What do you think?
Rate this book
Out of Eden
Book Summary of Out Of Eden: The Peopling Of The World In 1988, "Newsweek" headlined the discovery that everyone alive on the earth can trace their maternal DNA back to one woman who lived in Africa 150,000 years ago. It was thought that humans populated the world through a series of migratory waves from their African homeland. This book reveals the revolutionary theory about our origins.
440 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
63 people are currently reading
1238 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Oppenheimer
7 books28 followersStephen Oppenheimer (b. 1947) is a British paediatrician, geneticist, and writer. He is a graduate of Balliol College, Oxford and an honorary fellow of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. In addition to his work in medicine and tropical diseases, he has published popular works in the fields of genetics and human prehistory. This latter work has been the subject of a number of television and film projects.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 21, 2013
Dr. Stephen Oppenheimer's The Real Eve: Modern Man's Journey Out of Africa (2003) is absolutely one of the very best non-fiction books I've read in a few years! And I say this on several levels too. First, if you are at all interested in your own human origins, and what makes us human, you'll love this book. Second, if you're interested in paleoanthropology, and are interested in what happened after anatomically modern humans (i.e., Homo sapiens) appeared in Africa somewhere around 200,000 years ago and when did we actually become 'behaviorally modern' too, you'll love this book. Finally, if you're at all interested in how anatomically and behaviorally modern humans then spread out in the great diaspora about 80,000 years ago known as the "Out-of-Africa" dispersal, you'll love this book.
Much of this book is an incredibly compelling melding of the existing paleoanthropological, archaeological, and genetic evidence that, when combined with known ecological and climatological data, tells the story of these robust early modern humans that undertook this grand journey that completely changed the world we live in. Oppenheimer carefully presents and considers all of the available archaeological evidence and the conclusions drawn from it, and then compares it with the results of the now extensive amount of genetic research associated with maternal mitochondrial-DNA and male Y-chromosome analyses. Oppenheimer believes that we now have answers or, at a minimum, at least some pretty compelling hypotheses that go far in addressing questions about who these peoples were that trekked along the coasts colonizing the Near East, eastern and western Europe, India, southeast Asia and eventually even New Guinea, and Australia; while others continued 'coasting' up along the Asian-Pacific coast before turning inland and settling the hinterlands of the ice-age steppe tundra of Siberia and Mongolia. Finally, Oppenheimer addresses one of the most contentious issues in modern archaeology--that of the settling of the Americas. When did modern humans reach the Americas? Who were these early colonizers? Where did they come from? Did they come in a single wave following the end of the last ice-age, or were there multiple entries? And were the Clovis peoples really the first to arrive about 12,000 years ago?
The organization of this book in its seven chapters is simply superb too, in my opinion. Dr. Oppenheimer starts off with the fascinating discussion of our early modern human ancestors in Africa, and what it was that might have compelled them to leave Africa between 80,000 and 90,000 years ago. He then spends time describing the archaeological evidence associated with the potential routes of initial dispersal from Africa (i.e., a northern route through the Levant, or the southern route--the preferred alternative--via the Bab al Mandab at the bottom of the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa).
The second chapter is equally fascinating, and addresses the all-important question of when did anatomically modern humans become 'behaviorally modern'. This has been a vexing question to paleoanthropologists and archaeologists for some time now, and there is a considerable body of evidence out there that can be interpreted quite differently. Frankly though, I'm leaning toward agreement with Dr. Oppenheimer that the appearance of anatomically modern humans between 200,000 years and 170,000 years ago was largely concurrent with the appearance of our behavioral modernity as well. In contrast, there are many well-respected anthropologists, e.g., Richard G. Klein of Stanford University, who believe that Homo sapiens became behaviorally modern sometime around 50,000 years ago, the result of additional adaptations within the human brain. Oppenheimer and other geneticists have not yet ferreted out what this change might have been, nor does he believe that the archaeological evidence supports this theory. All in all, I found this a very thought-provoking chapter.
