The First Human

May 15, 2007
For almost 100 years, paleontologists, archaeologists, geologists, molecular anthropologists, and adventurers have searched for the "missing link," the earliest prehuman. Repeatedly, fossilized bones have been picked up, analyzed, and acclaimed, only to be superseded by newly discovered but older specimens or, alternately, eliminated from the human family lineage by sophisticated molecular analyses. Despite the title, First Human is a book about personalities who just happen to be biological anthropologists. These fossil hunters seem to spend more time fighting, stealing from, attacking one another, and/or hiding materials than they do studying their finds. The thread of historic discovery is lost among such sensational descriptions as famous zoologist Meave Leakey's exceptional beauty or (presumably fictional) reconstructions of the first thoughts of each researcher at the time of his or her most important find. For simple amusement, this somewhat extreme peek at the interactions that comprise the small world of a specialized scientific discipline is a great choice. Renée Raudman fluently reads the jargon-filled text with only a few pronunciation errors. This book should be enjoyed by many popular science fans. Recommended for medium-sized to large public and academic libraries.I. Pour-El, Des Moines Area Community Coll., Boone, IA

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