether.

The book though does have some redeeming qualities and some of the ideas presented by the author do make you think e.g. nature causes nurture, emotional signalling and loss of hair in females. In this book the author uses emotional signaling as the basis for the evolution of human intellect. I find it interesting that he attributes that the giving birth by females to young ones requiring love and attention as the driving force behind this evolution even leading to the loss of facial hair for females so as to foster a higher level of emotional signalling between mother and child. So I guess humanity can thank the women for being the key to human evolution.

He does not delve at all into the biology of evolution, he rather focus on the journey. The reasons he puts forward for the evolution of the human mind have also affected other mammals on earth but they have not evolved to our level. This is where for me he falls short because apes, gorillas and orangutans have the same ancestors as us. He fails to explain the split and why our brain has been able to evolve while theirs has not evolved as much as ours. Because they also have emotional signalling and other characteristics he attributes for our evolution yet they have fallen short.

He also fails in my opinion to explain the evolution of God from eye to eye (as he puts it) to heaven. But towards the end of the book I felt that he had his ideas together and they were clearer. I do agree with him saying that our intellect is evolving in leaps and bounds as opposed to the slow pace in the beginning. I honestly think that he does not need the use of the Disney ride to get his point across and its use makes me question his target audience for this book.

[David Gallagher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me a while to read this, despite its short length. Maybe because I read everything twice to fully comprehend it.

I really loved the fact that it's a non-fiction book that contains elements of fiction - which is quite difficult to accomplish successfully. I loved its concept and the core idea behind it. You can obviously tell that the author knows their...stuff, and is not joking around when it comes to the bibliography they've read.

I can't say I'm interested in the topic this book deals with (yes, I realize the oxymoron of a human not being very interested in human evolution), but I wanted to read this book anyway. However, I can't sugarcoat my review despite my wanting to do so.

This book made me feel ignorant, and I'm selfish enough to hate feeling that way. But at the same time, I obtained a lot of new information and can now have a so-called "opinion" on certain topics. It's a book that's very densely written, and you literally have to..."weed your way through it" (as it were).

L.N. Smith is undeniably talented, and has a mighty pen, but can be too smart for their own good. Or anyone's good, really. A book with a great idea behind it, and quite attention-grabbing for non-fiction, but I don't think it's a book for everyone - myself included.

[Sarah (is clearing her shelves) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I signed up to win this book in a GR giveaway, I didn't win the 'real' book, but the author contacted me with the offer of a free ebook version in return for a review. This has not impacted my ability to review it honestly and critically.

11/11 - The ebook is very short, only 72 pages and I'm at the half way point. I have just stopped reading for the night and since I already had my laptop out in order to read the ebook (I don't have an ereader, so I use Adobe Digital Editions on my laptop) I decided to write the first part of my review now while the thoughts are fresh in my mind, instead of waiting till tomorrow morning. I was drawn in by the premise and the title. To start with I have no idea what chapter 1 was all about, it made no sense to me at all and all I could think as I was reading it "Oh oh, this looks like it's going to be my second only 1 star review and my first bad review for a book straight from the author." After I managed to wade through the crap that was the first chapter my interest was re-engaged by the theories Smith posits. For example his idea of when and why females lost their facial hair - to make facial expressions easier to read and give us the ability to use more sophisticated ones. I would be very interested to know where he got his information from, what proof he has of this theory. It's funny to see his one and only character's name is Sarah, but I don't understand what she's doing there or why we're on a simulated roller coaster ride. I think the information in the book (if it's true) would be interesting enough without all the gimmicks that Smith's added. To be continued...