The remainder of the book's chapters (i.e., 3-7) focus on detailed archaeological and genetic discussions of the timing of the entries into the various regions of the world colonized by the mitochondrial 'Out-of-Africa Eve' and Y-chromosomal 'Out-of-Africa Adam' and their genetic descendants. Chapter Three describes the types of people and timing of the colonizing of eastern and western Europe. Chapter Four focuses on the colonization of India, southeast Asia and leading to humans reaching New Guinea and Australia by about 60,000 years ago (implication being you'd certainly have to have been 'behaviorally modern' to fabricate a craft that was capable of 'island-hopping' and crossing many tens of kilometers of open ocean to reach Australia!). Chapter Five looks at the types of peoples and the timing of the settling of the great interior regions of ice-age Asia and eastern Russia. Chapter Six tells the story of the impact of the last ice-age in the late-Pleistocene (i.e., the Last Glacial Maximum), that wreaked havoc on the small populations of humans scattered throughout Europe and Asia. The last chapter of the book is Oppenheimer's take on the peopling of the Americas. He's of the opinion--based upon archaeology and genetics--that the first 'Americans' arrived between 25,000 years and 22,000 years ago, and that this was followed by a re-expansion of peoples that had occupied Beringia (the huge continent that existed between 25,000-11,000 years ago and linked Asian Siberia with North American Alaska during the run up and through the Last Glacial Maximum).
'So,' you ask, 'having read this fascinating book, what's the upshot?' Well, first, I can categorically answer that we are all African! Second, I think the genetic evidence and its most parsimonious interpretations tend to validate and enhance the current "Out-of-Africa" hypothesis for the dispersal of Homo sapiens from eastern Africa around 80,000 years ago. Third, after reading this book you'll never look at another human being quite the same. You'll always be thinking about our remarkable kinship, yet more fully understanding the meaning of the differences that exist among the peoples of our world today. I think it is also important to point out that Dr. Oppenheimer has also very carefully sourced and documented the material he presents in the book with over 50 pages of end-notes. I strongly recommend reading each of the end-notes too, it made for an even more complete reading experience for me.
Dr. Oppenheimer's The Real Eve: Modern Man's Journey Out of Africa is a grand synthesis of a grand story--our own human origins and subsequent dispersal around the globe. This book is really the incredible story of how a very small group (1,000-2,000 individuals) from a total population of the approximately 20,000 Homo sapiens that occupied Africa about 80,000 years ago actually got up the gumption to strike out and explore and colonize the rest of the world over the next 40,000 years or so. Finally, don't be intimidated by the subject matter, Dr. Oppenheimer is an engaging writer and spends the time and effort to present the material in such a fashion as to be understandable by any reader. It includes loads of terrific maps and detailed charts illustrating and supporting the genetic evidence and conclusions presented in the book.
In closing, I do want to say that I consider myself more than just a casual student of topics in paleoanthropology and human origins and evolution. Over my entire adult life I have made a point of staying current with the latest information, via books and technical journal articles, on this intellectually challenging subject, and I can unhesitatingly say that I believe that this is one of the most important books that I've read associated with modern human origins. This was such a good book that I've gone ahead and found a hardcover edition for my paleoanthropology book collection, as I know that I will be diving into this book time and again in the future. I highly recommend this book, and feel entirely justified in giving this 'five stars'.
Much of this book is an incredibly compelling melding of the existing paleoanthropological, archaeological, and genetic evidence that, when combined with known ecological and climatological data, tells the story of these robust early modern humans that undertook this grand journey that completely changed the world we live in. Oppenheimer carefully presents and considers all of the available archaeological evidence and the conclusions drawn from it, and then compares it with the results of the now extensive amount of genetic research associated with maternal mitochondrial-DNA and male Y-chromosome analyses. Oppenheimer believes that we now have answers or, at a minimum, at least some pretty compelling hypotheses that go far in addressing questions about who these peoples were that trekked along the coasts colonizing the Near East, eastern and western Europe, India, southeast Asia and eventually even New Guinea, and Australia; while others continued 'coasting' up along the Asian-Pacific coast before turning inland and settling the hinterlands of the ice-age steppe tundra of Siberia and Mongolia. Finally, Oppenheimer addresses one of the most contentious issues in modern archaeology--that of the settling of the Americas. When did modern humans reach the Americas? Who were these early colonizers? Where did they come from? Did they come in a single wave following the end of the last ice-age, or were there multiple entries? And were the Clovis peoples really the first to arrive about 12,000 years ago?
