Tamed

Reviews

A masterpiece of evocative scientific storytelling. Epic and joyous, a landmark in the story of us. Two recent pioneers of the history of humanity are Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs and Steel, and Yuval Noah Harari, in his book Sapiens. It is a teeming subject, about which Roberts is multiply qualified to write, as an anatomist, archaeologist, anthropologist, paleopathologist and professor of public engagement in science. Roberts remains composed, engaging and undogmatic throughout… Tamed is an excellent point of entry for anyone who wants to understand the new deep human history and what it portends. [A] lively work of popular scientific history, in which [Roberts] looks at 10 species that have become part of our everyday existence ... illuminating facts, Roberts is an informed guide to the oddities that have made the world what it is today. Tamed may be the title of Alice Roberts' latest book, but the writing is anything but tame. Lyrical storytelling untangles the current thinking on how we've entwined our lives with those of plants and animals. From dogs to apples to potatoes to chickens, Roberts provides fascinating insights into domestication, offering anecdotes from past and present that link genetic and archaeological findings. Superb: fascinating, intimate biographies of the species that have shared our white-knuckle ride to the present and have helped to make us what we are. Read if you want to know what and why you are.’ The sort of deep-dive history that will appeal to fans of Jared Diamond and Yuval Noah Harari. There are plenty of facts in Tamed that make the familiar well worth exploring afresh. But it's the fascinating stories that explain how these were unearthed that make this book such a joy to read. An engrossing and highly readable account of where man is now and how we have reached this point This book is an utter delight…. I loved the stories, the information. But what I loved most was the message of the book: how to preserve what we have before we lose it forever. Humans have a massive impact on the plant, both locally and globally Expand reviews