The Hunting Apes

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: Actual observation of chimpanzees and bonobos hunting,killing prey and sharing the meat gives considerable credance to the concept that human hunting was a key part in human evolution. Many questions are not answered like;how is predatory behavior influenced by meat consumption,what substances in the meat could be regulators of brain growth and predatory behavior enhancement,what is the linkage to meat substitutes for group sharing like alcohol and drugs,could the present shift away from high meat consumption have a link to increased alcohol and drug use? Only by understanding our past evolutionary journey can we wisely solve our present problems.

Rating:
Summary: Hunting Apes bolster Human Hunting Hypothesis
Review: Actual observation of chimpanzees and bonobos hunting,killing prey and sharing the meat gives considerable credance to the concept that human hunting was a key part in human evolution. Many questions are not answered like;how is predatory behavior influenced by meat consumption,what substances in the meat could be regulators of brain growth and predatory behavior enhancement,what is the linkage to meat substitutes for group sharing like alcohol and drugs,could the present shift away from high meat consumption have a link to increased alcohol and drug use? Only by understanding our past evolutionary journey can we wisely solve our present problems.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: As an avid lay reader of the latest work in the area of human evolution, I approached The Hunting Apes with a little trepidation; it's the latest in a long line of "The X (insert adjective) Ape[s]." No one behavior could have accounted for our rise to domination of all other species. However, I thought that Stanford did a great job convincing me of the importance of meat-eating in our early ancestors, theory and especially in debunking the old Man The Hunter and replacing it with something a whole lot more rational and well-researched. The best part of the book for me was Stanford's deftly written overview of current hot debates in the study of our evolution. I took an undergraduate survey course in human evolution a few years ago, and if this book had been assigned I would have gotten a lot more out of the class. I give it five big stars.

Rating:
Summary: Great little book
Review: I found Hunting Apes to be a superbly written summary of current debates in human evolution. Stanford makes a case for meat-sharing's supremacy that may or may not be true, but even if his theory were someday disproved, this book would stand as an excellent piece of readable science.

Rating:
Summary: Great little book
Review: I found Hunting Apes to be a superbly written summary of current debates in human evolution. Stanford makes a case for meat-sharing's supremacy that may or may not be true, but even if his theory were someday disproved, this book would stand as an excellent piece of readable science.

Rating:
Summary: Well-written overview with intriguing hypothesis
Review: I found this book very well written, easy to read and full of substantial information. This was a new topic for me, and I particularly found the contrasting information about hunting vs. scavenging was interesting. While the book is certainly about "hunting," it really isn't -- it's more about the politics behind meat, and about the move from being scavengers. Actually, the information about scavenging was most valuable.

Rating:
Summary: Well-written overview with intriguing hypothesis
Review: I found this book very well written, easy to read and full of substantial information. This was a new topic for me, and I particularly found the contrasting information about hunting vs. scavenging was interesting. While the book is certainly about "hunting," it really isn't -- it's more about the politics behind meat, and about the move from being scavengers. Actually, the information about scavenging was most valuable.

Rating:
Summary: "The meat of the matter"
Review: Stanford's contribution to our search for our behavioral origins is timely, fascinating, and well-researched. He argues for the centrality of meat-sharing in the origins of cerebral expansion, and in the process presents a deftly written, insightful survey of what is known about great apes, especially wild chimpanzees, at the turn of the 21st century. An excellent read based on the most important study conducted to date on the hunting behavior of wild chimpanzees.

Rating:
Summary: Weak Hypothesis From Berkely Graduate
Review: This book by Craig Stanford started to show some real information toward a hypothesis than lost all track. It lead to be a dull and redundant essay. It lacks logical sense in scientfic theory and has a biased theme. I would suggest another book most likely a book by Jane Goodall.

Rating:
Summary: Weak Hypothesis From Berkely Graduate
Review: This book by Craig Stanford started to show some real information toward a hypothesis than lost all track. It lead to be a dull and redundant essay. It lacks logical sense in scientfic theory and has a biased theme. I would suggest another book most likely a book by Jane Goodall.