The organization of this book in its seven chapters is simply superb too, in my opinion. Dr. Oppenheimer starts off with the fascinating discussion of our early modern human ancestors in Africa, and what it was that might have compelled them to leave Africa between 80,000 and 90,000 years ago. He then spends time describing the archaeological evidence associated with the potential routes of initial dispersal from Africa (i.e., a northern route through the Levant, or the southern route--the preferred alternative--via the Bab al Mandab at the bottom of the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa).
The second chapter is equally fascinating, and addresses the all-important question of when did anatomically modern humans become 'behaviorally modern'. This has been a vexing question to paleoanthropologists and archaeologists for some time now, and there is a considerable body of evidence out there that can be interpreted quite differently. Frankly though, I'm leaning toward agreement with Dr. Oppenheimer that the appearance of anatomically modern humans between 200,000 years and 170,000 years ago was largely concurrent with the appearance of our behavioral modernity as well. In contrast, there are many well-respected anthropologists, e.g., Richard G. Klein of Stanford University, who believe that Homo sapiens became behaviorally modern sometime around 50,000 years ago, the result of additional adaptations within the human brain. Oppenheimer and other geneticists have not yet ferreted out what this change might have been, nor does he believe that the archaeological evidence supports this theory. All in all, I found this a very thought-provoking chapter.
The remainder of the book's chapters (i.e., 3-7) focus on detailed archaeological and genetic discussions of the timing of the entries into the various regions of the world colonized by the mitochondrial 'Out-of-Africa Eve' and Y-chromosomal 'Out-of-Africa Adam' and their genetic descendants. Chapter Three describes the types of people and timing of the colonizing of eastern and western Europe. Chapter Four focuses on the colonization of India, southeast Asia and leading to humans reaching New Guinea and Australia by about 60,000 years ago (implication being you'd certainly have to have been 'behaviorally modern' to fabricate a craft that was capable of 'island-hopping' and crossing many tens of kilometers of open ocean to reach Australia!). Chapter Five looks at the types of peoples and the timing of the settling of the great interior regions of ice-age Asia and eastern Russia. Chapter Six tells the story of the impact of the last ice-age in the late-Pleistocene (i.e., the Last Glacial Maximum), that wreaked havoc on the small populations of humans scattered throughout Europe and Asia. The last chapter of the book is Oppenheimer's take on the peopling of the Americas. He's of the opinion--based upon archaeology and genetics--that the first 'Americans' arrived between 25,000 years and 22,000 years ago, and that this was followed by a re-expansion of peoples that had occupied Beringia (the huge continent that existed between 25,000-11,000 years ago and linked Asian Siberia with North American Alaska during the run up and through the Last Glacial Maximum).
'So,' you ask, 'having read this fascinating book, what's the upshot?' Well, first, I can categorically answer that we are all African! Second, I think the genetic evidence and its most parsimonious interpretations tend to validate and enhance the current "Out-of-Africa" hypothesis for the dispersal of Homo sapiens from eastern Africa around 80,000 years ago. Third, after reading this book you'll never look at another human being quite the same. You'll always be thinking about our remarkable kinship, yet more fully understanding the meaning of the differences that exist among the peoples of our world today. I think it is also important to point out that Dr. Oppenheimer has also very carefully sourced and documented the material he presents in the book with over 50 pages of end-notes. I strongly recommend reading each of the end-notes too, it made for an even more complete reading experience for me.
Dr. Oppenheimer's The Real Eve: Modern Man's Journey Out of Africa is a grand synthesis of a grand story--our own human origins and subsequent dispersal around the globe. This book is really the incredible story of how a very small group (1,000-2,000 individuals) from a total population of the approximately 20,000 Homo sapiens that occupied Africa about 80,000 years ago actually got up the gumption to strike out and explore and colonize the rest of the world over the next 40,000 years or so. Finally, don't be intimidated by the subject matter, Dr. Oppenheimer is an engaging writer and spends the time and effort to present the material in such a fashion as to be understandable by any reader. It includes loads of terrific maps and detailed charts illustrating and supporting the genetic evidence and conclusions presented in the book.
