Chip Walter's Blog: Childhood Is Why We Are the Last Ape Standing, page 3
June 18, 2022
Genesis - The Human Race Arrives
Standing on the Serengeti plains of East Africa, you can’t help but feel small. Mostly this is because, in the face of so much of the world all around you, you become a...
June 17, 2022
Why We Walk the Way We Do?
No other creature walks the way we do. Why? 
Try swing...
July 13, 2013
Ernest Fletcher Quick Has Arrived
Read the memoirs of one of the 20th century's greatest journalists (and cowards) beginning July 15, 2013, with the release of The Misadventures of Ernest Fletcher Quick.
With my publisher's blessing, I'm distributing the book as a serial, sort of like Dickens or Tolstoy, or the old serial movies of the 1930s.
The first episode is available July 15, 2013 then one new episode arrives every week. The first four are free and can be downloaded as ePub or Kindle files from www.chipwalter.com/Quick, but I will make all episodes free to any Goodreader who promises to provide feedback. Just drop me a message through Goodreads. Subsequent episodes will cost 49¢.
Free versions are also available on now Kobo.com.
If you don't want to wait for a new episode each week, paid, mult-episode versions are available on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com (these sites require a minimum charge).
I hope you'll support this experiment! Here's the "flap" copy, but visit www.chipwalter.com/Quick to learn more about the book and the whole experiment.
"The winds of change have blown my way more than I care to recall," writes Ernest Fletcher Quick, "and they've given me a stiff neck every time."
How true. Because Quick can't seem to stay clear of trouble no matter how hard he tries. Lucky for him (and us), it made him one of the most revered journalists of his era.
In this first installment of his rollicking memoirs he reveals that he, not Teddy Roosevelt, led the charge up San Juan Hill, tells how he managed to not only remember the Maine, but solve the mystery of its destruction, and faced (despite all his best efforts) one of the nastiest villains of the 20th century.
No matter how much he cheats, skulks or runs, Quick--rake, womanizer and dedicated yellow-belly--always survives and comes out smelling like a rose; toasted and honored beyond his wildest dreams, and the favorite of his crazy boss Joseph Pulitzer. (That's a mixed blessing.)
Now, if only he could get Baily Stewart to fall in love with him.
"Like finding Hunter Thompson in a time warp!"
You can also learn more about my science writing for National Geographic Magazine and my latest award winning book Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived.
Love to get feedback before the book is published in hardback!
With my publisher's blessing, I'm distributing the book as a serial, sort of like Dickens or Tolstoy, or the old serial movies of the 1930s.
The first episode is available July 15, 2013 then one new episode arrives every week. The first four are free and can be downloaded as ePub or Kindle files from www.chipwalter.com/Quick, but I will make all episodes free to any Goodreader who promises to provide feedback. Just drop me a message through Goodreads. Subsequent episodes will cost 49¢.
Free versions are also available on now Kobo.com.
If you don't want to wait for a new episode each week, paid, mult-episode versions are available on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com (these sites require a minimum charge).
I hope you'll support this experiment! Here's the "flap" copy, but visit www.chipwalter.com/Quick to learn more about the book and the whole experiment.
"The winds of change have blown my way more than I care to recall," writes Ernest Fletcher Quick, "and they've given me a stiff neck every time."
How true. Because Quick can't seem to stay clear of trouble no matter how hard he tries. Lucky for him (and us), it made him one of the most revered journalists of his era.
In this first installment of his rollicking memoirs he reveals that he, not Teddy Roosevelt, led the charge up San Juan Hill, tells how he managed to not only remember the Maine, but solve the mystery of its destruction, and faced (despite all his best efforts) one of the nastiest villains of the 20th century.
No matter how much he cheats, skulks or runs, Quick--rake, womanizer and dedicated yellow-belly--always survives and comes out smelling like a rose; toasted and honored beyond his wildest dreams, and the favorite of his crazy boss Joseph Pulitzer. (That's a mixed blessing.)
Now, if only he could get Baily Stewart to fall in love with him.
"Like finding Hunter Thompson in a time warp!"
You can also learn more about my science writing for National Geographic Magazine and my latest award winning book Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived.
