The Descent of Woman

Rating:
Summary: has some problems
Review: A quarter century ago, Elaine Morgan kept alive a theory of human origins which at the time was ignored by many. In hindsight, her bestseller appears prophetic. The theory that humans once passed through a semi-aquatic phase, which caused us to depart radically from the standard ape model (hairlessness, bipedality, subcutaneous fat, etc.), has gained increasing support from scientists. Harvard University recently invited her to speak on the theory. Her writing style is lively, iconoclastic, scientific, and always engaging. Her other works on the theory are equally great reading. Descent of Woman is a feministic classic as well as a scientific work.

Rating:
Summary: And Now for Something Completely Different....
Review: I found Elaine Morgan's "The Descent of Woman" to provide some highly interesting concepts to think about, and I have no doubt that her outsider "alternative" view of evolution caused a considerable uproar in the scientific community when the book was first published in 1972.

At the core of Morgan's theory is the idea that women played an equal (or possibly superior) role in human evolution, and were NOT just submissive second-class childbearers while the "strong and brave hunter men" ("Tarzanists") were shaping the evolution of the species. In presenting her case, Morgan draws heavily on the Aquatic Ape Theory (first presented by Sir Alister Hardy in the 1920's) for explanations of how humans moved from the trees to walking upright, how they became hairless, the development of speech, and the physiological factors that make us radically different from other primates.

The book doesn't portray the male half of humanity in a very favorable light-- which, in itself, I don't really have a problem with. However, the tone of the writing sometimes crosses the line from scientific to slightly condescending and "preachy," and in doing so, the work perhaps loses a bit of credibility from a scientific standpoint-- almost as if the author couldn't quite decide between "Science" and "Feminism." Nonetheless, Morgan should be commended for questioning male-centric evolutionary theories put forth by a historically male-dominated scientific community, and readers should not lose sight of the fact that she is more of an "outsider" than a member of the "establishment."

I am not sure if the designation "Classic Study of Evolution" is deserved-- the core CONCEPTS were somewhat revolutionary at the original time of publishing, but the actual presentation tastes more of "pseudoscience" than hard science. At the end of the book, I felt that I had been presented with a very interesting (and plausible) POSSIBILITY, but without being CONVINCED that This Is How It Is. That, of course, is just my OPINION-- I am not a scientist.

Overall rating: Recommended (7 bookmarks out of a possible 10). Women readers will feel good/vindicated; open-minded men will hopefully feel somewhat enlightened. The writing style is eloquent, at times humorous, at times somewhat dry and scholarly. A well-developed is vocabulary recommended!

Rating:
Summary: And Now for Something Completely Different....
Review: I found Elaine Morgan's "The Descent of Woman" to provide some highly interesting concepts to think about, and I have no doubt that her outsider "alternative" view of evolution caused a considerable uproar in the scientific community when the book was first published in 1972.

At the core of Morgan's theory is the idea that women played an equal (or possibly superior) role in human evolution, and were NOT just submissive second-class childbearers while the "strong and brave hunter men" ("Tarzanists") were shaping the evolution of the species. In presenting her case, Morgan draws heavily on the Aquatic Ape Theory (first presented by Sir Alister Hardy in the 1920's) for explanations of how humans moved from the trees to walking upright, how they became hairless, the development of speech, and the physiological factors that make us radically different from other primates.

The book doesn't portray the male half of humanity in a very favorable light-- which, in itself, I don't really have a problem with. However, the tone of the writing sometimes crosses the line from scientific to slightly condescending and "preachy," and in doing so, the work perhaps loses a bit of credibility from a scientific standpoint-- almost as if the author couldn't quite decide between "Science" and "Feminism." Nonetheless, Morgan should be commended for questioning male-centric evolutionary theories put forth by a historically male-dominated scientific community, and readers should not lose sight of the fact that she is more of an "outsider" than a member of the "establishment."

I am not sure if the designation "Classic Study of Evolution" is deserved-- the core CONCEPTS were somewhat revolutionary at the original time of publishing, but the actual presentation tastes more of "pseudoscience" than hard science. At the end of the book, I felt that I had been presented with a very interesting (and plausible) POSSIBILITY, but without being CONVINCED that This Is How It Is. That, of course, is just my OPINION-- I am not a scientist.