14/11 - While I found the information about evolution in this book very interesting and thought provoking, I didn't enjoy all the silliness of the Disney ride metaphor or the description of a film presentation that makes up the first chapter. After reading the first part of my review, the author contacted me to explain a few of the things I had problems with. He reiterated that chapter 1 is an excerpt from one of his other books (this fact is included at the very top of the first page) while the rest of the chapters are from another of his other books. This didn't really explain to me why Smith would include this completely unneccessary portion of another book, it didn't add anything to the rest of the story, in fact I nearly gave up on the whole book halfway through reading the first chapter. The second part of my review that he brought up was the fact that I mentioned wondering what his sources were - he reassured me that he did have some and would be happy to send me a copy of the bibliography, which is included in one of the books that he took the majority of his information from. My question to him was why not include it in this book as well? A lot of the readers of this book will not have contact with Smith and so won't know, or find out, that to read the bibliography you need to buy another of his books because it's in there. And how many readers are going to be willing to buy a book simply to get the chance to read a bibliography that refers to a book they already have? Certainly not me. In the introduction that advises you of the fact that this book is comprised of two of his previous books, he also mentions the reason he has published the book in this way is that some readers have preferred reading it in this abbreviated way. I personally would rather have read the book that made up the interesting chapters, that is chapters 2-15, and forget chapter 1 entirely, and that is what I recommend to other readers interested in the information over the gimmicks.

[Judie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The scene for THE EVOLULTION OF THE HUMAN INTELLECT is a theater at Disney World. You are standing, surrounded by nine screens. The lights dim, you hear three taps of an orchestra conductor’s baton, followed by the Concert A played by an oboe. It is represented by a white line. Other lines and other instruments join in, each representing a different instrument. During the warm up time, the lines are unfocused, but once the actual piece begins, they “perform a dance of elegant patterns” providing a backdrop for the narrator of the film.
As the program continues, the lines disappear and are replaced by views from the history of the world, beginning in 5,000,000 BCE with the first hominins. For the remainder of the program, you are flown through fourteen other time periods, leading to the present with hints of the future.
Among other gems, this short, compact book presents an explanation of how the role of God has evolved from an all-powerful controller to a conscience. It tells how walking upright resulted in smaller babies who required a longer time to become somewhat independent. It explains how, in the twentieth century, the people with more education were better able to survive the Depression. That translated into more of their children, the baby boomers, getting college educations. That meant that instead of becoming self-sufficient after (and sometimes before) high school, the break with parental control was delayed four or more years. When it happened, the children were older, possibly more mature and worldly-wise, and surrounded by others in the same situation. Since the parents weren’t around, the rules, regulations and the government became the focus. The result: The Hippies.
Near the end, the author notes, “Intellect around our globe is at its greatest disparity ever.” He states natural forces have created this disparity and will continue to make changes. He notes the role of humans in the natural changes and what we, as humans, can do “to speed intellectual development throughout the world.”
I found the quick-reading 43-page trip delightful rich with interesting ideas to consider and presented in a most enjoyable format.
It is derived from SUNRISE OVER DISNEY and THE REDESIGN OF TOMORROWLAND.
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads.

[Kayla West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just start out by saying that I have read some of the other reviews that previous readers of this book have posted and I have also seen some of the ratings given this book, but I do not retract my 5 star rating whatsoever considering these factors.
Now for my reasoning behind the rating.
I gave this book a 5 star rating because of the information given in the text and not for the authors use of colorful written images or Disney theme park rides. Although, those did not hurt in my like of this work. Those two factors gave the story a sense of whimsy and a bit of humor in my eyes. To me, the descriptions of the ride itself creates a break for the mind. There is such a thing as information overload, and I believe that without those breaks, the information given about the building over the thousands of years of human intellect would have felt like another average everyday history lesson. Sadly, if history is just being monologued at me with no visual aid for the imagination, I will get bored with it and my brain will shut down. So this was a nice change from the norm.
Now on to my thoughts behind the information given.
This book made me think about the evolution of the human species in a way that I had never, in my life, ever thought about before. It made me question my own branches of thinking, and brought up points about the human intellect in different times that actually made sense. For example, it makes sense to me that a human, or hominid, from a time thousands to millions of years ago would not have the same sense of awareness that a human from let's say 500 B.C. would have.
It is all about experience. All about what each person has had to deal with in their own life and times which makes us all different mentally. We learn from our mistakes. We learn from our setbacks. We choose to deal with them differently, and we choose to build our mental bridges based on how we choose to handle each situation thrown at us.
I quite enjoyed reading this book, and thoroughly recommend this for anyone who is up for a very intellectually stimulating read.