Love to get feedback before the book is published in hardback!
May 26, 2013
New York Times and Chautauqua
Just a quick update. It's been a couple of good weeks among several good months for Last Ape Standing. On May 5th, the New York Times Book Review (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/boo...) gave Last Ape a wonderful review, and then shortly afterwards it was chosen one of the featured books for the prestigious Chautauqua Institution's summer program.
I'll be speaking at Chautauqua this June 27th so if you're in the neighborhood, please swing by and say hello.
For more information visit http://www.ciweb.org/education-clsc/#....
I'll be speaking at Chautauqua this June 27th so if you're in the neighborhood, please swing by and say hello.
For more information visit http://www.ciweb.org/education-clsc/#....
May 14, 2013
Thanks!
To the nearly 1000 people so far who have entered to win a signed, first edition of Last Ape Standing. Appreciate your interest and support!
May 1, 2013
Giveaway!
About to head off for Spain on assignment for National Geographic Magazine on this extraordinary assignment, but while I'm gone check into the Last Ape Standing giveaway on Goodreads. Just go to www.Goodreads.com and search for Last Ape Standing. You'll see how to sign up there. Five winners will each receive a signed copy of a first edition of Last Ape Standing.
If you've already bought or read Last Ape, please rate it and post a review. I'd love to know what you think!
And please visit www.chipwalter.com to stay up to date with my travels for National Geographic Magazine.
If you've already bought or read Last Ape, please rate it and post a review. I'd love to know what you think!
And please visit www.chipwalter.com to stay up to date with my travels for National Geographic Magazine.
March 31, 2013
Back Home (Briefly)
Back on this side of the Atlantic for the coming week before heading off to Germany. I am not sure if anyone has found this blog, but if so, let me know. Drop me a note.
Also to stay up with my dispatches from Africa and England for my National Geographic assignment, please visit www.chipwalter.com/blog. I will be posting some pictures from Africa, London and Oxford as well.
Thanks to all of you who have putLast Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived on your to read list, or better yet, I've actually read the book and taken the time to review it here on good reads. Those of you who have, have been very kind and for that I am deeply grateful.
Stay tuned as well for some giveaways. Will be arranging giveaways of signed hardbacks of Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived and Thumbs, Toes, and Tears: And Other Traits That Make Us Human here on good reads.com. More soon!
Also to stay up with my dispatches from Africa and England for my National Geographic assignment, please visit www.chipwalter.com/blog. I will be posting some pictures from Africa, London and Oxford as well.
Thanks to all of you who have putLast Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived on your to read list, or better yet, I've actually read the book and taken the time to review it here on good reads. Those of you who have, have been very kind and for that I am deeply grateful.
Stay tuned as well for some giveaways. Will be arranging giveaways of signed hardbacks of Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived and Thumbs, Toes, and Tears: And Other Traits That Make Us Human here on good reads.com. More soon!
March 17, 2013
Out of Africa
Landed in London a few days ago and arrived in Oxford England today as I continue my assignment for National Geographic magazine, a result of work I did on my book Last Ape Standing published in January. Been on the road nearly three weeks, but the experience and work has been endlessly fascinating.
I'm behind because bandwidth in Africa was pretty thin, but please visit www.chipwalter.com/blog for updates from Africa, with more to come.
I'm behind because bandwidth in Africa was pretty thin, but please visit www.chipwalter.com/blog for updates from Africa, with more to come.
February 26, 2013
Heading off for Africa
I have been lucky enough to be assigned to write what we hope will be a cover story for National Geographic magazine (I'm not allowed to say exactly on what). I'll be leaving Thursday on the first leg of the research for South Africa where I'll be camping in caves next week on the Indian Ocean. I am a very lucky man!
Just received an email from the photographer working with me on this article. He spent a week at the location I am headed to . He suggested I bring some paint ball ammo. Why? Because in the caves where I'll be camping with the scientists, they use paint ball guns to control the baboons who sleep in the caves with us.
Should be interesting!
Stay tuned. I plan to blog , when technology allows here and at www.chipwalter.com/blog. The chipwalter site will also allow me to upload pix.
