Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors
Written by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan
Narrated by Ann Druyan, Nick Sagan and Clinnette Minnis
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
World renowned scientist Carl Sagan and acclaimed author Ann Druyan have written a Roots for the human species, a lucid and riveting account of how humans got to be the way we are. It shows with humor and drama that many of our key traits--self-awareness, technology, family ties, submission to authority, hatred for those a little different from ourselves, reason, and ethics--are rooted in the deep past, and illuminated by our kinship with other animals.
Astonishing in its scope, brilliant in its insights, and an absolutely compelling read, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a triumph of popular science.
Introductory music from the original score for COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey composed by Alan Silvestri, used with permission from Cosmos Studios, Inc. and Chappers Music. All rights reserved. Special thanks to Fuzzy Planets, Inc.
Carl Sagan
Carl Sagan was Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences and Director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University. He played a leading role in the Mariner, Viking, and Voyager spacecraft expeditions, for which he received the NASA medals for Exceptional Scientific Achievement. Dr. Sagan received the Pulitzer Prize and the highest awards of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation for his contributions to science, literature, education, and the preservation of the environment. His book Cosmos was the bestselling science book ever published in the English language, and his bestselling novel, Contact, was turned into a major motion picture.
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Reviews for Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors
208 ratings8 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title to be absolutely brilliant and amazing. Carl Sagan's writing style and farsightedness are highly praised. The book delves into interesting depths in understanding the origins of humanity, raising thought-provoking questions and providing eye-opening answers. The chapters on the Chimps are particularly loved, giving readers a feeling of what it could be like to be one. The engaging style and excellent reading by Nick Sagan and Ann Druyan make it hard to put the book down.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Absolutely brilliant!!!It so sad that so many people are ignorant of the progress of science this days, and for the fact that we keep the research underfunded!Thanks for this beautiful book!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is easily one of the best books i have read. Carl Sagan goes into very interesting depths in trying to understand the origins of our humanity. The questions raised and answers proposed are eye opening. For anyone who would like to understand our evolutionary history more, this book is for you. Additionally, Nick Sagan and Ann Druyan do an excellent reading of this book. This coupled with Sagan's engaging style makes it hard to put this book down.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What amazing book. First I love the writing style of Carl Sagan very much. I also am everytime and again impressed by his farsightedness. Loved the chapters on the Chimps. I feel I truly got a feeling for what it could be like to be one. Absolutely amazing.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5To my mind, this is a five out of five star book. That despite considering its writing subpar. I found the writing poorly organized, overly verbose, and tortuous, except in the last several chapters.
Nevertheless, I would recommend the reader hang in there through all the verbosity and extraneous content (to me) in order to fully appreciate the last several chapters. They are the meat of the book that should be absorbed by all that have the open-mindedness and backbone to look at the reality of human existence.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Mostly about monkeys. Nothing controversial, I refuse to believe it was controversial when it was written. Unless you refuse the claim that people are animals.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A look at the evolution of humanity, spending quite a bit of time on the mechanisms of evolution, then on the capabilities and social lives of our closest primate relatives. A bit dated in places, such as his plug for group-selection, but overall rather good. Perhaps I find the topic a bit overdone, and so I was never really that enthused by the book. Solid, though, and thought provoking in many places.
3.5 oc - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One of his best books. Thoughtful and to the point. A must read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fascinating and well-written, this is the book that helped me finally feel like I understand evolution. I think it is the “evolution for dummies” book that everyone should read to understand how we got here and where we came from. Excellent!