A review by hwks
Who Ate the First Oyster?: The Extraordinary People Behind the Greatest Firsts in History by Cody Cassidy

informative reflective slow-paced

3.75

If anything this was a really interesting thought experiment that gets you wondering about all that came before you and all the actions others made that created the world you inhabit. I cannot speak to the accuracy of Cassidy's claims, and I do feel he takes pretty generous artistic liberties at times, especially when describing hypothetical people from long by-gone eras. But if you take it with a grain of salt and acknowledge there are some clear limits as to what we will ever know with 100% certainty, this was a really fun trip back in time. Some 'firsts' made a bit more sense than others, the chapter on 'murder mysteries' was one I didn't enjoy that much as it felt heavily contrived on contextual 'evidence' and also was really just the oldest possible crime scene we've come across. However the invention of the wheel (and more importantly, axel) was really fascinating. This was lighthearted and very accessible. I wouldn't take this as concrete historic evidence on most of the subjects covered, but it was an enjoyable read.