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Origins: Human Evolution Revealed
Scientists believe that every human on the planet is descended from a woman who lived in Africa 100,000 years ago. "Origins" tells the incredible story of homo sapiens - where we came from, why we made it (and why 20 human-like species didn't) and what it means to be 'human' anyway. Part one takes us back through evolution to meet our ancestors. From the ape-like Proconsul who lived in Africa 17 million years ago to Homo floresiensis, the dwarf human species which survived on the Indonesian island of Flores until 18,000 years ago. The most accurate facial reconstructions available bring us up close with these familiar yet alien relatives, and artworks give a compelling insight into their lives - where they lived, what they wore, whether they spoke, what they ate, what animals existed. Graphical timelines untangle the relationships between the different species and highlight our remarkable evolutionary journey. The second part shows how humans spread across the planet to form the diverse races and peoples we know today, from our first steps out of Africa 100,000 years ago to our arrival in New Zealand as recently as 1,000 years ago.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 20, 2010
3 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Palmer
81 books12 followersDouglas Palmer is a science writer, academic, and author of many books on paleontology, including Life Before Man and Graptolites: Writing in the Rock. In addition to writing numerous articles for leading journals such as Science and New Scientist, he teaches Natural and Earth Sciences at Cambridge University, England.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 5, 2013
Origins: Human Evolution Revealed is a large format "coffee table" style overview of the current scientific thinking with respect to human evolution. There are many colored photographs, diagrams and maps. A striking reconstruction of Lucy peers out from the dust jacket. Origins is an introduction, aimed at a general audience. The many illustrations make it highly accessible. Nonetheless, the text is not "dumbed down" and packs in considerable information. Origins need not be read as a narrative, in fact each chapter can be read as a "stand alone" and there is some repetition across chapters.
The book is divided into two sections, the first consisting of a series of short (10-15 page) chapters each focusing on a specific early hominid species. Starting with Proconsul africanus (about 18 million years ago) through Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo neanderthalensis, and ultimately Homo sapiens, each chapter describes circumstances surrounding the initial and subsequent finds, the resulting scientific debate and discussion, and our current thinking with respect to where each species fits in the primate evolutionary "bush". Provided are brief sketches of the key scientific figures associated with each species (e.g. - the Leakey's). John Gurche contributed interesting artistic reconstructions of each species' appearance, reflecting current thinking.
The second section focuses on the global migration of Homo sapiens and his predecessors, tracing multiple waves of migration from Africa throughout the world. Separate chapters focus on the dispersion from Africa, and the migrations into Europe, Australasia, and the Americas. There are also chapters on art and tool making. These latter are understandably limited given that they must cover vastly complicated subjects in just a few pages. This section too is well supported with maps and photographs.
I had a few negative impressions: First, the aerial overview maps illustrating key archeological sites were not particularly helpful. Second, as noted above, the sections on art, tool making, and climate change (1 page plus a diagram!) are disappointingly sketchy. Finally, there is no bibliography or suggestions for further reading, something such a lavish overview cries out for. Overall, Origins is a well done introduction to human evolution. Four stars.
The book is divided into two sections, the first consisting of a series of short (10-15 page) chapters each focusing on a specific early hominid species. Starting with Proconsul africanus (about 18 million years ago) through Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo neanderthalensis, and ultimately Homo sapiens, each chapter describes circumstances surrounding the initial and subsequent finds, the resulting scientific debate and discussion, and our current thinking with respect to where each species fits in the primate evolutionary "bush". Provided are brief sketches of the key scientific figures associated with each species (e.g. - the Leakey's). John Gurche contributed interesting artistic reconstructions of each species' appearance, reflecting current thinking.
The second section focuses on the global migration of Homo sapiens and his predecessors, tracing multiple waves of migration from Africa throughout the world. Separate chapters focus on the dispersion from Africa, and the migrations into Europe, Australasia, and the Americas. There are also chapters on art and tool making. These latter are understandably limited given that they must cover vastly complicated subjects in just a few pages. This section too is well supported with maps and photographs.
I had a few negative impressions: First, the aerial overview maps illustrating key archeological sites were not particularly helpful. Second, as noted above, the sections on art, tool making, and climate change (1 page plus a diagram!) are disappointingly sketchy. Finally, there is no bibliography or suggestions for further reading, something such a lavish overview cries out for. Overall, Origins is a well done introduction to human evolution. Four stars.