In closing, I do want to say that I consider myself more than just a casual student of topics in paleoanthropology and human origins and evolution. Over my entire adult life I have made a point of staying current with the latest information, via books and technical journal articles, on this intellectually challenging subject, and I can unhesitatingly say that I believe that this is one of the most important books that I've read associated with modern human origins. This was such a good book that I've gone ahead and found a hardcover edition for my paleoanthropology book collection, as I know that I will be diving into this book time and again in the future. I highly recommend this book, and feel entirely justified in giving this 'five stars'.
February 8, 2012
What a tour de force from Stephen Oppenheimer. With a background in genetics and in interest in population movements of the past, Oppenheimer set out to investigate how Homo sapiens populated the Earth. Did we come out of Africa or evolve on multiple continents simultaneously as the multiregionalists would have us believe? What routes did migrating populations take and what difficulties did they encounter? How can people have reached Australia before Europe? By what date did people reach the Americas? And, perhaps most fundamentally fascinating for any reader, what line am I descended from and how can we trace that line?
Oppenheimer answers all these questions and more, but he doesn’t just approach things from a genetics point of view. In attempting to answer these questions, Oppenheimer takes into account the archaeological evidence and environmental factors. Some answers are Oppenheimer’s theories of what he thinks is the most likely course of events, based on all the evidence (not just the genetics), and what I liked about this was that Stephen draws attention to wherever the evidence and theories are in question, and presents the reader with the alternative theories out there too – this level of transparency really credits Oppenheimer’s professionalism, and lends weight to his arguments as I can see that he has considered the alternative scenarios and is not attempting to promote his own version of events by omitting mention of them – he lets the reader make up their own mind.
Oppenheimer, conscious of the fact that not all of his readership will be geneticists, really takes the time to explain the science, and for me I was clear all the way through on what he was talking about – though he adds the caveat that he uses a greatly simplified model in order to explain how the genetics work – frankly credit to the man, I found it challenging, though not confusing, as was. I have to say I found all of Oppenheimer’s arguments very convincing and thoroughly agree with his conclusions – for me the only questionmarks remain over issues where Oppenheimer himself admits that work is still to be done, but his carefully thought out scenarios seem highly plausible to me.
Fascinating topic, clearly explained, carefully considered.
9 out of 10.
Oppenheimer answers all these questions and more, but he doesn’t just approach things from a genetics point of view. In attempting to answer these questions, Oppenheimer takes into account the archaeological evidence and environmental factors. Some answers are Oppenheimer’s theories of what he thinks is the most likely course of events, based on all the evidence (not just the genetics), and what I liked about this was that Stephen draws attention to wherever the evidence and theories are in question, and presents the reader with the alternative theories out there too – this level of transparency really credits Oppenheimer’s professionalism, and lends weight to his arguments as I can see that he has considered the alternative scenarios and is not attempting to promote his own version of events by omitting mention of them – he lets the reader make up their own mind.
Oppenheimer, conscious of the fact that not all of his readership will be geneticists, really takes the time to explain the science, and for me I was clear all the way through on what he was talking about – though he adds the caveat that he uses a greatly simplified model in order to explain how the genetics work – frankly credit to the man, I found it challenging, though not confusing, as was. I have to say I found all of Oppenheimer’s arguments very convincing and thoroughly agree with his conclusions – for me the only questionmarks remain over issues where Oppenheimer himself admits that work is still to be done, but his carefully thought out scenarios seem highly plausible to me.
Fascinating topic, clearly explained, carefully considered.
9 out of 10.
January 30, 2014
This is a hard book to rate. The author combines his genetic knowledge with archaeological, linguistic and climatic data, to offer some very interesting opinions on historical populations movements. There is a lot that was new and compelling (to me at any rate) in his opinions. On the other hand he seemed very politically correct and afraid to offer any opinion that would offend anyone from Neanderthals to Sub-Saharan Africans, and seemed to have an agenda that conflicted with science. In retrospect a good info-graphic could have saved me a lot of time. He also pretty much dismissed my Y-DNA haplogroup, from his historical story causing me personal offense. It was good but frustrating.
