Origins, Lewis Dartnell
Origins, Lewis Dartnell
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Origins
How Earth's History Shaped Human History

Author: Lewis Dartnell

Narrator: John Sackville

Unabridged: 9 hr 9 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Basic Books

Published: 05/14/2019

Synopsis

A New York Times-bestselling author explains how the physical world shaped the history of our species
When we talk about human history, we often focus on great leaders, population forces, and decisive wars. But how has the earth itself determined our destiny? Our planet wobbles, driving changes in climate that forced the transition from nomadism to farming. Mountainous terrain led to the development of democracy in Greece. Atmospheric circulation patterns later on shaped the progression of global exploration, colonization, and trade. Even today, voting behavior in the south-east United States ultimately follows the underlying pattern of 75 million-year-old sediments from an ancient sea. Everywhere is the deep imprint of the planetary on the human.
From the cultivation of the first crops to the founding of modern states, Origins reveals the breathtaking impact of the earth beneath our feet on the shape of our human civilizations.

About Lewis Dartnell

Lewis Dartnell graduated from Oxford University with a degree in biology and completed his PhD at University College London. He is currently a UK Space Agency research fellow at the University of Leicester, working in the field of astrobiology and the search for microbial life on Mars. Lewis also holds a STFC Science in Society Fellowship. The author of Life in the Universe and My Tourist Guide to the Solar System, he has won several awards for his science writing and outreach work.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Tharindu

"We are all apes." Ever since reading 'Sapiens' by Harari, I was looking for similar non-fiction books on history and evolution. Origins is the first one I came across and managed to get my hands on a copy. "The engine powering all this fervent activity is plate tectonics, and it is the ultimate cause......more

Goodreads review by Charlene

Brilliant!  THIS IS THE BOOK I THOUGHT SHOULD HAVE WON Goodreads Best Science Book 2019.  I would not recommend getting the Audible version because it does not come with a PDF. In order to truly appreciate this book, you need the PDF or to watch this lecture before you start the book: [URL not allowed]......more

Goodreads review by Sense

I read this book to gain further insight into the earliest human history. That was a bit disappointing. Dartnell presents a very classic and now slightly outdated picture of the human family tree. In doing so, he makes the mistake of linking the different steps in human evolution, even in the succes......more

Goodreads review by aPriL does feral sometimes

‘Origins’ by Lewis Darnell is an excellent general reader book of science describing how the changing geography of Earth for its past 4.5 billion years led to how the Human species developed and spread across the continents. The short version: Most of us know the continents move around the surface of......more

Quotes

"Origins is a Big History, a grand synthesis that draws from many fields.... Mr. Dartnell's breezy style is full of word play, setting him far from the plodding crowd of many science writers."—Wall Street Journal

"Dartnell's approach is encyclopedic, marked by both a broad sweep and a passion for details."—Washington Post

"Dartnell's story is beautifully written and organized. His infectious curiosity and enthusiasm tug the reader from page to page, synthesizing geology, oceanography, meteorology, geography, palaeontology, archaeology and political history in a manner that recalls Jared Diamond's classic 1997 book Guns, Germs, and Steel."—Nature

"Fascinating."—The Guardian (UK)

"Behind the human brilliance that historians recognize in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece,Dartnell discerns the effects of the plate-tectonic geology that created environments favorable to suchinnovation. To Dartnell's acute eye, later periods of human history likewise reflect the geodynamics of anevolving planet....Penetrating geosciencedelivers the surprising backstory of human history."—Booklist

"A thoughtful history of our species as a product of 4 billion years of geology.... Dartnell is an engaging guide through millions of years of history. An expert chronicle of the Earth that culminates in human civilization."—Kirkus Reviews

"Extraordinary book... Dartnell offers a new perspective on the relationship between human beings and their planet... Dartnell understands geology, geography, anthropology, physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy and history. That's quite an achievement, but what makes him special is the way he communicates the interconnectedness of these disciplines in a clear, logical and entertaining way...Superb."—The Times (UK)

"The perfect blend of science and history. This is a book that will not only challenge our preconceptions about the past, but should make us think very carefully about humanity's future. Five stars."—Mail on Sunday (UK)

"The central project of this book -- providing a geological take on human history -- is well illustrated and at moments, surprising."—Publishers Weekly

"A sweeping, brilliant overview of the history of not only of our species but of the world. Whether discussing the formation of continents or the role that climate (and climate change) has had on human migration, Lewis Dartnell has a rare talent in being able to see the big picture -- and explaining why it matters."—Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads

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