Evolution And History

Suggested Readings 201

Suggested Readings

Corballis, M. C. (2003). From hand to mouth: The origins of
human language. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

This book, written by a psychologist, takes the position that
facial and manual gestures rather than vocalization are key
to the development of language. It brings data from linguis-
tics, molecular genetics, animal behavior, psychology, and
neurology to the anthropological question of when human
language arose.

Delson, E., Tattersal, I., Brooks, A., & Van Couvering, J.
(1999). Encyclopedia of human evolution and prehistory. New
York: Garland.

Using an A to Z format, this user-friendly encyclopedia in-
cludes over 800 entries relating to human evolution and
prehistory. It includes excellent diagrams, illustrations, and
descriptions of key archaeological sites.

Potts, R. (1997). Humanity’s descent: The consequences of
ecological instability. New York: Avon.

Written by the director of the Smithsonian Institution’s Hu-
man Origins Program, this book suggests that environmental
instability was the unifying factor contributing to the acqui-
sition of human language and culture.

Stanford, C. B. (2001). The hunting apes: Meat eating and the

origins of human behavior. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univer-

sity Press.

Though updated and less gender biased, this work revisits

the old “man the hunter” hypothesis, suggesting that hu-

man intelligence is linked to the acquisition of meat and food

sharing.

Walker, A., & Shipman, P. (1997). The wisdom of the bones:

In search of human origins. New York: Vintage.

This book provides an engaging description of the discovery

of the most complete Homo erectus specimen—the Narioko-

tome Boy from Lake Turkana, Kenya—as well as placing it

within the context of the larger story of human evolution.

Zihlman, A. (2001). The human evolution coloring book. New

York: Harper Resources.

Do not be deceived by the title or the book’s visual hands-

on format. This book provides an authoritative scientific ap-

proach to all aspects of the study of human evolution.