Origins

by Richard E. Leakey, Roger Lewin

Discusses the evolution of prehistoric ape-like creatures into human beings, theorizing that the key to this transformation was the ability to share & cooperate in a social context.

Genres: Science, Anthropology, Nonfiction, History, Evolution, Archaeology, Biology

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Richard Erskine Frere Leakey was a paleoanthropologist and conservationist. He was the second born of three sons of the archaeologists Louis Leakey and Mary Leakey, and was the younger brother of Colin Leakey.

Reviews

[April Brown]

What ages would I recommend it too? – Twelve and up.

Length? – Several days read.

Characters? – Human kind throughout history.

Setting? – Earth.

Written approximately? – 1977.

Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? – Ready to read more.

Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? No.

Short storyline: A history of human kind and archeology as known in the 1970's.

Notes for the reader: While there have been more finds, and few changes in notions, this book covers the past, present, and future in an exciting way. It is amazing how many estimates of the the late 1900's to early 2000's the author guessed correctly.

[Deborah Edwards]

This book, and his "People of the Lake" led me to a lifelong study of Anthropology. He is a fascinating man, and I was lucky enough to hear him speak (and then talk with him) after a speech he gave at UNM in the 1990s. Whether discussing human culture, hominid evolution, or the fate of the elephants of Kenya, Leakey personifies dignified grace and curious intellect. A hero of mine. Read this book and he may be a hero of yours, as well.

[Ann Keller]

Excellently written! This book held my attention from beginning to end.

[Matthew Barnett]

Reading Origins by Richard Leakey was an exciting experience, despite much of the book now feeling dated. It’s clear why this work inspired so many in the field of anthropology. The book contains timeless and invaluable insights, particularly in its documentation of native tribes. As these groups increasingly blend into modern populations, their distinct behaviors and cultures are fading. Soon, the chance to study them directly will be lost forever. However, through the meticulous records of last century’s fieldworkers—like those captured in Origins—this knowledge remains preserved. This primary research offers a window into understanding not just these tribes, but also more ancient cultures, making it more engaging and informative than many modern bestsellers.
That said, I didn’t enjoy the book’s ending. The speculative predictions about what the world would look like in 2020 felt so far off the mark that they came across as preachy rather than insightful. This has left me hesitant about diving into Leakey’s The Sixth Extinction, though I’m still willing to give it a try. My reaction to the ending is just a matter of personal taste—futurology can be a tricky tightrope, and here it stumbled.

[Valerie Carter-cole]

Fascinating! I loved this book. My appreciation for all living beings was enhanced exponentially.

[Ian]

A well written examination of the development of humans from the fossil record.

[Bernie4444]

Revolutionary when it was first published

An excellent book on the emergence of our species. Of course, I assume that the person reading this review is of the same species. For anyone who has not read this book it still holds some interesting ideas that should not be missed. It is packed with pictures and graphs and as Alice of Alice in Wonderland fame said: “What good are books without pictures and conversations?”

This book makes a great addition to your library and is worth rereading about once every 10 years to see how things are changed (or haven’t.)

Be sure to read Richard E. Leakey’s other books on the subject.

[Anna Engel]

Despite being nearly 50 years old, "Origins" is a wonderful compendium of archaeology and anthropology performed largely by the Leakeys. It's informative and illustrated, making it accessible to the general population. Highly recommended.

[Coreking]

the ending is remarkable

[Marko]

i have the german edition: Wie der Mensch...
and the english edition

[Lisa Lepic]

This is an older book but I still learned quite a lot. There was a bit of repetitiveness and some political statements towards the end.

[Arrie Perez]

Read this as a young adult in South Africa. One of the best books on the topic I have read!

[Valerie]

I should probably get the update. I saw a televised version of this, and the book form is more than a transcript--but I'd recommend both. If you don't actually SEE Richard Leakey pontificating, you lose something. I knew a lot of this already, but there were parts I'd never considered--like Leakey's point that warfare is not a matter of agression, but a cooperative act. This informed my reading of such things as The Left Hand of Darkness.

[Charles Melendez]

I fould this book in my library one day and started reading it. It did a great job explaining how little we know about where we come from. All of what we know about our ancestors comes from samples of recovered bones that would hardly fill a kitchen cabinet. Things like this make this book a great read.

[Steven Ford]

This book was amazing. Richard Leakey does an amazing job describing evolution, specifically our origins, in such a way that makes you feel like you yourself are undergoing evolution as you read. I found myself in the scenes Leakey describes, walking among our ancestors. I will never view humanity the same again.

[Charles]

Really good. Dated by now but really helped clarify my thinking at the time on human origins, and was well written in addition.

[Sally Fouhse]

I finally made it to Olduvai Gorge in 2011! It only took 40 years!

[Xandie]

While this book may be a little outdated compared to what we know today, it still does a good job of explaining where mankind comes from. Definitely a good read for anyone interested in archeology.

[Elynda Maharany]

nice

[David]

A Classic.

[Bob]

Not an easy read, but well worth the investment.