[Books 2007] The Wisdom of Bones

50. The Wisdom of Bones: In Search of Human Origins by Alan Walker and Pat Shipman

Alan Walker is the paleoanthropologist who discovered a nearly complete homo erectus skeleton, the Nariokotome boy. This is the story not only of that discovery and what it taught us about homo erectus, but also what we know about early man and why, with an entertaining history of paleoanthropology.

I can't stress enough how good this book is - it's one of those books that not only conveys the facts, but efectively shows how and why people get interested in this stuff, and how and why it's important.

As an added bonus to the polar exploration nerd in me, in the section on hypervitaminosis A (there is an erectus skeleton with extensive changes from this disease, which proves that they looked after their sick and injured), reference is made to a disastrous and gory Antarctic expedition (Mawson, 1911 and 12) of which I was previously not aware.

Many thanks to janinemariott for lending me this book.

Go out and buy one now!