For more reviews by me visit:
www.attackofthebookworms.blogspot.com

[Birgit · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of the book is 'The Evolution of the Human Intellect: Discover the Information that School and Religion Aren't Yet Teaching'. Reading this title I had high expectations of this book, but my expectations aren't fulfilled.

Judging the title and the short content on Goodreads, I expected an informative book, instead it was a story told by Sarah, the guide who leads us through a ride in Disney Land explaining the evolution of the human intellect. It was difficult to imagine such kind of ride and I was also confused at the beginning, because sometimes the listeners were sitting in a boat and other times they were in a plane. After several chapters the boat or plane appears to have the ability to change.

I didn't like the first chapter, because there is no link with the other chapters, according to me. Maybe the first chapter has to create the feeling like you are in the ride yourself, but to me it was confusing. If the first chapter didn't exist, I wouldn't have missed it.

The story tells about the history through the ages, but at times I had the feeling it was more like a history lesson than an explanation of the evolution of the human intellect. I do understand that explaining the history is necessary to explain the evolution of the human intellect, but I just expected more about that last part.

What I did like, was the story. Even though I expected an informative book, I liked the approach to explain the evolution of the human intellect. It was original and it makes a dry subject more vivid. Because of that the book reads very easy and quick, according to me. Furthermore the information that was given, is interesting.

I received this book in PDF from the author, so thanks to that. I don't know if I would recommend the book, because I'm a bit divided by the positive and negative aspects, but that's maybe because I had other expectations of the book.

[Catherine Flusche · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author sent me a "coupon" to read this book for free.

I find the method used to tell this story (the roller coaster ride) to be different, but useful and, to some extent, fun. But since I came into this book blind (in terms of the author's background and intent), I also find it to be questionable.

There are two aspects to this book: evolutionary history and evolution of thought. I have a problem with the evolutionary history aspect because without a solid bibliography, we're left with a tale that is at best a thought provoking piece of fiction (by my own definition) and at worst a piece of blatant plagiarism. I personally demand evidence for any piece of information, even if it's just, "based on this, this, and this, I conclude this". I do not question the validity of evolution based on my own research, but I do not particularly condone any "non-fiction" which does not show it's own train of research since no scholar reaches a conclusion purely through their own abilities.

I do not know what work has been done by others on the evolution of thought, nor do I know how much is philosophical and how much is based on scientific evidence. Since this book lacks a bibliography, I do not know what parts are purely from Smith's own reasoning and what parts come from other research done and that troubles me.

His, I assume, philosophical conclusions are the reason I rate this book so highly. I like the idea of human intellect being metaphorical bridges evolving over time and I like that Smith does build his argument on good foundations...I just wish those foundations had better foundations themselves.

I rank this a 5 for enjoyability and thought provoking conclusions. I rank it a 3 for scholarship.

[GlobeRunner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the title “Evolution of Human Intellect” irresistible, although the subtitle “Discover the Information that Schools and Religions Aren’t Yet Teaching” dampened my enthusiasm somewhat. Superlatives and “this will change your life” kind of allegations have the tendency to make me dubious rather then hopeful. In fact, I found nothing revolutionary in the text, but it did describe one way of looking at the evolution of human intellect. In doing so, there were a few thought-provoking and nicely formulated statements (such as “Emotion is the architect of intellect”). The author certainly writes well! However, I was hoping for something more profound and less conventional.

