The Story of the Human Body

Evolution, Health, and Disease

By: Daniel Lieberman

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

Length: 14 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

In this landmark book of popular science, Daniel E. Lieberman - chair of the department of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University and a leader in the field - gives us a lucid and engaging account of how the human body evolved over millions of years, even as it shows how the increasing disparity between the jumble of adaptations in our Stone Age bodies and advancements in the modern world is occasioning this paradox: greater longevity but increased chronic disease.

The Story of the Human Body brilliantly illuminates as never before the major transformations that contributed key adaptations to the body: the rise of bipedalism; the shift to a non-fruit-based diet; the advent of hunting and gathering, leading to our superlative endurance athleticism; the development of a very large brain; and the incipience of cultural proficiencies. Lieberman also elucidates how cultural evolution differs from biological evolution, and how our bodies were further transformed during the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions.

While these ongoing changes have brought about many benefits, they have also created conditions to which our bodies are not entirely adapted, Lieberman argues, resulting in the growing incidence of obesity and new but avoidable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. Lieberman proposes that many of these chronic illnesses persist and in some cases are intensifying because of "dysevolution," a pernicious dynamic whereby only the symptoms rather than the causes of these maladies are treated. And finally - provocatively - he advocates the use of evolutionary information to help nudge, push, and sometimes even compel us to create a more salubrious environment.

©2013 Daniel Lieberman (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"No one understands the human body like Daniel Lieberman or tells its story more eloquently. He's found a tale inside our skin that's riveting, enlightening, and more than a little frightening." (Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run)

"Monumental: The Story of the Human Body, by one of our leading experts, takes us on an epic voyage that reveals how the past six million years shaped every part of us - our heads, limbs, and even our metabolism. Through Lieberman's eyes, evolutionary history not only comes alive, it becomes the means to understand, and ultimately influence, our body's future." (Neil Shubin, author of Your Inner Fish)

"A lucid, engaging account of how the human body evolved and the increasing disparity between the jumble of adaptations in our Stone Age bodies and the modern world." ( Publishers Weekly)

Wonderful insight on how the human body operates!

Highly recommend for anyone in the healthcare or fitness industry. Great information on health and nutrition in general!

fantastic insight on us, the humans

Who we are?
Where we came from?
Where could we go?
This book gave a fantastic insight of us...the humans!

Interesting

There was more history than I needed to know. I almost quit listening. I am glad I kept with the book I learned a lot about the the body and why and how we are abusing it. The bottom line is "Diet and Exercise".

Excellent

This is a tremendous work. Very informative and enlightening. A great follow up to the works of Diamond and Harari.

Good book

Overall it was good, but half the part on prehistoric people was a bit too long and obvious, at least for me. The other parts were amazing.

Fabulous, relatable, not a dry lecture!

Fabulous, relatable, not a dry lecture! Easy to follow. A collaboration of curiosities with answers ready!

health is wealth

preventative medicine is the way. if you plan on living a happy and healthy life to the fullest, I recommend you give this a read give increase your chances of hitting that mark!

what a great listen!

very informative! a great view of where we were and where we are going! highly recommend!

I learned so much from this book

Wow. This is an amazing book. The first half gives you very interesting information on how our human bodies evolved, and the second half then shows you how these bodies are not adapted for our modern environment, teaching us about the "mis-match" diseases that result from encountering this new environment. Highly recommended.

Educative and eloquent. 5 stars

Very grounded. Adapted for non specialist understanding. Good investment of time.
Recommended to young adults.