The First Eden: The Mediterranean World and Man

by David Attenborough

In this book, David Attenborough not only describes the natural history of the Mediterranean, but also tells the fascinating story of mankind's changing attitudes to the natural world and gives a new insight into the communities of animals and plants that live today in this lovely Sea and the lands around it.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Science, Nature, Natural History, Archaeology, Animals

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Sir David Frederick Attenborough is a naturalist and broadcaster, who is most well-known for writing and presenting the nine "Life" series, produced in conjunction with BBC's Natural History Unit. The series includes Life on Earth (1979), The Living Planet (1984), The Trials of Life (1990), Life in the Freezer (about Antarctica; 1993), The Private Life of Plants (1995), The Life of Birds (1998), The Life of Mammals (2002), Life in the Undergrowth (2005) and Life in Cold Blood (2008).

He is the younger brother of director and actor Richard Attenborough.

Photo credit: Wildscreen's photograph of David Attenborough at ARKive's launch in Bristol, England © May 2003

Reviews

[Bob Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

an illustrated history that combines nature and people

If David Attenborough's myriad films and documentaries ever appealed to you, but you would like to go through some at a slower pace and have it on your shelf for future use, then this is a book you will like. It is written for a non-specialist audience and loaded with useful maps and great photographs. Starting with the geology of the Mediterranean---its drying out and refilling several times over millions of years---and continuing on to topics like the pygmy elephants and hippos that lived on islands like Sicily and Malta up to not-so ancient times, the book unfolds both the nature of the region and the history of the peoples who live there. It is certainly done with a broad brush. For academic detail and accuracy you could read Braudel, but this is a well-written introduction to Egypt, Crete, the horse peoples, Islam, the Crusaders, and the destruction of the forests for fuel and construction of houses and ships. He traces the introduction of new plants from the east to the west, as well as from the Americas after Columbus. Attenborough closes on a note of warning, saying that the vast transformation of land and water wrought in this region is now occurring everywhere. Are we going to do anything about it or just let it happen? In this book the Majorcan midwife toad and monk seal were just hanging on in 1987. Thirty years later, they are still in the same situation. Faint hope arises. At least they did not go extinct. What about us?

[Andrew Ives · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this is very much like the brilliant Life on Earth and The Living Planet books in format, and that it accompanies a TV series (which, alas, I've never seen), The First Eden differs in a significant way, telling essentially the history of the Mediterranean Sea and its coastlines. As such, this book starts with pre-history, geology, moves on to ancient history, and towards more recent history, and how the animals, plants, birds, lands and climate were affected throughout. In some ways, this is its strongest and weakest point. While it makes for a refreshing and interesting read, it slightly veers away from the animal subject matter that David Attenborough is most renowned for, into a slightly superficial abridged version of history instead. Even so, this is hardly a criticism as I enjoyed the whole book, and would love to see the accompanying TV series too. I would actually prefer this book to be 100 pages longer to fill in more of the historical gaps and update us on whatever has changed since 1987 when it was written. 4.75/5

[Revanth Ukkalam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is an amazing companion to Attenborough's miniseries. The book is a book nonetheless and can stand alone too. It is structured slightly differently, exceeds the show in some kind of details but refrains in others. Aided by beautiful pictures that are worth decorating walls with, this hardcover feels like carrying David Attenborough around. What will always surprise me is the intellectual audacity to make content like this for lay audience. The First Eden is a macrohistory of the Mediterranean Sea and the fascinating relationship between peoples and their fellow living beings. From the gushing of the Atlantic Ocean into the salty plains to create the Mediterranean to the swimming of fish into and out of the sea after the Suez: this is an epic journey. As a history buff, the bits on Egypt, Crete and particular historical anecdotes like the fall of Jerusalem and the Battle of Lepanto too were of interest to me.

[Rachel Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book and it certainly had a mixture of history, biology, geography and religion combined. Whilst this was unlike other books I have read by David Attenborough, it was still a great read. Rather than focusing on David Attenborough's time in a certain location or aspects of nature (e.g. The Life of Mammals), The First Eden is a succinct account of the history of the Mediterranean. Describing the flora and fauna of this area of the world. From the animals past and present, the changing landscapes, the introduction of man, religious beliefs (The Egyptology was particularly interesting, with how they revered certain animals). Also the interaction between man and nature, the effect man had on nature, conflicts such as the Crusades and a note on how future change is needed to maintain not only the Mediterranean but the Earth.

[Chris Linehan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having watched countless numbers of his documentaries I could hear his familiar voice in my head as I read this book. It was enjoyable and informative. He really does a great job with his advocacy for conservationism and you can see his passion in every page. It’s a little less spectacular than BBC Earth, but how could it not be? This might be one of the few times where I feel the movie might be better than the book that inspired it. Still, it’s a worthwhile read for anyone interested in history or in nature and Attenborough does a good job wedding the two. My only complaint is that the pictures were somewhat clumsily placed and were shown pages after he wrote about them. It made for a lot of back and forth in page turning and led to some disjointed reading.

