The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
Reviews
Paleofantasy: What Evolution Really Tells Us about Sex, Diet, and How We Live by Marlene Zuk
ladypirate's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
The narrator really grated my nerves. Something about her intonation and emphasis made it feel condescending the entire time. If I could do it over again, I would have gotten a paper copy instead! Always listen to the sample folks! The book content itself was good! Love a good pseudoscience take down!
reginacattus's review against another edition
4.0
This popular science book covers both less and more than I thought it would. I didn't realise quite how specific the topic was - about people's fascination with "getting back to nature" and living the "paleofantasy". That's not a criticism, exactly, only an observation, as it was still fascinating. It certainly did rid me of a few everyday fantasies of my own - such as the average life expectancy. When they say the life expectancy has gone up a lot in the past century, it doesn't mean people are living longer, only that the child mortality rate has gone down a lot thanks to modern medicine. The book, to my converse surprise, covered most aspects daily life, comparing them to "how we once lived". The book wasn't at all what I expected, but it is nonetheless true to its title and an entertaining yet informative read for anyone with a passing interest in genetics.
Don't read this book if you like living as our ancestors once did - you will no doubt be greatly offended by this book, though it tries to be inoffensive!
Don't read this book if you like living as our ancestors once did - you will no doubt be greatly offended by this book, though it tries to be inoffensive!
carolynf's review against another edition
4.0
As a history teacher who wanted to know more about the life of prehistoric people, I found this book very helpful! It discusses the diet, life span, and sex life of people before and after the development of agriculture. It is framed as a debunking of many of the myths commonly believed about evolution and what the modern human body is genetically suited for. But the author manages to explain the science of natural selection and genetics in a way that a non-science person can understand. I found especially interesting the section on how only within the last 9000 years humans have developed the trait that allows 35% of us to process lactose, and how studying the food caught in the teeth of Australopithecus helps us understand the primitive diet.
Because I do not have a science background I'm not entirely sure how accurate any of this is. Most of it rang true and seemed to make a lot of sense. The only false note was regarding the use of the term "Paleolithic." The author seemed to use this term to refer to all prehistoric people whether before or after the agricultural revolution. 9000 years ago is not Paleolithic - it is either Mesolithic or Neolithic depending on the area of the world that you are looking at.
Because I do not have a science background I'm not entirely sure how accurate any of this is. Most of it rang true and seemed to make a lot of sense. The only false note was regarding the use of the term "Paleolithic." The author seemed to use this term to refer to all prehistoric people whether before or after the agricultural revolution. 9000 years ago is not Paleolithic - it is either Mesolithic or Neolithic depending on the area of the world that you are looking at.
librariann's review against another edition
4.0
Science! Let's talk about scienceing it for a moment. Zuk does a really good job of debunking all sorts of recent paleomyths - incorporating data and evidence that wouldn't be out of place in a college level anthropology course - with (unintentionally humorous and frequently 'sic'ed) postings from paleo-lifestyle adherents on message boards such as cavemanforum.com. If there's fault with this book, it's that it isn't tailored to a mainstream audience - its arguments can be academic in a way that Mary Roach's books aren't.
But! If that is what you are looking for... (which as it turns out, I am into)...
Zuk puts forth a lot of compelling and recent research, quoting many studies from as recent as 2010. She highlights how we're continually changing and adapting (aka why we're *not* stuck in the bodies of our paleolithic ancestors) and why our ancestors themselves were not ideally adapted for their environments. I may have read this too fast to retain all the tidbits - a chapter a night might be a better pace to pick through it all - but I found myself continually fascinated.
But! If that is what you are looking for... (which as it turns out, I am into)...
Zuk puts forth a lot of compelling and recent research, quoting many studies from as recent as 2010. She highlights how we're continually changing and adapting (aka why we're *not* stuck in the bodies of our paleolithic ancestors) and why our ancestors themselves were not ideally adapted for their environments. I may have read this too fast to retain all the tidbits - a chapter a night might be a better pace to pick through it all - but I found myself continually fascinated.
settingshadow's review against another edition
3.0
Dr. Zuk sets out to explore all of the ways that our preconceptions of the Paleo era may differ from how people really lived. I found the book as a whole pretty shallow -- some theories of paleolithic parenting, diet, etc. were introduced, but mostly it wasn't a very scholarly approach. Yes, it's a pop!sci book, but Dr. Zuk's popular works on entomology were much better.
sprague's review against another edition
3.0
With a catchy title and a generous helping of strawman arguments, the author presents the case against the Paleo lifestyle with two main points: genetic changes can happen quickly, and there has always been great variation among humans.
But ultimately the book disappoints because it attacks a caricature "Paleo", the one you see in the comments section on various obscure fan blogs out there. This is one of the only books I've read that quotes extensively, not from respectable sources but from the anonymous commenters on blogs -- as though "Paleo Dude" represents the entire genre of those who think human evolution should inform the best ways to diet or exercise.
Lots of interesting new facts about ancient humans from an author who knows the subject well, but definitely not a good case against the ancestral lifestyle.
But ultimately the book disappoints because it attacks a caricature "Paleo", the one you see in the comments section on various obscure fan blogs out there. This is one of the only books I've read that quotes extensively, not from respectable sources but from the anonymous commenters on blogs -- as though "Paleo Dude" represents the entire genre of those who think human evolution should inform the best ways to diet or exercise.
Lots of interesting new facts about ancient humans from an author who knows the subject well, but definitely not a good case against the ancestral lifestyle.
book_hoarding_dragon's review against another edition
5.0
The Paleodiet is one of the many "fad diets." The diet is based on the assumption that we have evolved to be active and eat the foods we were eating about +10,000 years ago and we are not suited, biologically, as an agricultural society. Thus, the way we are living now is causing detrimental harm to our bodies. The way to do so is to eat lots and lots of meat, no grain, no milk, no tomatoes, etc.
Paleofantasy draws from blogs, forums, and articles discussing the Paleodiet and uses archaeological, genetic, paleoanthropoligical evidence to debunk the misconceptions that is involved in the Paleodiet. Furthermore, Zuk addresses misconceptions about evolution.
Personally, I really enjoyed this book. I had to have this book for Advanced Biological Anthropology: Human Origins and this one is a keeper in my mind.
Paleofantasy draws from blogs, forums, and articles discussing the Paleodiet and uses archaeological, genetic, paleoanthropoligical evidence to debunk the misconceptions that is involved in the Paleodiet. Furthermore, Zuk addresses misconceptions about evolution.
Personally, I really enjoyed this book. I had to have this book for Advanced Biological Anthropology: Human Origins and this one is a keeper in my mind.