The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health, and Disease Paperback – Illustrated, July 1, 2014

I haven't quite finished this book yet (it's a very LONG read), but I can say with certainity that this is a fantastic book that covers just about every aspect of human evolution, from beginning to current day.Ostensibly, the author sets out to explain certain diseases or seemingly redundant features of the human body through an evolutionary explanation. However, readers should know that he will do this by beginning at the very beginning of proto-human development and move foward slowly through history to the current day. Therefore, this book is not simply an evolutionary biologist's take on modern diseases, but a multipart accounting of human biological development. This is not necessarily a bad thing if you're willing to undertake something like a college-level introduction to evolutionary biology and human history.The book is very informative, though, as well as thorough. This book actually helped to answer a lot of questions or gaps in knowledge I had regarding the progression of human evolution. And once the author gets to the present day, the previous chapters help the reader understand completely why certain diseases or conditions of the human body exist in the first place. For example, in the chapter I'm in now, he explains why wisdom teeth are such a problem in industrialized society, but why they AREN'T a genetic mistake ... he also offers information on why allergies are on the rise and germs are not your enemy.Overall, this is a very good book. My only complaints (and they're minor, given how informative and well researched this book is) is that the author tends to lapse into industry jargon every now and again. For the most part, he does a great job of breaking down complicated concepts piece by piece and making them understandable to the layman, but occassionally he drops some terms or words that are beyond my reading comprehension. Further, there are multiple sections where he could more succinctly explain or sum up something than he does (he tends to repeat himself a lot), but this is perhaps understandable if he comes from a college professor type environment.I highly recommend this book, all things considered. It's a relatively easy read, thorough, and will answer any and all questions you have regarding the mysteries of the human body. If nothing else, it'll make you marvel at just how incredible the story of human evolution is, how many things happened to shape us into the current version of ourselves, and how many adversities we overcame as a species to be here now.

I don't know why I purchased this book. perhaps from a radio interview or an Amazon suggestion. It is over fifty years since an intro to biology reviewed what was then known of evolutionary issues. And yes I am in my dotage, as expected. I would hope that my children will have learned the suggestions for diet change and activity which will allow them to avoid Diabetes and heart disease and chubbiness.As a retired orthopedist I found most interesting the evolutionary aspects of some of our problems and in all to brief sections discussions of common maladies as well as encouragement for removing shoes.It is a bit redundant, as a lecturer would be, but the style is easy and relaxing as well as informative. I found the little jokes and nuances highly entertaining. Were it a scientific writing for professionals in his field it would be terse and directed. If one wishes to supplement the readings with scholarly articles they are available on his website. Heavy weight and soporific. His op ed on the discussions of decreasing the volume of sugared drinks as desired by mayor Bloomberg in the NYT is also fun reading.There are many polemics about the evils of processed foods, and fructose. Lieberman's discussion is reasonable and understandable by most non scientists, and more laid back than his op ed.I highly recommend this book. The opening discussions of the evolution of mankind is good. The later sections on what evolution means in a time of changed diet, changed activity and rapidly changing climate is worthwhile as well.

I enjoyed reading this book. Lieberman is a good writer -- clear and engaging. He's is also good story-teller. The first half of the book was the most interesting for me and fun to read -- a history of human evolution, and the evolution of our body. Not as detailed as "Our Inner Fish," -- "The Story of the Human Body" has less hard-core science in it -- but engaging and easy to read. I also thought Lieberman did a good job explaining and illustrating cultural evolution and its effects on the body.Where he is less effective is in his prescriptions at the end -- common sense recommendations that, like Bloomberg's ban on large cups of soda, Leiberman would like to make into "paternal" laws, which are of course, never going to be made into laws because they require cultural coercion (like Bloomberg's ban). The ideas behind the proposed bans are good, even wise; it is the cultural coercion that Americans will not like ("how dare you legislate how I am to live, etc.).Lieberman calls diseases such as diabetes 2 and obesity "mismatch" diseases -- "trade-offs" of cultural evolution (technologies of various sorts) that result in easier and better and longer lasting lives for humans but with costs (the abundance of sugar and fat in our diets leads to or can lead to -- type 2 diabetes and obesity and other diseases he describes). Personally, I think they are "by-products" rather than "trade-offs." "Trade-off" implies a conscious awareness of what one is giving up to get something else, and I don't think that's the case here -- humans are just happy to have somewhat easier lives, and most haven't thought consciously "yes, more abundant and cheaper food sources are worth the excess sugar and fat."Lieberman wants to make the case for "evolutionary medicine," the study and awareness of mismatch diseases which are caused by the difference between what our bodies are made for, and how they are currently being used. The unfortunate thing is that one does not need evolutionary science to explain what is clear and understandable right before our eyes and known to all without it. Lieberman is also perhaps idealizes the lives of hunter-gathers; theirs is the standard he marks our current lives against. I am all for a four-hour workday four days a week and time to rest in a hammock every afternoon for a few hours. Amen to that and we are fools to live differently. But as he himself notes throughout his book: natural selection optimizes for a higher rate of reproduction, not optional health -- more children to continue the species, but the cost of that to women's lives and bodies is extremely high. Natural selection is not entirely rational any more than our own selves are.And also, as Lieberman notes throughout -- we die, that's the law of all living things -- eventually all living things shrink and sicken to one degree or another on the way toward death. We can by applying wisdom, common sense, and discipline, live longer, healthier lives -- choose to forgo some of the abundant fat and sugar -- but the diseases of aging are going to take all of us eventually. And that's not a bad thing.Anyway, in sum, I recommend this book -- it is very good food for thought and well-written and well-told. Some of Lieberman's arguments are a little weak in the end, but the book is thoughtful and engaging and well worth the time and money to read.