[Neha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book will give you a brief description of everything that happened in and around Mediterranean Sea almost 6 million years ago. It goes through geology, history, evolution of human, animals and nature in that area. If you like Attinborough's documentaries, you will enjoy this book too. Even though, the book has some amazing photos, this book would be more interesting as a documentary with more visual aid. I am a huge fan of Attinborough's documentaries and may be that is why I gave this book only 3 stars.

This book was published before I was born. So, there may be new informations about everything described in book. But, it is a good and interesting book to read.

[Tiberiu Condulescu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am personally quite the fan of the Mediterranean Sea and area and I loved every page of the book. Whether Attenborough was presenting prehistoric times, antiquity or modern developments, he did a great job. I recommend this book to everyone who has a general interest in the area, its history, peoples and nature, as it will certainly give you a taste of what further topics you can delve into. My favorite chapter was on the bull god (antiquity), a topic I plan to further research.

[Artie LeBlanc · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. The science and statistics are now outdated, but the message is clear - we are messing up the Mediterranean, big-time.

Organised chronologically, the book outlines the development of the flora and fauna of the Mediterranean basin, and of the Sea itself. It is fascinating, readily absorbed, and beautifully illustrated.

Highly recommended.

[Eric Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit dated now after 30 years, but still a worthwhile read. A bit scattershot in the topics for such a small book, but still a light introduction to the natural history, archaeology, and cultural history of the region.

[Tim Pendry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a bit of a potboiler from the estimable David Attenborough - a classic tie-in to a short BBC documentary series that shows all the strengths and weaknesses of the genre: clarity of detail in an excessively simplistic and episodic narrative.

It is a fairly quick-run-through of the natural history, archaeology, history and ecology of the Mediterrnean centred largely on humanity's largely deleterious impact on its environment, although, to be fair, not presented until the very last page with now standard religious fervour.

The truth is that Attenborough does make a very good point but he perhaps misses another one. It is all very well implicitly condemning humanity for its effects but only if you face the fundamental fact that large populations mean miserable poverty for most without economic development.

The Mediterranean is (or was when Attenborough produced the series) an utter polluted mess and the book can be seen as an appropriate attempt to get the countries of Europe and the Arab World to co-operate in a clean-up, to stop slaughter of birds and fish and to secure nature reserves.

This was in 1987 and perhaps someone else can tell us how much we have succeeded in the last quarter of a century but the tension between the aesthetic and long term desire for 'Eden' and the continued reality of poverty and expectation remains - the more so in the current economic crisis.

The book is well illustrated and undoubtedly informative with a nice balance between describing nature and man's activity on nature. And, to be fair, as one would expect from Attenborough, it informs to educate and lacks the off-putting hysteria of the green believer.

[Erik Dryden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of Attenborough who know him primarily for his wonderful nature documentaries may be unaware of the skill with which he has talked about people and their cultures in his numerous anthropology documentaries. This book, written more than two decades ago, accompanied a BBC series of the same name, written and presented by Sir David himself. We are given an overview of the major forces that shaped the culture of the region, from religion, warfare, and human migration, to plant and animal life, deforestation, and the development of agriculture. As might be expected, there are lavish illustrations, with photographs of ancient ruins and archaeological finds and drawings that recreate the original appearance of ancient structures. Attenborough's text superbly elucidates these illustrations. You can almost hear his voice reading it to you.

[Christopher Major · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Eden is a journey through time chronicling the development of the Mediterranean, it fuses geology, natural history, human history and mythology, and explains how each of these factors have influenced each other to shape this landscape, so coveted by man and yet so abused. Attenborough writes with such warmth, passion and depth of understanding that I was constantly in awe at the wonders of nature and sickened by mans disregard for this environment that sustains the lives of its inhabitants. This book sent my imagination into overdrive immersing me in lost world of pigmy elephants and giant rats, a word of mummified birds and sacred bulls. Wonderfully illustrated and well researched and compiled. I cannot recommend this book enough to anyone with even passing interest in the natural world.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Instead of focusing on one kind of animal, Attenborough focuses on one area and how the choices people made have affected the lives of the animals there. I learned something important, how the ship building craze in the early centuries caused the denuding of the forests, which caused the land to change to a desert like scene.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book written by a PhD in Zoology, with excellent photographs. Excellent and interesting information, good overall view, not too detailed. Amazed at the animal and plant life and conditions which destroyed ‘Eden’ and left most of it a barren desert today.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like reading a Sir David Attenborough documentary in your mind! You can actually hear him narrating :-D

[ANIOTUS Marcus Longmuir · Rating 5 out of 5]

From a man who established standards for naturalists and nature documentary makers. Brilliantly researched and wonderfully interesting.

[David Cozens · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mediterranean world and man.

[Frank Ashe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mediterranean is vital in understanding human history. This books covers the last 6.5 million years.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot ... a really nice little natural history of the Mediterranean.

[Adam Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this at my grandparent's house.