Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors

By: Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan

Narrated by: Nick Sagan, Ann Druyan, Clinnette Minnis

Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

World renowned scientist Carl Sagan and acclaimed author Ann Druyan have written a Roots for the human species, a lucid and riveting account of how humans got to be the way we are. It shows with humor and drama that many of our key traits - self-awareness, technology, family ties, submission to authority, hatred for those a little different from ourselves, reason, and ethics - are rooted in the deep past, and illuminated by our kinship with other animals.

Astonishing in its scope, brilliant in its insights, and absolutely compelling, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a triumph of popular science.

©1992 Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan (P)2017 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Excelente bofetada al ego especista

El humano se piensa a sí mismo como un ser superior y totalmente desligado del entorno en que vive, la cantidad de pruebas presentadas en este libro debería ser suficiente para una persona racional replantee seriamente ese tipo de pensamiento.

Everyone should read this book!

Carl Sagan is a champion of logic and reason! I admire Sagan's work and his ability to communicate science to the public. I can't thank Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan enough for their inspirational hard work. Nick Sagan did a superb job in the audio book, bravo! Everyone should read Shadows of our forgotten ancestors. There is alot we can learn about ourselves. It's time to get to work.

Fantastic. Exactly what I expected.

I gave a 4 for performance because of the awful foreword by the female with laryngitis. But this is a fantastic experience for the ears and mind.

Busting the myth of human uniqueness

This is a weird one. I love reading Carl & Ann pretty much no matter what they write about. But this book does start off with some sexy chimpanzee fiction. Like, a whole chapter is in the voice of chimpanzee characters, talking mostly about doing the sex. Uncomfortable. But pretty fascinating from a Jane Goodall point of view.

The subject meanders a bit but it seems like the major goal of the book is to get across the idea that nothing is truly unique about human behavior. Human behavior literally is animal behavior. All things proposed as unique to human nature has been discovered in other animals. Like tool use, language, incest taboo, etc.

One issue with the book that I hope readers will keep in mind is that group selection is presented as an explanation for some evolved traits. But group selection isn't a thing. Gene selection is the whole show. Group selection is an antiquated idea and shouldn't have shown up in this book.

Chapter 15

No idea what is in chapter 15.
Audible plz Check chapter 15 if it belongs to this book

Profoundly Enlightening

For the first time in my life, I experienced something I can only describe as Spiritual. I’ve long been a fan of Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan’s works, but this book, especially with Nick Sagan’s spectacular and captivating performance, is something truly special.

Probably not what you're after

I think most of this book is not written by Sagan. Still excellent but you are going to miss his signature writing in most parts. It fails to deliver on the promise that starting from bacteria it will explain the events in human history. On the contrary, last chapter makes its best to counter everything else the book covers. Last chapter is more like a prayer. It is as if it was taken from another book. The content on primates I enjoyed very much regardless.

pretty thoughtful

it moved pretty slow but once you get into it then it gets really good.

this book should be mandatory reading

this is one of those books that helps putting things in the right perspective

Wisdom and knowledge from Sagan and Ann is always a treat!

Not entirely what I expected, but I loved the book! Deep understanding into biology, primates, humans, and then ties into our psychology both past and present. I learned something’s even with some of this information being old, and even more updated today.