Overall rating: Recommended (7 bookmarks out of a possible 10). Women readers will feel good/vindicated; open-minded men will hopefully feel somewhat enlightened. The writing style is eloquent, at times humorous, at times somewhat dry and scholarly. A well-developed is vocabulary recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Life changing book for women
Review: I've spent my life working as a librarian and this is one of few books which I can say changed my life and ideas about humanity.
I read this book over 20 years ago and still quote from it. The theories presented here shifted the way I thought about men and women. Entertainingly presented, there are many serious and some funny arguments on the topic of womanly evolution of the human race.
Author Elaine Morgan impressed me so much that today I went online to buy a copy for my growing daughter only to find out it has been re-released. A must for feminists, but a hoot for us all. Bravo!

Rating:
Summary: More difinitive than Desmond Morris "The Naked Ape"
Review: In 1980 I bought this book thinking it was a feminist tract but once I began to read I was entranced and thoroughly enjoyed her writing. Her "new" theory of evolution began with her reading of Morris' book and his mention of Sir Alister Hardy's idea that somewhere along the line our ancestors spent a great deal of time in an aquatic environment. I had read that information in Desmond's book but unlike Ms. Morgan, I didn't put much weight on it until I read her book. She covers every facet of evolution that no one can explain by "Man the Great Hunter" theory. Her explaination of everything from our nose (so different than the other "great apes") to our power of speech (do hunters really yell while they are stalking prey?) are covered in this book. I highly recommend this book (The Descent of Woman) even if you aren't into anthropology because Elaine Morgan is a witty and thorough writer. Her next book, "The Aquatic Ape", covers the response to "The Descent of Woman" but it's out of print.I wish they would re-issue the second book (The Aquatic Ape) because in it professionals in various disciplines (geology, biology, anthropology, etc.) found places that could have been the origination of our very aquatic species.

Rating:
Summary: Text offers little if any scientific merit...
Review: The book was an interesting enough read to keep in my library, but I would not consider it a legitimate argument for the Aquatic Ape Theory - nor, specifically, for the aquatically influenced evolution of the human female and the proceeding ramifications. It approaches the issue in a simplistic, unscientific manner that is not at all convincing. Keeping in mind that this book is dated (having been first published in 1972) could not save it's argument either. The Descent of Woman left just me as I was before and I'll be looking further still for writings on the subject.

Rating:
Summary: Descent of Woman
Review: The nine reviews I read here about this book are almost as far beyond belief as the book itself. Some reviewers even claim to be anthropology students! None seemed to notice that the Pliocene was actually 3 million years long, a period of climate cooling, and a period from which many homonid fossils have been found; rather than a 12 million year long heat wave from which NO homonid fossils have been found, as presented as the only scientific "fact" upon which the book's major conclusions are based. All else is selective, slanted and foggy thought with no actual evidence even pretended by the author.

This book belongs on the same shelf as "Chariot of the Gods," another interesting story of entirely possible events presented with extremely questionable evidence. I am sure that "The Descent of Woman" makes women feel better, but I am equally sure that it is not a respected ahthropological work and not, as it claims to be, "the classic study of evolution."

Rating:
Summary: Awestruck!
Review: This book left me feeling cheated, deeply and utterly cheated - that my Anthropology major had never mentioned, never once even alluded to the Aquatic Ape theory or to Elaine Morgan. This is the most sensible, logical explanation of how the human has evolved. As a feminist Anthropologist, I can honestly say that the androcentric attitudes toward the emergence of homonid from anthropoid are true. The "tarzanist" view of evolution is still ingrained in the minds of the general public, and as a great perpetuating machine it is taught in colleges and universities as the be-all, end-all theory of existence.

Not only do her words and theories make sense, Morgan feels no great compelling need to convolute her writing by trying to go above the heads of the general reader. Her style is ironic, satirical, and deeply humorous. Never have I enjoyed laughing at the stupidities of misogynistic academia more.