Eve: How The Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution
£11.40£12.30 (-7%)
Women created life, then we erased their story. It’s time for science to tell it.
‘A page-turning whistle-stop tour … Eve recasts the traditional story of evolutionary biology by placing women at its center . . . Engaging, playful, erudite, discursive and rich with detail’ New York Times
‘Such a rare book: scholarly, funny, accessible and very important. A truly original history of humans that explains so much of who we are today’ Chris van Tulleken, bestselling author of Ultra-Processed People
‘Revolutionising our understanding of the human body . . . a book that’s packed full of surprising revelations’ Guardian
How did wet nurses drive civilization?
Are women always the weaker sex?
Is sexism useful for evolution? And are our bodies at war with our babies?
A sweeping revision of human history, Eve is an urgent and necessary corrective for a world that has focused primarily on the male body for far too long. It will completely change what you think you know about evolution and why Homo sapiens have become such a successful and dominant species, from tool use to city building to the development of language.
‘An epic combination of science and speculation that places women at the centre of history’ Observer
‘Riveting, jaw-dropping, hilarious, exciting, enraging and deeply, deeply refreshing’ Lucy Jones, author of Matrescence
‘A smart, funny, scientific deep-dive . . . Educates and emboldens’ Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry
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Additional information
| Publisher | Penguin (30 May 2024) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 512 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1529156173 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1529156171 |
| Dimensions | 12.9 x 3.5 x 19.8 cm |
by Richie
Really interesting start, going over the evolutionary history of female bodies. I really loved the beginning and found I learned so much, even after studying biology and evolution in uni. I found some of the anecdotes and very casual footnotes probably could have been left out, and this seemed to increase as the book went on. The last section felt a bit all over the place, it seems because there isn’t really research to back up any of the theories presented in that final section so it is filled in with postulating – very interesting theories, but wasn’t the ending I was anticipating for such a well-researched start to the book.
by mjjyie
What a fascinating read. Read it on the NetGalley shelf, so didn’t encounter any problems. Found it so interesting, breaking the subjects down into the individual ‘Eves’ and of course women’s bodies shouldn’t be treated the same as men’s. I never realised that most research is male oriented – doh! The author explains the most complex things in a very easy to understand way. I think I need to read again as I’m sure I missed things the first time.
5 stars from me, thanks so much for the advanced copy.
by YvonneB
I was intrigued when |I first saw this book and I was so glad I saw it as it was an amazing book to read. It is a non-fiction book but it is not dull and dreary, but instead, at times, humorous as the author takes the reader on a journey of the female body and how it has helped to shape the world.
I was already pretty hooked before I got to the first chapter after reading the introduction gave some great insight into the book and what was to potentially follow. If I had not read that, well the first chapter would have hooked me as I found out that medicines, trials and medical tests are conducted on males rather than females because it is easier. So if that is the case why are medicines made for the male sex and then used for everyone? Surely this makes medication generic rather than specific! With my mind blown at this point, I did have a quick look at the author. She is a researcher and author with a Ph.D. from Columbia University in the evolution of narrative and cognition.
The author brings so much more than science, biology and all that to this book. It has been done in such a way that it is like she is telling you what she has observed over time and how her research has brought her to her opinions in the book. When I say research, there have been many years of it, I think I read 10 years’ worth to produce this book. I have to say it shows because there are so many aspects that are covered that led from the first burrowing egg mammal to the form we see today as Humans. The author does focus on the female body, but she is actually telling the story of how homo sapiens have evolved over the millennia.
This is a fascinating book, addictive and really makes you think about your body and why things are as they are. If you like non-fiction that focuses on evolution, physiology, biology, anthropology and lots of other aspects then this is one for you. I thought it was very accessible as far as reading and understanding it went. Not too heavy on science. One I would definitely recommend.
by frog
Goodness me this is a heck of a book! I can quite believe it took ten years to produce as the amount of research is staggering. Is it an easy read? For me the answer is no. I found it fascinating, thought-provoking and entertaining, but ultimately a hard slog. There’s a huge amount of every “ology” you can think of – except maybe Scientology – with diagrams and drawings along the way.
Split into chapters which deal with a different part of the female body, this is a fascinating journey through evolution and should be read by everyone especially, dare I say it? – men.
This is a book that says Yes, women and girls have the right to be considered in every walk of life, particularly when it comes to medical research and scientific tests, all of which have been geared towards the male body, and mind.
I think this is probably something I’ll dip into every so often as my brain couldn’t take it all in at once.
My thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.
by Amazon Customer
A great book, gives a lot of information regarding female evolution but in a very engaging and witty style. I realised how little I knew about the origins of my own body. I liked the way the author pulls together current research in different fields, to give a much broader view. I felt alot more positive and proud to have a female body.
by Dorthe Jensen
From the first page I was engaged ! It is a dense read but accessible and packed with interesting questions, analysis and factual information. I can highly recommend this book if you want to learn more about female evolution from a scientific perspective.
by A. J. Wheeldon
This book is a wonderful and deeply thought provoking account of the emergence and development of human biology with especial reference to the female body. But it’s not just a scientific account, it’s a wide-ranging exploration of the implications and consequences of that biology. Out of all the books I have read this year (over one a week) this has been the one that has affected my thinking and understanding the most. It is a tremendous piece of writing that I don’t always agree with but I’m so glad that I have read. My only niggle is that in the Audible version, the reader repeatedly refers to “polygeny” rather than “polygamy”. One day I suppose it’s just possible Audible will start editing the pronunciation of their books – at the moment it is generally poor and frequently shocking.
by Hawk eyes
Not yet given but no doubt will be perfect