November 3, 2013
Title: Origins: Human Evolution Revealed
Author: Douglas Palmer
Artist: John Gurche
Genre: Nonfiction, anthropology
Length: 256 pages
Reviewer: Pearson Moore
Rating: 5 Stars
Summary
Using gorgeous full-page artistic illustrations, sculptures, and photographs, Origins tells the story of human evolution from the first proto-primate, Proconsul (20 million years bp), to the North American Clovis culture of 11,000 B.C.
From the Publisher
Scientists believe that every human on the planet is descended from a woman who lived in Africa 100,000 years ago. Origins tells the incredible story of homo sapiens - where we came from, why we made it (and why 20 human-like species didn't) and what it means to be 'human' anyway. Part one takes us back through evolution to meet our ancestors. From the ape-like Proconsul who lived in Africa 17 million years ago to Homo floresiensis, the dwarf human species which survived on the Indonesian island of Flores until 18,000 years ago. The most accurate facial reconstructions available bring us up close with these familiar yet alien relatives, and artworks give a compelling insight into their lives - where they lived, what they wore, whether they spoke, what they ate, what animals existed. Graphical timelines untangle the relationships between the different species and highlight our remarkable evolutionary journey.The second part shows how humans spread across the planet to form the diverse races and peoples we know today, from our first steps out of Africa 100,000 years ago to our arrival in New Zealand as recently as 1,000 years ago.
Review
Dr. Douglas Palmer took on the difficult challenge of presenting 20 million years of evolutionary evidence and compiling it into an easily assimilated work for the general public. He succeeded in almost brilliant fashion with a work that should stand the test of time. I have minor quibbles with the text, but as a whole this is one of the best books on paleoanthropology aimed at a general audience that I have ever read. Dr. Palmer collaborated with the incredibly talented sculptor John Gurche, as well as other leading artists and photographers, to convey scientific findings in a compelling manner. The reason this book rates five stars, though, is the depth of the textual accompaniment that should satisfy almost any reader's desire for substantive background information on major anthropological discoveries. While it is probably true that most purchasers of the volume will merely admire the superbly worked sculptures and photographs, the book's enduring legacy is a text that paints a vivid picture of the evolutionary process without becoming entangled in technical language.
Quality
John Gurche's works stand out as unparalleled and breathtaking in their detail, depth, and plausibility. The sculptures look so real it's difficult to believe they are not flesh-and-blood creatures but painted clay and polyester. The brown- and sepia-tinted drawings, on the other hand, while no doubt of high quality, seem inconsistent, with some early hominids appearing too human and some late members of the homo species looking entirely too apelike in appearance. To my untrained eye, the drawings seem rushed and not well conceived or integrated into the work. The photographs, especially the full-page, close-up shots of stone tools and bone fragments, are nothing short of amazing.
Writing and Formatting Quality
Dr. Palmer did not strive for art in his writing, and it shows. In fairness, he took on an enormous task, trying to translate the sometimes complicated terminology and ideas of anthropology into ordinary English. In this regard he succeeded beyond all measure. But there are times when the text becomes laborious and the presentation seems rote. There are minor inconsistencies, such as an early note regarding the fact that Neanderthals were the first to bury their dead, followed some pages later by a contradictory statement that Homo sapiens buried their dead several millennia before Neanderthals (the first statement is correct, if my reading of other paleoanthropology books can be trusted). I noticed relatively frequent proofreading errors and occasional instances of poor editing. Long blank spaces appear without rhyme or reason in the text, indicating editing followed by inadequate reformatting. Nevertheless, these are minor detractions from an otherwise solid work.
Overall
The lavish illustrations, especially the Gurche sculptures, would be a bargain at two or three times the small cost of the volume. That these great artworks are accompanied by a solid and expertly reasoned text makes this book one of the best I've seen on the subject of human evolution. Anyone interested in human origins will benefit from reading this book.
Rating: 5 Stars
Author: Douglas Palmer
Artist: John Gurche
Genre: Nonfiction, anthropology
Length: 256 pages
Reviewer: Pearson Moore
Rating: 5 Stars
Summary
Using gorgeous full-page artistic illustrations, sculptures, and photographs, Origins tells the story of human evolution from the first proto-primate, Proconsul (20 million years bp), to the North American Clovis culture of 11,000 B.C.
