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A wonderful, very readable book, written by an expert: Stephen Oppenheimer explains how our genes hold clues to the origin of our species, and tell the story of how our ancestors colonised the world.' --Dr Alice Roberts, author of The Incredible Human Journey
'A mind-boggling forensic detective story, based on the latest scientific breakthroughs in DNA. --Ann Hodges, Houston Chronicle -
The story of humanity is now deemed by general consensus to have started in Africa. The common female ancestor of all peoples has been located there using the study of mitochondrial DNA, and it is now possible to produce a diagram of the various branches of the human family tree showing the routes of migration from Africa around the world. Stephen Oppenheimer's book concentrates on the last 200,000 years. He takes the view that there has been only one exodus, and he follows our ancestors out of Africa tracing their routes northwards into Europe, south into Australia and into Asia, and thence to the Americas. He covers this progression in detail, including an outline of the various theories about the peopling of America and the controversies they occasioned. Much of the scientific work which gives proof to the theory stems from recent work. As well as the genetic detective work the story is also informed by contributions from language history and the fossil record, particularly computer analysis of skull shapes. Stephen Oppenheimer also asks other questions. Why did we develop large brains? How is skin colour related to geographical location? Did our African ancestors mix genetically with the Neanderthal population of Europe? Did culture start in Europe or elsewhere? This is an approachable if demanding book. Backing up its assertions with plenty of facts, figures and supplementary detail, it's an excellent academic approach to one of the big questions of interest to all people on the planet. --Kirkus UK
'A mind-boggling forensic detective story, based on the latest scientific breakthroughs in DNA. --Ann Hodges, Houston Chronicle -
The story of humanity is now deemed by general consensus to have started in Africa. The common female ancestor of all peoples has been located there using the study of mitochondrial DNA, and it is now possible to produce a diagram of the various branches of the human family tree showing the routes of migration from Africa around the world. Stephen Oppenheimer's book concentrates on the last 200,000 years. He takes the view that there has been only one exodus, and he follows our ancestors out of Africa tracing their routes northwards into Europe, south into Australia and into Asia, and thence to the Americas. He covers this progression in detail, including an outline of the various theories about the peopling of America and the controversies they occasioned. Much of the scientific work which gives proof to the theory stems from recent work. As well as the genetic detective work the story is also informed by contributions from language history and the fossil record, particularly computer analysis of skull shapes. Stephen Oppenheimer also asks other questions. Why did we develop large brains? How is skin colour related to geographical location? Did our African ancestors mix genetically with the Neanderthal population of Europe? Did culture start in Europe or elsewhere? This is an approachable if demanding book. Backing up its assertions with plenty of facts, figures and supplementary detail, it's an excellent academic approach to one of the big questions of interest to all people on the planet. --Kirkus UK
Martin Richards, Researcher in Human Evolutionary Genetics
'To discover the real daughters of Eve, read on.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
76 of 78 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
HERE ARE THE DNA FINGERPRINTS AND FOOTPRINTS of our ancestors, as we have never seen them, thanks to breakthroughs in science. Swab traces taken from thousands of people living today, shows that, circa 80,000 years ago, a group of homo sapiens traversed the strait between Djibouti and Yemen, and became the first ever "out of africa" Sapiens. Or at least, the first whose genetic traces survived in our complex mitochondrial (maternal line) genetic make-up. Some of the group, wandering eastwards along the Indian Ocean's coastlines, in a few 1000 years, reached the Sumatra area. Their tools and traces have been found in the volcanic ash of the Toba Volcano explosion of 72,000 BC, and in Australia. It was only later around 45,000 to 40,000 BC, that a branch of this so-called "Cro-Magnon" group made its impact in Europe and slowly displaced the long-established Neanderthals. They had learned new skills on millennia-long trails that were evolutionary as well as geographical, and re-wrote Earth's history.
68 of 70 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The book is trying to decipher one of the major questions faced by the paleontological scientific community today, namely the when, how and why Homo Sapiens, our species, managed to get to every last corner of the planet.
Such a vast problem requires, by default, a multidisciplinary approach, and that is exactly the author's method. He combines archaeological data, climate history studies and the latest in biological-genes research, in order to painfully and methodically reconstruct first the Exodus from Africa - birthplace of our species - and then the various phases of human diffusion. He proposes a single exodus from Africa theory, around 80.000 years ago and then follows the combined evidence (fossil record, tools, locations and genes) to trace the human voyage to Southern Asia, Australia, Northern Asia and Europe and finally the Americas.
The author makes a persuasive case and one may agree or disagree with his proposals or parts of them. Irrespective of that, one has to admire the robustly scientific approach to each and separate problem faced during this fascinating journey. Mr. Oppenheimer is the first to state the doubtful of his position in many instances and never passes mere hypotheses as facts. And, most important of all, since this is a book aimed at interested laymen, not scientists of the field, his prose is clear, as free of scientific jargon as possible and downright charming. The illustrations, maps and color plates complement the text in a most satisfying way, making for an excellent and very interesting read.
Such a vast problem requires, by default, a multidisciplinary approach, and that is exactly the author's method. He combines archaeological data, climate history studies and the latest in biological-genes research, in order to painfully and methodically reconstruct first the Exodus from Africa - birthplace of our species - and then the various phases of human diffusion. He proposes a single exodus from Africa theory, around 80.000 years ago and then follows the combined evidence (fossil record, tools, locations and genes) to trace the human voyage to Southern Asia, Australia, Northern Asia and Europe and finally the Americas.
The author makes a persuasive case and one may agree or disagree with his proposals or parts of them. Irrespective of that, one has to admire the robustly scientific approach to each and separate problem faced during this fascinating journey. Mr. Oppenheimer is the first to state the doubtful of his position in many instances and never passes mere hypotheses as facts. And, most important of all, since this is a book aimed at interested laymen, not scientists of the field, his prose is clear, as free of scientific jargon as possible and downright charming. The illustrations, maps and color plates complement the text in a most satisfying way, making for an excellent and very interesting read.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
120,000years ago man(Homo Sapiens) attempted to migrate out of Africa but failed,itwas not till 80,000years ago that a sucessful migration happened .This group crossed the Red Sea and headed for India.50,000years ago the group split some going toEuroe while the restcontinued eastward 3 further splits occured to Central Asia, China and Australia.The main migration progressed via China and Russia to the Bearing straits to Alaska and the Americas by 25,000years ago and the tip of South America 12,500yeaarsago.
The author describes this journey in excellent detail through the use of mitochondrial DNA and archeology Firet class mitochondrial maps are providedas are copious explanatory notes.A book to be recommended.
The author describes this journey in excellent detail through the use of mitochondrial DNA and archeology Firet class mitochondrial maps are providedas are copious explanatory notes.A book to be recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Out of Eden
An excellent book that explains very clearly how the world was populated from our first ancestors in Africa. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Paloma Blanca
Cogently argued tour de force
What a tour de force from Stephen Oppenheimer. With a background in genetics and in interest in population movements of the past, Oppenheimer set out to investigate how Homo... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Isis
Out of Eden
Excellent read, full of fascinating information clearly and interestingly presented. It was almost like reading a thriller, where did they go next, how did they get there? Read more
Published 5 months ago by Valerie David
Good start but...
Great start very interesting but gets very heavy after half way. In effect the story has been told by this time and the end just seems a bit of a filler.
Published 6 months ago by Mr. C. R. Thomas
Intelligent Ancestors
The main point of Oppenheimer's book is to show that our species, Homo sapiens, evolved in Africa and that all non-African humans throughout the world today are descended from one... Read more
Published on 12 April 2010 by P. Webster
Scientifically rigorous, but ill-structured.
Stephen Oppenheimer's book "Out of Eden: The Peopling of the World" is the book you must buy if you want to know about how Homo sapiens came to inhabit every corner of the globe,... Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2010 by R. Davies
Out of Eden
If you are interesrted in the Human Race and how we arrived where we are this is a 'Must Read' Superbly presented in the most interesting way possible.Also try! Read more
Published on 5 Jan 2010 by J. N. Stedman
Fascinating
The title says it all, but the book provides detail and cross references on the routes and timelines of the journey. Read more
Published on 2 Nov 2009 by Robert
Not for the amateur
I am greatly interested in the way in which our planet became populated.
I found the book greatly informative in general but for me too much of it was heavily into the science... Read more
I found the book greatly informative in general but for me too much of it was heavily into the science... Read more
Published on 25 Aug 2009 by Mr. Gordon W. Triggs
Fantastic read.
Out of Eden is a truly brilliant book. It appeals to the lay reader without assuming total ignorance and/or stupidity which is often a problem with books of this type. Read more
Published on 17 July 2009 by Lulu
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