The Book of Humans

A Brief History of Culture, Sex, War and the Evolution of Us. What makes us human?

• Waging war?
• Sex for pleasure?
• Creating art?
• Mastery of fire?

In this thrilling tour of the animal kingdom, Adam Rutherford tells the story of how we became the unique creatures we are today. Illuminated by the latest scientific discoveries, THE BOOK OF HUMANS is a dazzling compendium of what unequivocally fixes us as animals, and reveals how we are extraordinary among them.

"Charming, compelling."
Peter Frankopan

"Intriguing... entertaining."
Observer

"This superbly accessible discussion about who we humans really are is important and necessary."
Chris Packham

List of illustration
Introduction
Humans and other animals

• Tools
• What it takes to be a maker
• Tooled-up animals
• Sponging dolphins
• The birds
• Fiery the Angels Fell
• War for the Planet of Apes
• Farming and fashion

• Sex
• The birds and the bees
• Autoeroticism
• Mouthing off
• Whole lotta love
• Homosexuality
• And death shall have no domination
• Sex and violence

The paragon of animals

• Everyone is special
• Genes, bones and minds
• 24 - 2 = 23
• Hands and feet
• Trippingly on the tongue
• Speak now
• Symbolism in words
• Symbolism beyond words
• If only you could see what I`ve seen with your eyes
• Know thyself
• Je ne regrette rien
• Teach a village to fish...
• The paragon of animals

Acknowledgements
References
Index
Illustrations

• The Venus of Hohle Fels
• An Old chopper
• A sponging dolphin
• A firehawk
• The fashionable Julie
• The giraffe`s recurrent laryngeal nerve
• A most intricate hyoid
• The Lion Man of Hohlenstein-Stadel
• A Javanese fish hook