Just received an email from the photographer working with me on this article. He spent a week at the location I am headed to . He suggested I bring some paint ball ammo. Why? Because in the caves where I'll be camping with the scientists, they use paint ball guns to control the baboons who sleep in the caves with us.
Should be interesting!
Stay tuned. I plan to blog , when technology allows here and at www.chipwalter.com/blog. The chipwalter site will also allow me to upload pix.
February 22, 2013
Where Did We Come From and Why Are We Still Here?
A little more than three years ago, I began work on Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived. There were some days when I wondered if I would be left standing, but about nine months ago I completed the book and bundled it off to my publisher like a babe, hoping that when it eventually found its way into the reading world people like you would discover and enjoy it.
I wrote the book because I am, admittedly, obsessed with how creatures as strange and remarkable as us came into existence. I discovered some startling answers. Along the way I also found myself exploring the other astonishing human species who evolved along with us and our ancestors over the past seven million years -- Neanderthals, the recently discovered Denisovan and Red Deer Cave people, Homo erectus, the "Hobbits" of Indonesia (and many more). Who were they, and above all, why are we the only ones who survived when they didn't? What made the difference?
You may wonder why any of this matters, all of this rooting around in our deep past. What can any of it have to do with the 21st century? I believe that we can't possibly hope to understand who we are, or why we do what we do as individuals or as a species until we begin to get to the root of our nature. How can we hope to comprehend the tragedy of Sandy Hook, or, on the other hand, appreciate the generosity we witness during the holidays all around us? How is it that we are capable of such wildly different behaviors? Where do our motivations, talents, and marvelous traits come from? You wouldn't presume to understand Winston Churchill, Leonardo da Vinci or Lady Gaga without looking into their pasts, why should we Homo sapiens be any different?
So consider Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived a kind of biography of our kind, with some telling secrets from our past illuminated.
I hope you enjoy it.
Here's a small sampling from the book. For more please visit www.chipwalter.com and click "Books."
And thanks so much for your support over the years of AllThingsHuman.net and your ongoing interest in what makes us tick. I'm hoping Last Ape Standing can help satisfy a little bit of your curiosity, but also hope you'll keep visiting ATH. We love "seeing" you.
May your holidays be warm, happy and healthy!
Very best,
I wrote the book because I am, admittedly, obsessed with how creatures as strange and remarkable as us came into existence. I discovered some startling answers. Along the way I also found myself exploring the other astonishing human species who evolved along with us and our ancestors over the past seven million years -- Neanderthals, the recently discovered Denisovan and Red Deer Cave people, Homo erectus, the "Hobbits" of Indonesia (and many more). Who were they, and above all, why are we the only ones who survived when they didn't? What made the difference?
You may wonder why any of this matters, all of this rooting around in our deep past. What can any of it have to do with the 21st century? I believe that we can't possibly hope to understand who we are, or why we do what we do as individuals or as a species until we begin to get to the root of our nature. How can we hope to comprehend the tragedy of Sandy Hook, or, on the other hand, appreciate the generosity we witness during the holidays all around us? How is it that we are capable of such wildly different behaviors? Where do our motivations, talents, and marvelous traits come from? You wouldn't presume to understand Winston Churchill, Leonardo da Vinci or Lady Gaga without looking into their pasts, why should we Homo sapiens be any different?
So consider Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived a kind of biography of our kind, with some telling secrets from our past illuminated.
I hope you enjoy it.
Here's a small sampling from the book. For more please visit www.chipwalter.com and click "Books."
And thanks so much for your support over the years of AllThingsHuman.net and your ongoing interest in what makes us tick. I'm hoping Last Ape Standing can help satisfy a little bit of your curiosity, but also hope you'll keep visiting ATH. We love "seeing" you.
May your holidays be warm, happy and healthy!
Very best,
Childhood Is Why We Are the Last Ape Standing
This is from my January 29, 2013 Slate.com article which explores how our long childhoods enabled us to survive and become The Last Ape Standing. (Published by Bloomsbury/Walker Books.)
There’s a misco ...more
There’s a misco ...more
- Chip Walter's profile
- 81 followers
