Table of Contents

Prologue
The creative explosion
The brain and intelligence: Humans and apes
Evolution for what?
Starting out
Becoming human
Being human
Postscript
Further reading

About the Author

Curator at the Department of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History, in New York City

Reviews

"In this superbly written book, Ian Tattersall combines his unique knowledge of the human fossil record, Paleolithic archaeology, primate behavior, prehistoric art, as well as the workings of the human brain and our extraordinary cognitive powers, to offer a convincing scenario of how we have come to hold dominion over the earth."--Donald Johanson (author of From Lucy to Language) in Scientific American
"An ambitious effort . . . Tattersall meets the challenge commendably."--The San Diego Union-Tribune
"Although many popular anthropological accounts of the human species have been written, few are as engaging as that of Ian Tattersall."--Natural History

In his new book, Tattersall, curator in the Department of Anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History, communicates the processes and diverse products of human evolution, offering a new perspective from which to view and therefore better understand our Homo sapiens species. Through an enlightening examination of the latest fossil evidence, we gain new insights into the role of competition among species, the impact of climate, and the episodic vs. gradual nature of evolutionary changes. By comparing Homo sapiens with higher apes and early humans, Tattersall reveals our species' unique characteristics, including language, symbolic thought, art, and innovation. He describes the mixed (old with new) nature of our anatomical structures, speculates on the potential of the current environment to support further human evolution, and ponders the implications of these conditions for who we are and what we can be. This well-written book, suitable for both lay readers and scholars, should appeal to anyone desiring a better understanding of human evolution and the nature of Homo sapiens.‘Shaun Calhoun, USAF Research Lab-Tyndall Division, Technical Information Ctr., Panama City, Fla.

"In this superbly written book, Ian Tattersall combines his unique knowledge of the human fossil record, Paleolithic archaeology, primate behavior, prehistoric art, as well as the workings of the human brain and our extraordinary cognitive powers, to offer a convincing scenario of how we have come to hold dominion over the earth."--Donald Johanson (author of From Lucy to Language) in Scientific American
"An ambitious effort . . . Tattersall meets the challenge commendably."--The San Diego Union-Tribune
"Although many popular anthropological accounts of the human species have been written, few are as engaging as that of Ian Tattersall."--Natural History