The Origin Of Our Species (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
This book jumps around a lot and doesn't really have follow a coherent path. Paragraphs don't follow on from one paragraph to another, never mind chapters. The book is also rather limited in that it discusses modern people and neanderthals in rather vague terms. The book wasn't overly technical but it presented information in such a vague and disassociated manner that it made things rather confusing. Too much speculation, not enough facts.I got the impression that the author's pet theory was the out of Africa hypothesis and he was going to cherry pick data to suit his theory. The author continually bashes the multi-regional hypothesis without actually providing any detailed information on this (or any of the other) hypotheses or providing information on why he considers it wrong. Even if the one hypothesis is completely wrong, I would still like to know more details about it and why it is considered inaccurate. I may have missed something with all the jumping around, but I still have no idea "how we came to be the only humans on earth". Lone Survivor stretched the limits of my vocabulary and my understanding. It's probably one of the most technical science-related books I've read to date. If not for my fascination on the subject of human origins, I think I might have struggled to finish the book. Chris Stringer has a wealth of information to bestow on his reader. He writes as a man deeply familiar with the in's and out's of the subject. It's a fascinating read. The discoveries that have been made are astounding. Discoveries in mtDNA is particularly interesting to me. I only wish that the books had been written in a slightly less technical way so I could recommend it to my friends. As it is, unless a person is already very interested in the topic of humanity's origins (an admittedly fascinating topic) they are likely to really struggle to connect with this book. I don't want to confuse anyone. I really did enjoy the book. I look forward to reading it again in the future. But it wasn't an easy read and will take some serious concentration if you aren't well versed in the science of it.
What do You think about The Origin Of Our Species (2011)?
Very up to date account of human evolution, well written and in depth.
—zomie
Wonderful story by professional writer.
—NinaErika