Personally, I didn’t like the setup at all, even though I usually enjoy books “teaching” a topic through a fictional story (such as Sophie's World and one of my absolute favourites: Mendel's Dwarf). Especially in the beginning of “Evolution of Human Intellect”, it is described how the camera is zooming in and out, making it feel like reading a film manuscript. Perhaps this appeals to someone who rather watches films than reads books (as the author writes that “kids today think less in words and more in graphics”), but for me, it merely added distance between the story and myself.

[Danielle West · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had signed up to attempt to receive this book through Goodreads First Reads, however the Author contacted me and offered me an ebook version instead. I jumped at the chance, naturally, because I love my kindle and I love free things.

I didn’t like the first 13% of this book. Not even a little bit. I couldn’t figure out the point that was trying to be made. I know that you can’t really know the point until it’s finished being made, but I kind of like to know what direction I’m being lead in, you know? Then 14% happened. Things came together, and I finally realised where this whole thing was going.

This book has many things going for it. The subject matter is intensely interesting and it's written in a way that is easily digestible, without being overly simple. It's a quick read, but you're still learning something along the way.

That all being said, I didn't exactly enjoy it all that much. I found the way it was presented - as if you're on an amusement park ride - gimmicky and silly. Had this been an actual ride, I would have loved it, but I just don't want to learn something while pretending I'm doing something else. Maybe this says more about my imagination than the book.

On a scale from Totally Awesome to Horrifically Awful, I'd give it an Interesting but Flawed. I'd like to read more from this Author, as long as I don't have to pretend I'm at Disney World.

[Dani · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing style was certainly engaging, though at times maybe... strange or unexpected. This book doesn't *tell* you the evolution of human intellect so much as it *shows* you, as if you were on one of those Disney rides with animatronic people on the sides. I've been to Disney World a few times and I could really picture the author's descriptions vividly, especially the "intro movie" of the opening chapter, though at times I had trouble keeping track of everything (such as which type of bridge stood for which phase of human intellect evolution and which time period that corresponded to.) I noticed other reviews have people saying the Disney thing didn't work for them, and while it was odd and different maybe I was able to grasp it better since I was familiar with the style? Disney doesn't just have rides or shows, it has *stories* and simulations, sometimes with intro movies to get you in the mood.

It's a quick read that's not too heavy, and lays out a nice synopsis of history. Or rather, a largely Western-centric history. The East is mentioned a few times, but what sets the timeline is events of ancient Greece and Europe. It's an okay read overall; neither here nor there but certainly not bad. 2.5 stars. (Between "okay" and "liked it".)

[Sobia Raja · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to start with a thank you to L.N Smith for allowing me to read the book.

First of all, the title completely attracted me to it. It's just such a powerful title that seems full of interesting features... but I do not believe the story, or rather information, is as powerful. I do not comprehend everything (though I think that's only because of my lower level of understanding texts).

Second of all, it is a short piece which I would thought would be enough to understand 'the evolution of Human intellect' but I didn't. I still don't know what information schools and religions are not teaching. Perhaps a little summary at the end would have cleared it up. Some of the things are completely out there - it's like it's totally random.

Third of all, despite all these negative points (SORRY) I still enjoyed it as each little chapter/some paragraph have their own little story that I think reads like fiction as well as slightly leaning towards historical non-fiction? (if that makes sense). So i enjoyed it even if there are some misunderstandings (if that's the right word hmm).

P.S, I think this would be perfectly made into a short video on human intellect- from the very beginning to the very end of the evolution of the human intellect!

[Slawka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the author through Smashwords (after signing for a giveaway, but not as a winner of it).

62 pages packed with information. A bit overwhelming in such a small format. I imagine it more as tv educational-series, something like 'Once Upon a Time... Life', the idea of the 'Jungle Cruise' fits that model perfectly. I find the description of craft movements a bit confusing, probably in a video it would be completely clear.