March 30, 2020
I got reference of the book from lecture of famous Indian scientist and historian Shri N.S. Rajaram. He vigorously debunked Aryan Invasion / Migration Theory (AIT/ AMT).
This book gives an overall view of evolution and journey of human from Africa to different parts of world. The book begins with an interesting illustration of an airline check-in queue where people from Africa, India, China, New Guinea, Australia and Europe are standing without knowing their same origin and they are all related with each other.
Mr.Stephen Oppenheimer spreads his writing in following topics:
Out of Africa
When did we become modern
Two kinds of European
First steps into Asia
First leap to Australia
The early Asian divisions
The Great Freeze
The peopling of the Americas
The author has used analysis of mtDNA and Y chromosome to find out peopling of world. This book covers a journey from Australopithecus afarensis to Homo sapiens. Texts are supported by lots of maps and figures which are comprehensible, though at some time it becomes Anthropological jargon, however, serious readers can track event.
Further, author proves through genetics that human moved from Africa through the beach and all of Eurasia and America was colonized from Asia. There was nothing like Aryan race from Central Asia or Steppe came down to invade/ migrate India or South Asia.
Readers will be knowledgeable about anthropology and application of genetics on this field.
This book gives an overall view of evolution and journey of human from Africa to different parts of world. The book begins with an interesting illustration of an airline check-in queue where people from Africa, India, China, New Guinea, Australia and Europe are standing without knowing their same origin and they are all related with each other.
Mr.Stephen Oppenheimer spreads his writing in following topics:
Out of Africa
When did we become modern
Two kinds of European
First steps into Asia
First leap to Australia
The early Asian divisions
The Great Freeze
The peopling of the Americas
The author has used analysis of mtDNA and Y chromosome to find out peopling of world. This book covers a journey from Australopithecus afarensis to Homo sapiens. Texts are supported by lots of maps and figures which are comprehensible, though at some time it becomes Anthropological jargon, however, serious readers can track event.
Further, author proves through genetics that human moved from Africa through the beach and all of Eurasia and America was colonized from Asia. There was nothing like Aryan race from Central Asia or Steppe came down to invade/ migrate India or South Asia.
Readers will be knowledgeable about anthropology and application of genetics on this field.
November 10, 2013
A fascinating book which I have read twice. I would give it five stars except that some of the facts I memorised seem to have been contradicted in other books, articles and television documentaries I've come across.
I have tended to stick with Opphenheimer's dates and theories because I've noticed that the interpretations from DNA analysis are being supported by more recent fossil finds. Perhaps Oppenheimer is just ahead of the pack.
Nov. 2013. I've been following the subject and Oppenheimer himself. Up to 5 stars.
I have tended to stick with Opphenheimer's dates and theories because I've noticed that the interpretations from DNA analysis are being supported by more recent fossil finds. Perhaps Oppenheimer is just ahead of the pack.
Nov. 2013. I've been following the subject and Oppenheimer himself. Up to 5 stars.
July 25, 2011
Peculiar enough...i was reading with russian translation next to it. They even managed once to translate male line as "female", putting the reasoning of entire chapter upside down. Let alone constant references from translators to Bible. Ridiculous and enraging.
April 28, 2022
Bullet Review:
Brilliant - I am so glad my friend gave this to me and I finally got around to reading this nearly 20 year old book! I know that there are parts of this somewhat out of date by now, but for this girl who was raised ignoring science, this is huge.
Brilliant - I am so glad my friend gave this to me and I finally got around to reading this nearly 20 year old book! I know that there are parts of this somewhat out of date by now, but for this girl who was raised ignoring science, this is huge.
August 29, 2025
im sorry but i hated it. Too dry and scientific for my liking. Had to drag myself through it. Gave it a 2 because there were a couple of interesting facts like the DNA that closely resembles ours of another species is the orangutan
April 25, 2015
I am immensely interested in the subject of history through the study of Mitochondrial DNA, the type of DNA passed from mother to child over and over and over again. Since you get this type of DNA from your mother, a male can not pass it on (unlike other types of DNA). There is an aspect of Mitochondrial DNA which mutates every several thousand years. So by charting who carries each mutation and comparing it with where it is predominantly found on the earth, the migrations of each person's ancestors can be mapped. This is exciting not only for family history and genealogy but as a measure of the fact that all people on the earth are related. Each person on the planet carries the Mitochondrial DNA of a woman (referred to as Mitochondrial Eve, who lived 150,000 years ago) making every person related to every other person regardless race or color.
