Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors by Carl Sagan (PDF)

Description

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Exciting and provocative . . . A tour de force of a book that begs to be seen as well as to be read.”—The Washington Post Book WorldWorld 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. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a thrilling saga that starts with the origin of the Earth. 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.Sagan and Druyan conduct a breathtaking journey through space and time, zeroing in on critical turning points in evolutionary history, and tracing the origins of sex, altruism, violence, rape, and dominance. Their book culminates in a stunningly original examination of the connection between primate and human traits. Astonishing in its scope, brilliant in its insights, and an absolutely compelling read, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a triumph of popular science.

User’s Reviews

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

⭐I’ve read many of Carl Sagan’s books and almost all are 5 stars (see my reviews). I’m a huge fan and am sad at Carl’s passing. I was interested in this book as I had a Paleontology course in college and did a paper on the evolution of the horse.Ann Druyan his wife helped in the creation of this book.As usual Carl was able to write about a complex subject in terms for the average layman to understand. He was a master at this. The book reads well. Unfortunately the first 2/3s of the book for me was basically a rehash of information like natural selection and organic molecules to single cells to more complex organisms I already knew. I liked the quotes from Charles Darwin and others that tried to describe the evolutionary process and others that thought Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species was an abomination.There was one chapter that I found repulsive, crude and really detracted from the book…..Gangland. Carl tried writing a chapter as a Chimpanzee gang would think and talk in human terms if it could. Very thuggish, rude and crude. For me it had no place in the book…1 star chapter. Lots of the F word…all unnecessary. I already knew from various nature shows how cunning and at times savage even to their own group Chimpanzees could be. This chapter could of been written differently and not so crude and vulgar.Interesting to know our DNA is 99.6% the same as the Chimpanzee. That’s very close.I did enjoy the later 1/4 of the book where Carl describes the different primates life styles and how the sexes treat each other. For me a lot of new information in the later part of the book …5 stars. Last chapter Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors was a great summary and really makes you think we should not put ourselves down but realize we have in our genes animal instincts and much of our nature is from our DNA , from millions of years ago. We are part savage but also have the ability to do so much good.Carl shows that many of the primates do have many aspects of their nature that are indeed human. Also we should not think that animals are mindless automatons but have feelings, wants and some thinking going on. To what animals really think about and their inner thoughts we really don’t know yet.Some of the primates do plot and plan and seem to have a consciousness. Do animals have a soul? I firmly believe my 2 dogs do.Probably if the reader wanted deep explanation of the Natural Selection process on various organisms going up the evolutionary latter the first 2/3s of the book would be extremely interesting but for me only 3 star. Gangland chapter should of been written different without such crude vulgarities or not written at all. Just a distraction…1 star. The last 1/4 of the book was vintage Carl Sagan that I really liked 5 star. A lot of new information for me. All combined a 3 star book. Disappointed as almost all Carl’s other books I’ve read were 5 stars.As an amateur astronomer of 40 years I knew of Carl Sagan. Even though he didn’t know me I considered him a friend. I miss him.

⭐Savor this book slowly because there is a lot to unpack. Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan weave a complex narrative of our genesis – to possibly even our demise – in such clear language illustrated with many anecdotal examples. In conclusion, they argue we are all one, all interconnected, with our origins in stardust. And they leave us with a hopeful chance that mankind can pull it together, as in the words of John Lennon: Imagine all the people – Sharing all the world – You – You may say I’m a dreamer – But I’m not the only one – I hope someday you’ll join us – And the world will live as one.

⭐This book is a rare and exceedingly successful attempt to address many of the most difficult question regarding nature of organic life, including humans, based entirely on scientific, empirical evidence. It avoids the unnecessary baggage of supernatural myths, superstitions, and meaningless religious dogma. Sagan and Druyan challenge us to consider the complexity and natural wonder of life without succumbing to the usual, arrogant, and quite unsupportable assumption that humans are a special and unique creation for which the entire universe was made.This book is written in a clear and easily understandable manner. I highly recommend this book for every reader. But especially for those who have found religious explanations of life, the world, and universe unconvincing.

⭐I learned three things from reading this book:1) The Earth is billions of years old and we have been around for 1% of its history so, whatever we do to it, it is only in our own detriment. The idea of the destruction of this planet is completely anthropocentric and selfish.2) There is nothing that we do that our closest relatives, the apes, can’t do also, in different degrees.3) If we adduce our intellect as the finest distinction between us and other animals, not only are we wrong but we are also neglecting to reflect on what that intellect has led us to. Technology is often cited as an example of how evolved we are but, really, what have we mostly applied that technology to? Making our lives more comfortable, sure, but I have to wonder what that is doing to our genetic code and our chances of survival. And let’s not forget that there’s still unbelievable poverty and social inequity and people who would have enough to eat if others weren’t taking it away from them for a profit.Not to mention that no species of animal living in the wild has ever committed mass murder or waged war on a large scale.This book is a mind-opener and it puts humans in our biological place.The only objection I have is how the authors insist on calling out their critics (“expert reviewers”) in footnotes or right in the middle of a sentence. It’s distracting and kind of childish.

⭐I love science. Thank goodness Ann Druyan’s writing and editing has improved since this book was written.I usually keep all of my science oriented books, but this one will go into the “book give away” bag. “Cosmos, Possible Worlds” I have reread at least three times. I thank Ann for that one. A superb book, I will keep her latest book forever.

⭐”We are confronted with a witches’ brew of ethnic violence, resurgent nationalism, inept leaders, inadequate education, dysfunctional families, environmental decay, species extinctions, burgeoning population, and increasing millions with nothing to lose. The need to understand how we got into this mess and how we get out seems more urgent than ever.” Published in 1992 and since then the rise of kleptomaniacal, murderous world leaders, tyrannical states, dictators, terrorism, ethnic, racial and cultural intolerance and the current pandemic seems we are not willing to recognise that we hold 99.9% of our DNA in common and related to one another….perhaps that is the problem……..we do not like our relatives….if this is true then the information in this book will not be acted upon to build a more worthwhile and valued global civilisation than the one that currently exists……that is really tragic …

⭐Book arrived in good time and exactly as described.

⭐Brilliant book by a total genius

⭐Brilliant

⭐Excellent

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