Great idea, lots of interesting facts (that in a bigger format could be more detailed and for that more easily absorbed) In general: i liked it but would prefer the longer, more detailed and at the same time more clear - where the 'time jumps' wouldn't be so violent - version.

The idea of making it as a park of attraction is good but somehow it disturbs me that the author uses Disney. I would prefer nameless attraction park. I enjoyed first eleven chapters much much more then the rest, that to me seems to be less organised and a bit chaotic.

I would recommend it to those who don't like typical scientific reports and enjoy more 'fictional' works but at the same time want some 'real' knowledge.

[Melissa T · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book is a journey through the evolution of the human intellect. The backdrop is the guise of a Disney ride that takes you through all of the different time periods and demonstrates how humans have evolved and also speculates on the future of human evolution. I have to admit, when I first read started reading this, the setting of the Disney park seemed ridiculous, even campy. But, I have to admit that it actually works for the story. This is a good read if you're looking for a modernized review of the anthropology of humans.

I'm working on a more detailed review which will be linked later.

My more detailed review is here: http://midnight-orchid.blogspot.com/2...

*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

[Amari · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strange ride (literally) through human evolution.

Some ideas worthy of further consideration:

"Nature causes nurture."

Loss of female facial hair facilitated prolonged emotional contact with babies.

The Minoans of Crete were the lost civilization of Atlantis.

***

I must say that I didn't find the theme-park ride to be the most effective vehicle (as it were) for this book. The visual/film analogies became a bit obtuse at times, and I felt that they distracted me from the material. I also found the narrator, Sarah, rather obnoxious.

However, perhaps I'm simply too accustomed to traditional modes of writing about such subject matter. I do understand the choice of this narrative mode, and it has its strengths.

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I started this book, it made me think "Did I really want to read a weird book of movie scenes, what is the point in it?". But from somewhere from chapter 3-4 it started to make sense. In the end even the weird starting made sense, it all found its place.
It is a story about the evolution of human thinking - how it has changed during the history, when and how, and how it has influenced our future. And it is all wrapped inside of a science fiction story.
It was quite interesting and I must say thanks to the author of the book, who gave it to me. It was good reading in the end, even if I disagreed with this in the middle of the book. :)
My moto for this week sounds now:
Do not judge a book by its first chapters!

[Aura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free e-copy of this book from the author and I can't thank him enough.

I learned so much from it. My high rating is because of its educational content. I find the primary thesis of emotion as the architect of intellect to be true and many of his arguments made a lot of sense. I would recommend it for someone who wants to learn a lot from a short number of pages =].

Nonetheless, some of the arguments did not make sense. The thing that annoyed me was the Disney ride narrative. The bridge analogy was somewhat odd as well. I found the introduction to have no direct connection with the rest of the book and throughout the rest sometimes you didn't know if it was part of the author's argument or a joke on the ride.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic copy from the author, a really long time ago (because I entered a giveaway). I've made a mistake by reading some reviews first, that's why it took me so much time to finally pick it up.
The title of this piece was really intriguing, but I didn't get what I expected. It's not a bad thing, though.

At first I didn't know what was going on, what the point was, and I still don't get the whole "Disney ride" element.
But apart from this, everything about the evolution is very interesting and thought-provoking. I think I learnt a couple of things from this book and that is the best thing you can get while reading anything.

I recommend it if you want to read something unique. (It's a bit difficult to comprehend, though.)

[Juliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Evolution of Human Intellect is a very interesting book in many ways. It treats very easily the theme, so people of all ages can read it. It's not a long and boring scientifc book, you enjoy your reading and learn at the same time. It's also an important theme that we almost don't discuss. When and how did we begin to think?! Was a very long journey till we came to where we are today,and L.N. Smith presents this journey to us in a different way of writing,that I have to say felt strange to me in the beggining,but only because it was different, for me it worked perfectly for the book proposal.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, Let me tell you at first I didn't know what to think, but then it quickly sunk in. My interpretation anyway , it was kind of like being on a "it's a small world" ish type of ride narrative thru human evolution. With it witty travel thru time, it was a very entertaining and enlighting look on the evolution of conscience. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Which I was lucky enough to have won a free Kindle copy of, thru the GoodReads website.

