Scan barcode
lauren_endnotes's review against another edition
3.0
An ambitious undertaking in the field of human paleo-anthropology: recreating / re-imagining the daily lives of different species of early hominids as they started in Africa and migrated to Asia and Europe. It's got forwards and intros and various nods of approval from the big wigs in this field of research, so it seems like it was a very well-lauded effort to bring all of this information into one book. There are several model recreations in the book - which are quite stunning (based on cranial reconstruction and computer imaging) and well-researched. For each of the 22 species discussed, there is a short narrative, imagining a scenario in their daily lives based on their environments, societal structures, etc. Some of these narratives are a bit corny and theatrical, but they do seem quite plausible - warring groups, fighting over food sources, mating rituals, etc.
It is a large "coffee table" book with full photos of the bones themselves as well as the recreated computer images (that looks quite real). I imagine my college Human Anthro prof would have loved this one and made it one of our textbooks... alas, it came out 6 years too late.
It is a large "coffee table" book with full photos of the bones themselves as well as the recreated computer images (that looks quite real). I imagine my college Human Anthro prof would have loved this one and made it one of our textbooks... alas, it came out 6 years too late.
barrysweezey's review against another edition
An odd mixture of gorgeous photographs of meticulous and artful recreations of faces, short scenes of imagined events in their lives, and dry lists of what is actually known of each creature. Categories: Skull, Teeth, and Diet; Skeleton, Gait, and Posture; Fossil Sites and Possible Range; Age; Tools; Differences Between Males and Females; Animals and Habitats; Climate; Classification; and Historical Notes. It looks like a coffee table book, but reads like a monograph.
barry_sweezey's review against another edition
An odd mixture of gorgeous photographs of meticulous and artful recreations of faces, short scenes of imagined events in their lives, and dry lists of what is actually known of each creature. Categories: Skull, Teeth, and Diet; Skeleton, Gait, and Posture; Fossil Sites and Possible Range; Age; Tools; Differences Between Males and Females; Animals and Habitats; Climate; Classification; and Historical Notes. It looks like a coffee table book, but reads like a monograph.
mickymac's review against another edition
3.0
Fascinating reference to extinct homicide
This fabulously illustrated guide to 22 extinct precursors of man is full of detail but lacks a narrative explanation. Neanderthal man is particularly well described with information on brain size and speech that suggests that this species was not far removed from us. Most importantly for a science guide, it also accepts that the evidence is not always complete and more research will deepen our understanding.
This fabulously illustrated guide to 22 extinct precursors of man is full of detail but lacks a narrative explanation. Neanderthal man is particularly well described with information on brain size and speech that suggests that this species was not far removed from us. Most importantly for a science guide, it also accepts that the evidence is not always complete and more research will deepen our understanding.
christhedoll's review against another edition
3.0
This book discussed the 22 extinct species of hominids. Very interesting. Evolution rocks!
panxa's review
2.0
A summary view of the 20 species that preceded homo sapiens. I found the short historical notes at the end of each species section the most interesting, which discussed the finding of the first fossils, how it became accepted as a species, and in some cases the meaning of the assigned nomenclature.
More...