PDF Humanimal How Homo sapiens Became Natures Most Paradoxical Creature A New Evolutionary History Adam Rutherford 9781630154646 Books

Product details Audio CD Publisher Tantor Audio; Unabridged edition (March 19, 2019) Language English ISBN-10 1630154644

Humanimal How Homo sapiens Became Natures Most Paradoxical Creature A New Evolutionary History Adam Rutherford 9781630154646 Books Reviews

• One of the most fascinating aspects of Dr. Adam Rutherford's new book "Humanimal" is his ability to condense complex scientific jargon down into easily accessible, digestible and engaging text. This book is shorter than his previous work, ABHOEWEL (A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived), but that does not mean it is less informative or less palatable.
  
  The book itself is of high quality the pages are smooth and textured, the font is easy on the eyes; the cover and binding are strong.
  
  The last chapter of the work - The Paragon of Animals - is very moving and worth the investment of both your money for the book and your time. In recent years, I've persuaded myself that allocating money towards a book is not a "purchase" - it is an investment. You can return to the books you buy again and again throughout your life, as often as you wish. This is a book I will return to again and again.
  
  A quick overview
  
  Dr. Rutherford breaks the book down into two segments Part One - Humans and Other Animals; Part Two - The Paragon of Animals. Humanimal is an excellent and concise overview of how Homo sapiens evolved, survived, progressed and achieved the levels of sociability and complexity that we have. In addition, the book, in its own way, offers an opportunity for reflection and humility of our place in the animal kingdom and contributes a great deal to my every growing and never satisfied interest of what it means to be a human, one of many before and long after I am gone. I highly recommend it and have already ordered another copy for a friend. Enjoy!
• I find the subject fascinating. Clear, interesting and occasionally humorous. Sources cited.
• Thank you to NetGalley, the Experiment, and Adam Rutherford for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.
  
  Like
  - Opportunity to learn even more about evolution
  - Shows the specific genetics and behaviors that contribute to evolutionary change
  - Many visuals to help with understanding of the text
  
  Love
  - Everyone can learn something from this book
  - Complex information that’s written in an easy to understand way. You don’t need a college degree in science to understand the information
  
  Dislike
  - Not so much a dislike, but more of a warning- there’s chapters on sexual activity ( because how else are new animals and humans created) It goes in depth into various sexual activities, mating practices, and genital touching. So heads up, if you end up listening as an audiobook without headphones.
  
  Wish that —
  
  Overall, a well written, comprehensive book about the step by step process of evolution. Written in an interesting easily accessible manner. I definitely recommend if you’re interested in the topic!
• I loved this book. I wasn’t surprised, however, since I had read two other books by Adam Rutherford - “A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived” and “Creation” and had loved those as well. In this book, Rutherford makes the case that humans are animals and that many of the ways we behave is also seen in the animal world. Rutherford writes with a conversational tone and he makes the science completely accessible. Humanimals is well written and with the same sense of humor that Rutherford displayed in his other books. And again, the footnotes are worth reading.
  Disclosure I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.
• Evolutionary history and evolutionary biology are fascinating subjects, and in his latest book, Humanimal, author Adam Rutherford takes a look at what sets humans apart from the rest of the animal kingdom, and asks if we are truly as unique as we have been led to believe. Broadly speaking he looks at a variety of behaviours that are often regarded as uniquely human , ranging from speech and communication , to art and the use of tools and even sex for pleasure rather than procreation and finds examples from around the globe that show similar behaviours in animal species that will surprise you. It is fascinating to read about species of birds in Australia who have learned to use fire as a tool to flush out prey, or dolphins who use sea sponges on their snouts as protection when hunting. Rutherford clearly and simply breaks down how the genetic similarities and differences between humans and other animals may be less than many would expect, but they are enough to make us vastly different.
  Although the subject of the book is vast and complex, Rutherford does a wonderful job in breaking it down, and making it not just accessible but also fascinating to the lay reader with no background in the topic.
  “We transmit information,” writes the author, “not just via DNA down the generations, but in every direction, to people with whom we have no immediate biological ties. We log our knowledge and experience, and share them. It is in the teaching of others, the shaping of culture, and the telling of stories, that we created ourselves.”
  I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
• Humanimal is an examination of what it means to be human from a genetic and biological standpoint, and how our definers mirror those of what we consider ‘animals.’ Rutherford presents a well-researched guide to humanity – from our bodies to our behaviors to our cultures. Human history is a long, drawn out story and Humanimal makes it fascinating.
  
  You’ll learn a lot about the ways different animals match human behaviors and genetic makeup. How do animal brains compare to human brains? How does sexuality manifest in animals as compared to humans? Does the usage of tools actually work as an indicator of human intellect, given the fact that so many animals have created crude tools of their own? The similarities are surprising at times, showing how much we truly are a part of the world. It’s easy to imagine humanity as vastly different from the other living things around us but, behavior-wise, we’re quite similar.
  
  NOTE I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.