I recommend this for those like minded, and for those willing to open your mind to the common sense of the Human conscience.

Very "GoodRead".
Jules

[Devina Dutta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer : I received a free electronic copy from the author.

Rating: 3.5 stars

The movie style narrative of the book proved to be confusing at first and by the time I got used to that, the problem of unnecessary repetition of certain lines like "atoms lead to molecules...." hindered further interest in reading.
However, it was interesting to know the deeper meaning behind each scene or song that the author presented especially the one about the various stages in climbing a mountain which I must say was indeed clever.
I would recommend this book to readers who love the combination of psychology with media and know enough of movies to know what is going on.

[Anthony · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of this book by the author.

With all due respect to the author of this book, who was kind enough to give me a copy, I found the device of the Disneyland ride both bewildering and irritating. I didn't understand what it had to do with what the author was trying to convey, and it was irritating enough to keep me from finishing the book, an occurrence that rarely happens.

I had high hopes for this book. If the author ever rewrites it as a straightforward laying out of his points I would be happy to try it again. As it is I felt like this was one of those books written for children on a subject that the writer feels they just won't understand.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free electronic copy of this book from the author via Smashwords. The book takes you on an amusement park ride to various points in hominin history discussing the development of human intellect within the larger context of human evolution and evolutionary theory.

I was not expecting the fictional framework for discussing science in the way it was done, so it took me a while to decide what to rate it. I am a scientist and was hoping, based on the title, that there would be more science and references to sources in the book.

[TyLean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't at all what I was expecting. Nevertheless, I quite enjoyed it and felt at several points that the author had articulated frustrations I have experienced for most of my lifetime (being someone who has jumped several "bridge levels" from that of my parents). The book reads like the script of a documentary, taking you on a journey as though you are on a ride at Disney.... an aspect I didn't care for but could appreciate why it was implemented. The information presented does not include references, which I would have liked for further reading.

[Jen Yttri (Lynch) · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at how evolution of humans spurred our intellectual development. I found the discussion of the well researched scientific, psychological, and philosophical ideas to be fascinating but also felt like I was missing a whole level of understanding and appreciation. Would love to see what others who are coming from an anthropological, sociological, or philosophical perspective get out of this book. Definitely sets up a realm for late night debates--maybe a really intense book club.

Thanks for the first-read!

Received free from first-read giveaway.

[Anabela Costa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free electronic copy of this book from the author by email.
I have a very personal view of our history as humans and although i disagree in some issues presented by the author, this book was a nice journey.
I also think the book deserve much more pages and work, we cant expect a Journey of this magnitude to be described in 43 pages.

I am curious about other works from the author.

[Bandknito · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in conjunction with the Goodreads book giveaways.

Based on the title (and my background as a biologist) I expected this to be a book written from a (empirical)scientific perspective. In actual fact it is more metaphysical. Nevertheless I found it a thought provoking read. If you are expecting popular science you will be disappointed, but if your interest runs to metaphysics you are likely to find it interesting.

[Clive · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book dithers in the beginning chapters, failing to grasp either one's attention or a point, any point...

However, after a while there is some sense to it all, and the author eventually provides the information suggested by the title!

I think the subject of this book would benefit from a re-write, without the Disneyesque appeal. The author has the ability to grab ones's attention, but could do more to present this as a serious topic which people should be aware of.

[Patrick Matte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aprés avoir lu les critiques, je ne savais pas à quoi m'attendre de ce livre. Les quelques premiers chapitres passés, je peux affirmer que j'ai été agréablement surpris. L'auteur nous présente une vision du monde qui, à mon avis, explique la plupart des problèmes auxquels nous devons faire face comme société et plus globalement comme humains.