DANIEL E. LIEBERMAN is professor of human evolutionary biology and the Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences at Harvard. He has written more than one hundred articles, many appearing in the journals Nature and Science. Lieberman is especially well known for his research on the evolution of the human head and the evolution of running, including barefoot running (earning him the nickname the Barefoot Professor). His research and discoveries have been highlighted widely in newspapers, magazines, books, news programs, and documentaries.
“Monumental ... 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
“Fascinating.... A readable introduction to the whole field and
great on the making of our physicality.”
—Nature
“Sweeping.... Convincingly makes the case for a wholesale
rethinking of how we live our modern lives.’”
—CommonHealth, WBUR
“Riveting, enlightening, and more than a little frightening.... No
one understands the human body like Daniel Lieberman or tells its
story more eloquently.”
—Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run
“These are not debates to gloss over or reduce to simple statements
of cause and effect—they are stories with scientific complexity and
tremendous, sometimes contradictory accumulations of evidence and
detail. The Story of the Human Body does full justice to those
stories, to that evidence and to that detail, and brings them to
bear on daily health and well-being, individual and
collective.”
—The Washington Post
“[Lieberman] is a true expert in a system where architecture and
history intersect: the human foot. He ably describes how behavior
and anatomy can lead to foot injuries in long-distance
runners.”
—The Wall Street Journal
“The ultimate science-based Paleo investigation.... Convincing....
A great read, and I recommend it highly for those of you who are
interested in learning the facts about our biological roots, and
how we can rationally apply ‘Paleo’ concepts to prevent and reverse
modern ‘mismatch’ diseases.”
—Dr. Ronald Hoffman, The Hoffman Center/Health Talk
“Eloquent and precise ... Lieberman is the first to point out that
modern living and technology have made our lives better in many
ways. Still, a look back at where we came from can tell us a lot
about where we’re headed, he says—and how we might alter that
course for the better.”
—Grist
“A doozy.... That humans are poorly adapted to our modern lifestyle
of convenience foods, flat screens, and desk jobs isn’t very
controversial. But how we best cope with this new reality often is.
Lieberman takes on many popular notions, including barefoot
running, the paleo diet, epigenetics, and a host of hot topics
ranging from obesity and chronic disease to Nanny State
politics.”
—Outside
“[Lieberman’s] evolutionary approach produces some counterintuitive
surprises.... The Story of the Human Body is a reliable guide to a
problem that is going to get worse before it gets better.”
—The Guardian
“In thoroughly enjoyable and edifying prose, Lieberman ... leads a
fascinating journey through human evolution. He comprehensively
explains how evolutionary forces have shaped the human species as
we know it.... He balances a historical perspective with a
contemporary one ... while asking how we might control the destiny
of our species. He argues persuasively that ‘cultural evolution is
now the dominant force of evolutionary change acting on the human
body.’”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Lieberman gracefully combines paleontology, anatomy, physiology,
and experimental biomechanics to clarify how the human body has
evolved and how evolutionary design now clashes with the
particularities of modern society.... An important book.”
—Library Journal
“Lieberman holds nothing back.... He cleverly and comprehensively
points out the perils of possessing Paleolithic anatomy and
physiology in a modern world and bemoans ‘just how out of touch we
have become with our bodies.’ ... If we want to continue our
phenomenal run as a species, it is essential to understand (and
embrace) our evolutionary legacy.”
—Booklist
“A massive review of where we came from and what ails us now ...
Would that industry and governments take heed.”
—Kirkus Reviews
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