Stephen Oppenheimer has done a first rate job of explaining the science of Mitochondrial DNA and explains where the people of the earth came from, their migrations and where they ended up. It is an extremely interesting subject and Oppenheimer does and excellent job of keeping it interesting.
Stephen Oppenheimer has done a first rate job of explaining the science of Mitochondrial DNA and explains where the people of the earth came from, their migrations and where they ended up. It is an extremely interesting subject and Oppenheimer does and excellent job of keeping it interesting.
March 20, 2016
Having read quite a few books on the subject, I found this to be a fascinating read. Oppenheimer convincingly makes the case that there was only one successful early exodus of modern humans from Africa, via the foot of the Red Sea, using climate data to back up his analysis, and he dates the exit to about 85,000 years ago. This challenges the widespread view that early humans who later moved on to Europe left Africa via a northern route following the Nile, and also challenges the timing. I am wondering whether any other specialists in the genetic tracing of human migration have responded to Oppenheimer's view - either to support or contest it. Anybody know?
August 14, 2010
Following the 'Out of Africa' theory where modern humans can trace their origins to an African ancestor. Not an easy read but the book outlines what science is currently telling us about human origins.
May 19, 2015
Nie jestem antropologiem, biologiem, geografem, ale interesuje się ludzkością i emigracją. Książka jest dosyć długa i od czasu do czasu operuje specyficznymi terminami. Całkowity zamęt może przyprawić ilość ludzkich linii, dobrze że autor ich nazwał np Kain, Abel... chociaż numerki i cyfry też wystąpiły. Ale one same byłyby już do strawienia tylko dla specjalistów. Przeczytałem całą książkę, ale w sumie epilog wystarczyłby.
March 5, 2013
An interesting look back through the DNA map to figure out when and where humanity sprung. Oppenheimer's conclusion that all of humanity is descended from just seven women is fascinating. The only downside is that the sample size he has to deal with needs to be larger to fully accepting his findings, but nevertheless it's well worth reading.
January 31, 2015
Although somewhat outdated, nevertheless the book provides a background for Oppenheimer's more recent work published in 2014, 'Origins of the British.' A good read if you follow developments in genetics.
December 6, 2018
This book is made obsolete by Who we are and how we got here.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
December 7, 2020
I was inspired to read this book as Alice Roberts leant on Oppenheimer's theories a lot in her Human Journey book and I wanted to read the source material. What I was left with was a new respect for Roberts' writing which I'd previously described as hum-drum but, in comparison to Oppenheimer, was clear and something of a page turner. Oppenheimer dives straight in with a 40 page prologue and you straight away dive into a pile of facts and science. You realise how enthusiastic and knowledgeable he is but, to me, so keen was he to get his point across that it ended up getting lost in a mass of information, so much so, that I pretty much red the book twice, so often did I have to reread passages to try and work out what the hell he was talking about. When I did get it, it was fascinating: the evolution of man in Africa, the small band that crossed the Gates of Grief to Yemen to populate the rest of the world, the rapid coastal hopping to Australia, the Toba eruption, the complex moving of populations in Asia, the Ainu and finally the contraversial subject of the American invasion. The contribution that DNA testing has now made to this story, especially how it related to remnant populations such as those on the Anderman Islands or Japan, was well told. He tried to make this more relatable by giving names to nominal founding mother and father populations but would often slip into the cumbersome science jargon which would then make things opaque again and lead to yet another reread. I may in fact benefit from actually rereading the whole book as I am sure there are so many details that didn't stick, but I can't help but feel that he should have been able to tell this amazing story without continually losing the reader.
September 22, 2017
Lots of good information, but I fear with 2004 publication date it is probably outdated. It's very dry and academic, (at least for this non-science trained person) but worth slogging through if you are interested in the evolution of humans.
May 30, 2018
After reading this book read Bruce Kenyon's Into Africa book.