From the Publisher
Scientists believe that every human on the planet is descended from a woman who lived in Africa 100,000 years ago. Origins tells the incredible story of homo sapiens - where we came from, why we made it (and why 20 human-like species didn't) and what it means to be 'human' anyway. Part one takes us back through evolution to meet our ancestors. From the ape-like Proconsul who lived in Africa 17 million years ago to Homo floresiensis, the dwarf human species which survived on the Indonesian island of Flores until 18,000 years ago. The most accurate facial reconstructions available bring us up close with these familiar yet alien relatives, and artworks give a compelling insight into their lives - where they lived, what they wore, whether they spoke, what they ate, what animals existed. Graphical timelines untangle the relationships between the different species and highlight our remarkable evolutionary journey.The second part shows how humans spread across the planet to form the diverse races and peoples we know today, from our first steps out of Africa 100,000 years ago to our arrival in New Zealand as recently as 1,000 years ago.
Review
Dr. Douglas Palmer took on the difficult challenge of presenting 20 million years of evolutionary evidence and compiling it into an easily assimilated work for the general public. He succeeded in almost brilliant fashion with a work that should stand the test of time. I have minor quibbles with the text, but as a whole this is one of the best books on paleoanthropology aimed at a general audience that I have ever read. Dr. Palmer collaborated with the incredibly talented sculptor John Gurche, as well as other leading artists and photographers, to convey scientific findings in a compelling manner. The reason this book rates five stars, though, is the depth of the textual accompaniment that should satisfy almost any reader's desire for substantive background information on major anthropological discoveries. While it is probably true that most purchasers of the volume will merely admire the superbly worked sculptures and photographs, the book's enduring legacy is a text that paints a vivid picture of the evolutionary process without becoming entangled in technical language.
Quality
John Gurche's works stand out as unparalleled and breathtaking in their detail, depth, and plausibility. The sculptures look so real it's difficult to believe they are not flesh-and-blood creatures but painted clay and polyester. The brown- and sepia-tinted drawings, on the other hand, while no doubt of high quality, seem inconsistent, with some early hominids appearing too human and some late members of the homo species looking entirely too apelike in appearance. To my untrained eye, the drawings seem rushed and not well conceived or integrated into the work. The photographs, especially the full-page, close-up shots of stone tools and bone fragments, are nothing short of amazing.
Writing and Formatting Quality
Dr. Palmer did not strive for art in his writing, and it shows. In fairness, he took on an enormous task, trying to translate the sometimes complicated terminology and ideas of anthropology into ordinary English. In this regard he succeeded beyond all measure. But there are times when the text becomes laborious and the presentation seems rote. There are minor inconsistencies, such as an early note regarding the fact that Neanderthals were the first to bury their dead, followed some pages later by a contradictory statement that Homo sapiens buried their dead several millennia before Neanderthals (the first statement is correct, if my reading of other paleoanthropology books can be trusted). I noticed relatively frequent proofreading errors and occasional instances of poor editing. Long blank spaces appear without rhyme or reason in the text, indicating editing followed by inadequate reformatting. Nevertheless, these are minor detractions from an otherwise solid work.
Overall
The lavish illustrations, especially the Gurche sculptures, would be a bargain at two or three times the small cost of the volume. That these great artworks are accompanied by a solid and expertly reasoned text makes this book one of the best I've seen on the subject of human evolution. Anyone interested in human origins will benefit from reading this book.
Rating: 5 Stars
July 28, 2013
This paleoanthropology book has two things going for it: it boasts the latest information & discoveries (as 0f 2010) and it has stunning artistic reconstructions of hominids, Neanderthals, and Cro-Magnon humans. (courtesy of John Gurche).
The only noticeable issue is with the unusual amount of typos in the text. Maybe the book was rushed to press or the editor had a headache that day, but the errors are multiple and in a few cases rather glaring. Still, a good coffee table book and a decent introduction to our early kin.
The only noticeable issue is with the unusual amount of typos in the text. Maybe the book was rushed to press or the editor had a headache that day, but the errors are multiple and in a few cases rather glaring. Still, a good coffee table book and a decent introduction to our early kin.
October 24, 2011
Beautiful pictures, compared to other similar works information seem to be legit. Maps and sketches are also helpful, each specific topic on species is seperated so you are never lost.
December 30, 2024
The information this book contains is kind of entry-level paleo-anthropology which is understandable considering it has to cover everything from sahelantropus tschadensis to our own Homo sapiens. Pictures and graphs reveal more specific stories and information like a treat every few pages
May 2, 2022
Beautifully written -- scholarly, thoughtful, thrilling. Magnificent art.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews