Homo Britannicus tells the epic history of life in Britain, from man’s very first footsteps to the present day. Drawing on all the latest evidence and techniques of investigation, Chris Stringer describes times when Britain was so tropical that man lived alongside hippos and sabre tooth tiger, times so cold we shared this land with reindeer and mammoth, and times colder still when we were forced to flee altogether. This is the first time we have known the full extent of this history: the Ancient Human Occupation of Britain project, led by Chris, has made discoveries that have stunned the world, pushing back the earliest date of arrival to 700,000 years ago. Our ancestors have been fighting a dramatic battle for survival here ever since.
Homo Britannicus
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Trade in HOMO BRITANNICUS: The Incredible Story of Human Life in Britain for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Card, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more
|
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
'A superlative achievement. HOMO BRITANNICUS is pure stimulation
from beginning to end.' -- Bill Bryson
'Essential reading for all those interested in human history - or,
indeed, in the story of the British landscape.' -- Richard Fortey
'This important and eminently readable book pulls together all the
best scientific work on the first humans to inhabit Britain.' -- Tony Robinson
This is a fantastically accessible science book laced with mystery
and intrigue.If you read one book this year,make it this.
-- Sally Palmer, Focus Magazine December 2006
‘This is a beautiful book on a fascinating subject, written by the
world authority. What more could one ask?’ -- Richard Dawkins
from beginning to end.' -- Bill Bryson
'Essential reading for all those interested in human history - or,
indeed, in the story of the British landscape.' -- Richard Fortey
'This important and eminently readable book pulls together all the
best scientific work on the first humans to inhabit Britain.' -- Tony Robinson
This is a fantastically accessible science book laced with mystery
and intrigue.If you read one book this year,make it this.
-- Sally Palmer, Focus Magazine December 2006
‘This is a beautiful book on a fascinating subject, written by the
world authority. What more could one ask?’ -- Richard Dawkins
About the Author
Chris Stringer is Britain's foremost expert on human origins and works in the Department of Palaeontology at the Natural History Museum. He currently directs the Ancient Human Occupation of Britain project, aimed at reconstructing the first detailed history of how and when Britain was occupied by early humans. His previous books include African Exodus: The Origins of Modern Humanity and The Complete World of Human Evolution.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
'All that is really known of the ancient state of Britain is contained in a few pages. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
'All that is really known of the ancient state of Britain is contained in a few pages. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
73 of 77 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
'A delightful addition to his previous 'Complete World of Human Evolution', Homo Britannicus, written by Chris Stringer, offers a fascinating account of the history of human occupation in Britain from the first evidence of hominid activity circa 700,000-500,000 years ago to the arrival of modern humans about 12,000 years ago. In addition to being of erudite specialist interest to his peers and students in palaeontology and archaeology, this clearly written book -- which offers useful additional background in text and illustrations, humour and a share of the author's own experiences -- is a real pleasure to read for the lay person with little knowledge of these disciplines. After a thorough study of the role of climatic changes in the history of human adaptation to, or extinction from, new environments, Chris Stringer ends his book with a crucial appeal for our common responsability in preserving our future, threatened by global warming today, not tomorrow. Essential for learning about the past, this is palaeontology at its best use for the present and future. Anyone interested in the complete story of the British Isles should read this book without delay'.
24 of 26 people found the following review helpful
By Stephen A. Haines
HALL OF FAME
Format:Hardcover
For a good many schoolchildren [too many, IMV], the history of Britain begins with Julius Caesar crossing the Channel. Confronted by resistance by the "blue people", he forcefully pushed the Island Kingdom into the historical arena. This outlook is regrettably shortsighted, as Chris Stringer makes vividly clear in this stunning account of pre-historic Britain. Although the first early human finds didn't occur there, the concept of "Stone Age" was vigorously debated in Britain as the artefacts and fossils emerged in view, particularly in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Moreover, it was British scholars like John Hutton and Charles Lyell who took the lead in extending the age of the Earth. That extension led to speculation and investigation of who and what had come before, demolishing the view of yet another Englishman, James Ussher who had postulated an Earth "created" in October of 4004 BCE. In short, stratigraphy began replacing Scripture.
Stringer explains how Britain was subjected to several "invasions" long before the Roman political martyr was glorified, then assassinated. These invasions weren't for booty or slaves, but for dinner. Changes in climate resulted in changes in sea level, with Britain forming a peninsula of Europe many times over the millennia. Another result of climate led to large parts of that peninsula being sheathed in ice, rendering it uninhabitable ' to human or other invaders. They made it, finally, with the first human artefacts being dated at 700 000 years ago. They weren't dining on mutton, however. It was deer, rabbits, and astonishingly, hippopotamus. The image Stringer offers of hippos crossing the Mediterranean and swimming along the Atlantic littoral to reach what is now Suffolk, isn't one easily dismissed from memory.... Read more ›
Stringer explains how Britain was subjected to several "invasions" long before the Roman political martyr was glorified, then assassinated. These invasions weren't for booty or slaves, but for dinner. Changes in climate resulted in changes in sea level, with Britain forming a peninsula of Europe many times over the millennia. Another result of climate led to large parts of that peninsula being sheathed in ice, rendering it uninhabitable ' to human or other invaders. They made it, finally, with the first human artefacts being dated at 700 000 years ago. They weren't dining on mutton, however. It was deer, rabbits, and astonishingly, hippopotamus. The image Stringer offers of hippos crossing the Mediterranean and swimming along the Atlantic littoral to reach what is now Suffolk, isn't one easily dismissed from memory.... Read more ›
57 of 63 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Homo Britannicus, A review of hominins in Britain by the Rob Walsh, director of The Lewis Research Unit
3 Nov 2006
Format:Hardcover
Homo Britannicus by Prof Chris Stringer, is a thoughtful account of human life in Britain from the earliest evidence at Pakefield, Happisburg and Boxgrove(700 ka - 500 ka) to more modern occupation by the Neaderthals at Swanscombe (300 ka), and early homo sapiens, who arrived circa 12,000 years ago, following the last gacial phase. There is nothing too technical to understand for the lay reader, who knows little of human evolution, yet plenty to satisfy the thirstful knowledge of the more accomplished palaeontological/archaeological reader.
The book combines achaeological evidence, with Chris's own experiences as Britains foremost authority on human evolution, and makes compelling reading, for anyone interested in the history of the British Isles.
I thouroughly recomend Homo Britannicus as a more discerning Christmas present this year.
The book combines achaeological evidence, with Chris's own experiences as Britains foremost authority on human evolution, and makes compelling reading, for anyone interested in the history of the British Isles.
I thouroughly recomend Homo Britannicus as a more discerning Christmas present this year.
27 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a super book, well presented interesting and stimulating. A mark of its success is that it makes you want to read more about the origins of the British. It lights the fire to know more!
Its also refreshing to have a book which goes back to our true origins rather than political events of the last 1000 years!
Buy it and you wont be disappointed!
Its also refreshing to have a book which goes back to our true origins rather than political events of the last 1000 years!
Buy it and you wont be disappointed!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Petra Bryce
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover
This book introduces the reader to the science behind the early human habitation of Britain by putting the people into their individual contexts of climate and the depending geography, fauna and flora. It gives a clear and detailed account of the various schools of thought that prevailed at one time or another and introduces us to human evolution through fossilised human remains and the development of hand tools, as well as the science behind understanding ice ages and interglacials. The language is not too scientific and easily understandable to the layman, just once or twice later on in the book he succumbs to the temptation of name-dropping a specific scientific term without further explanation. The illustrations, maps and photographs are first class and go some way towards providing the reader with a clear understanding of what this book is all about, so I would always prefer the hardcover edition to the paperback. I have to agree with some of the other reviewers that the last chapter (about future climate change) seems a bit out of place in a book about palaeontology; he does have a point in that humankind has always been very vulnerable to climate change, be it for better or worse, but to devote an entire chapter to it in which he is speculating and appears to be sermonising, is simply not in line with the rest of the book which is solidly grounded in scientific fact. In the appendix we have an opportunity to meet the core members of AHOB as well as one of their associate members and it was great to read about their obvious enthusiasm and their various and diverse backgrounds that come together to make this project so successful, but to have 25 pages of it was stretching my patience a little bit.... Read more ›
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see both reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting and elegant
This is a highly readable and compact guide to the development of human life in Britain. Very well arranged and elegant in style giving a good understanding of the phases and the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Nicolas Milne
3.0 out of 5 stars
Spare me Piltdown Man Mk.II
I can recommend about three-quarters of this book. Where Chris Stringer, author of "Homo Britannicus", sticks to his subject matter, he is lucid, well-informed (he should be,... Read more
Published 2 months ago by O. G. M. Morgan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Anything by Chris Stringer is almost certainly good.
The evolving story of human development, evolution and migration to people the world is endlessly fascinating. A good and not too stuffy read.
Published 6 months ago by ohdear
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Missing Chapter
The essential problem with this book is that it lacks insight in recent climate changes influence on human development. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Keith Baker
5.0 out of 5 stars
ascent of man
This very interesting book discussesthe story of mankind in Britain from the mists of time up to the presend date as determined by archaeological findings. Read more
Published 18 months ago by G. I. Forbes
3.0 out of 5 stars
A mixed and infuriating bag
This book doesn't quite do what it claims in its overwrought title. It stops dead at a point about 11,000 years ago when humans gained a permanent foothold in Britain, skips... Read more
Published 24 months ago by Charles
2.0 out of 5 stars
Misleading
I thoroughly enjoyed the first chapters of this book and felt I learnt a lot from it. It made things clear and covered a great time period. Read more
Published on 31 Jan 2011 by Raichar
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating, but could be better structured.
This is an excellent book, and well worth the read. To me it is an original subject area - some subjects are over represented on the Popular Science bookshelf, this was the first... Read more
Published on 24 Dec 2010 by Dave C
5.0 out of 5 stars
A thoroughly engaging account of early Britain
If you happen to have caught any of the slew of 'fossil stories' in the news over the last few years, you will almost certainly have heard or read a few words from Chris Stringer,... Read more
Published on 31 May 2010 by Steve M
4.0 out of 5 stars
An excellently written and illustrated account of the AHOB team's work...
I completely back the other reviewers who say this is an excellent account of early human life in the U.K. Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2010 by Roger Fawcett
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
- Books > History > Archaeology
- Books > History > Britain & Ireland > Ireland
- Books > History > Cultural History
- Books > Science & Nature > Biological Sciences > Evolution > Human
- Books > Science & Nature > Biological Sciences > Human Biology
- Books > Scientific, Technical & Medical
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Anthropology > Physical
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