October 4, 2016
As a Cultural Heritage Specialist doing research and media work, I could not put this book down. In fact I re-read the sections on the migration out of Africa and especially the parts on Southeast Asia/ Australasia and the peopling of Sundaland (nickname for the then unsunken continent known to the Malay peoples as 'Benua Mu'), and after the deluge now the Malay Archipelago. It's interesting how all the native Bumiputra/ Pribumi of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines - whether Orang Asli/Suku Terasing or all the Rumpun Melayu/ Austros - are indeed co-indigenous to Southeast Asia straight from Africa and not wholesale ancient migrants from or via Yunnan, China or wherever as once thought. There is an ancient co-existing link between all of the natives, with the Melayu Asli even having a very unique genetic fingerprint not found anywhere else on Earth. My copy of the book even has the autograph of Dr. Oppenheimer himself, which I obtained during his Keynote Address at the Sungai Batu International Conference in Sungai Petani, Malaysia in May, 2016.
February 9, 2017
This is without a doubt a good work, from a scientific viewpoint, but for the amateur layman, there is too much detail in explaining the whereabouts and the wanderings of all the different tribes throughout the climatic changes.
As for me, I was much more interested in and delighted by "The 7 daughters of Eve".
The work of Oppenheimer, albeit it thorough and detailed, could not keep my imagination and interest going.
Nevertheless, I will keep this work for reference...
As for me, I was much more interested in and delighted by "The 7 daughters of Eve".
The work of Oppenheimer, albeit it thorough and detailed, could not keep my imagination and interest going.
Nevertheless, I will keep this work for reference...
August 15, 2011
I found this book in a open-air book mart in Cape Town and read it while on temporary assignment in South Africa. I found it to be an extremely readable discussion of human migration out of Africa. It was the first I'd read on this subject that brought in prehistoryic climatology to explain what may have directed and limited human migration patterns. Its conclusions were very congruent with "The Seven Daughters of Eve"; another of my highly recommended books on the subject of human migration patterns.
This isn't for everyone, but if you enjoy anthropology and human development, you'll find it a good read.
This isn't for everyone, but if you enjoy anthropology and human development, you'll find it a good read.
February 8, 2017
A fantastic explanation of early human migrations. Written before the discovery of Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA in people. Would love to see an updated edition.
October 21, 2008
Actually, I didn't read it, beyond the introductory chapter ... nothing wrong with the book, but I just decided that I already had the gist of what the book was about - essentially how DNA can be used to show that all non-Africans descend from a common ancestor who migrated from Africa, and the dates at which different parts of the world were colonised by homo sapiens. In the end, I just wasn't interested enough to want to read a few hundred pages on the hows and whys.
April 20, 2015
First book I've read about human evolution and found it fascinating - especially interesting are the various waves of migration from Africa and the likely 'beachcomber' route to Australia. Some of the technical description of different genetic lineages is a bit tough going but overall well worth reading.
March 30, 2014
This book completely shifted my scale of thought about humanity and our origins. It is a fascinating exploration of what science can reveal about how people came to populate the earth, where they settled first, and how the wide diversity of the human population came to be. The concepts are not simple and I had to reread many sections, but the author explains the ideas thoroughly and logically.
February 25, 2016
A somewhat mixed bag. A fascinating subject but some of the science was very heavy going and I found myself skimming it. When the text isn't bogged down in haplogroups however, Oppenheimer writes very well, and the section on the academic controversy over pre-Clovis migration to the Americas was excellent.
September 9, 2013
It's really hard to rate the book, surely full of detailed and useful data for everyone interested in story of the mankind, but almost completely ruined by very unprofessional translation to Polish. Google translator would be not much worse than this.
February 25, 2015
Rzetelna, dobrze napisana pozycja naukowa. Tylko na prawdę bardzo długo się czyta... No, ale nareszcie wiem dlaczego rdzenni Amerykanie są tak podobni do Azjatów i skąd się wzięli Aborygeni w Australii :)
September 18, 2015
Made it about two-thirds of the way through before giving up. The author does a fine job of relating facts and drawing hypotheses, but he has very little narrative gift. Just too dense and dry for me.
April 2, 2008
I hadn't read anything like this so the science was a little hard to get through. Overall, an interesting story of modern humans from 80,000 years ago to some 20,000 years ago.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews