How We Do It: The Evolution and Future of Human Reproduction 1st Edition by Robert Martin (PDF)

Description

Despite the widespread belief that natural is better when it comes to sex, pregnancy, and parenting, most of us have no idea what “natural” really means; the origins of our reproductive lives remain a mystery. Why are a quarter of a billion sperm cells needed to fertilize one egg? Are women really fertile for only a few days each month? How long should babies be breast-fed? In How We Do It, primatologist Robert Martin draws on forty years of research to locate the roots of everything from our sex cells to the way we care for newborns. He examines the procreative history of humans as well as that of our primate kin to reveal what’s really natural when it comes to making and raising babies, and distinguish which behaviors we ought to continue — and which we should not. Although it’s not realistic to raise our children like our ancestors did, Martin’s investigation reveals surprising consequences of — and suggests ways to improve upon — the way we do things now. For instance, he explains why choosing a midwife rather than an obstetrician may have a greater impact than we think on our birthing experience, examines the advantages of breast-feeding for both mothers and babies, and suggests why babies may be ready for toilet training far earlier than is commonly practiced.How We Do It offers much-needed context for our reproductive and child-rearing practices, and shows that once we understand our evolutionary past, we can consider what worked, what didn’t’t, and what it all means for the future of our species.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐This book deserves a four star rating because it taught me so much and was such a good read. But I would love to know why the author left out so much. He compares primate reproduction and explains and describes aspects that are unique to humans but leaves out so much of the really interesting stuff. I can understand that he can’t cover everything but why not even mention the cooperative nature of human child rearing? Why not acknowledge that reproductive behaviour is so culturally diverse? I would love to know if he thinks such topics are unimportant or are they simply not interesting to him.

⭐Heard about this book in the Chicago Sun Times and thought it sounded interesting. Not being particularly scientifically literate, I decided it was probably above my pay-grade. I saw the author discussing the book on TV and changed my mind. He had a way of explaining things that made intuitive sense, so I thought I’d give it try.I’m so very glad that I did, an absolutely fascinating and highly accessible read.Interesting topics discussed herein: declining sperm counts, benefits of breastfeeding, contraceptives, potty training, etc.I recommend this book to anyone interested in human biology, human evolution, human reproduction, or interested in science generally. But no need for extensive scientific training, Martin has a way with words that makes complicated topics easy to follow and comprehend. For being as widely accessible as it is, his writing is not overly pedantic or condescending, just very informative and accessible. Those coming to the book with a some prior scientific training will also find plenty to enjoy as he seems to draw on a wide range of scientific research and methods from which to draw his conclusions. Best of all, he adds a bit of humor to boot.

⭐Martin raises the bar for scientists writing for a general reader on timely subjects. Conspicuously, he cites his sources — who did what when — forever removing doubt about the human effort going into science, in this case reproductive science. I can object to his definitions of conception and embryo, but I have no doubt about how he uses the terms and what he intends to convey by them. He might have drawn attention to the social importance of nursing and it’s potential evolutionary significance as an instrument of female bonding, but that may come in a second edition.

⭐And you’ll wonder why you’ve never inquired about some BASIC FACTS about sexuality and the history of humans.The author is the kind of erudite, witty polymath you rarely find these days–curious about everything, rigorous in research, but definitely understanding that people need to know about the 18th-century Italian priest who put tight-fitting taffeta pants on frogs. (WHY put tight-fitting taffeta pants on frogs??? Gentlemen, think how such pants might prevent your sperm from getting anywhere. Empirical study has to start somewhere.)There’s lots of food for thought in this book for parents. But also for anyone who’s, uh, ever been born from parents. And by “parents”, think parents, parents, parents– all the way back to early hominids, and back, back, back to ancestors who were the organisms who first invented sexual reproduction.The chapter on feeding babies was so interesting that I missed my train stop. Really, this book is engrossing. You’ll never think about sexuality the same way again.

⭐The content and information are interesting, but the writing is very repetitive. Ended up skipping large chunks that were basically repeated information written in a different way or even in much the same way.

⭐Not only is “How We Do It” packed full of things that everybody should know about human reproduction, but Martin compares all of it to what we know about procreation in other beloved mammals, like dogs and monkeys. Readers will be amazed by how much they did not know about babymaking, how much they assumed based on little evidence, and about how much we still don’t know. And they’ll be enthralled by Martin’s fascinating questions–questions that they might never have even thought could be asked at all. I’ll be recommending this book to students in my biological anthropology courses at the University of Rhode Island.

⭐The first half was a little tough to get into and although very full of interesting information it was a bit dry for my taste.

⭐THE book on sexuality, from a biology/anthropology point of view. I didn’t know many mammals have bones in their penis, did you? At times it is droll, a tad scientific, but hey, it is written by a scientist and he’s found some things that most of us do not know about sexuality. Go figure! The scientific detail adds credibility. Hats off to Dr. Martin!

⭐Most interesting

⭐Dieses wissenschaftlich fundierte Darstellung zeigt an eine Fülle von Beispielen und Vergleichen mit anderen Tieren auf, wie sich die menschliche Art der Reproduktion, von Sex, Befruchtung, Embryonalentwicklung zu Geburt und Ernährung des Babys im Laufe der Evolution entwickelt hat.Robert Martin, ein ausgewiesener Evolutionsbiologe und Anthropologe trägt in diesem Buch die Ergebnisse aus 20 Jahren Forschung zusammen. Mit wissenschaftlicher Direktheit befasst er sich ungehemmt auch mit Tabuzonen (Warum macht die Nutzung von Laptops Männer impotent? Warum ist Verhütung nach der Zeit-Methode unzuverlässig und erhöht das Risiko geschädigter Embryos?) und er erspart dem Leser auch Themen nicht, die man eher unappetitlich finden wird (Wie kommen die notwendigen Bakterien in den ursprünglich sterilen Darm des Babys?).Das Buch umfasst auch ein Glossar sowie den üblichen wissenschaftlichen Apparat. Es ist trotzdem für das breite Publikum geschrieben und auch leicht lesbar. Das in englischer Sprache verfasst Buch (eine deutsche Übersetzung liegt zur Zeit nicht vor) ist auch für jene Leser gut verständlich, deren Muttersprache nicht englisch ist. Aufgrund der Gründlichkeit der Abhandlungen zu den einzelnen Themen wirken gewisse Kapitel manchmal etwas langfädig und repetitiv. Insgesamt aber ein gutes, empfehlenswertes Werk zu einem an sich immer interessanten Thema.

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⭐What i liked:1. It is good read for anybody who is looking up some answers in reproduction genre.2. It does provide you with some interesting and amazing facts.What i did not liked for:1. Sometimes it feels the book is mere a collection of various research studies and i got bored and lost interest many a times while reading some chapters.2. It would have been good if book provided with some kind of a summary at the end of every chapter.Conclusion:It was more than a good read and it will provide you with many interesting answers and the right questions to be asked regarding reproduction genre.

⭐Robert Martin ist ein international bekannter Experte für verschiedene Aspekte der Biologie von Primaten. In diesem Buch fast er den aktuellen Wissensstand zu Reproduktionsbiologie des Menschen und dessen evolutionären Aspekte, leicht verständlich und unterhaltsam geschrieben, zusammen. Dieses Buch ist zu empfehlen für jeden, der sich für jegliche Aspekte von sexueller Fortpflanzung des Menschen interessiert. Selbst professionelle Biologen werden noch von seinen Einsichten und seiner gekonnten Synthese profitieren.

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⭐Fantastic read

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