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A review by sprague
Paleofantasy: What Evolution Really Tells Us about Sex, Diet, and How We Live by Marlene Zuk
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.