The Ape That Spoke: Language and the Evolution of the Human Mind

by John McCrone

Book Overview

Science journalist John McCrone shows how the evolution of language in man's ape ancestors led to an explosion of mental abilities. Analyzing such aspects of the human mind as memory, imagination, higher emotion, thought, and self-consciousness, The Ape That Spoke will fascinate all who are intrigued by phenomena as apparently diverse as deja vu, whether we see things as they really are, and the meaning of self-awareness.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 068810326X
• ISBN13: 9780688103262
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Mind opening

It's 16 years past the publish date on this book, but it is still viable and interesting. Well written, and so interesting it reads like fiction, I highly recommend this book to those who wish to understand how language influenced humans to become self aware and see where the side effects of self awareness have led us. Very enlightening book.

College students

I read this book for a book review I had to do for my "Mind Brain and Behavior" class in college. It was a very simple book to read and understand. I dont neccessarily agree with all McCrone has to say, but he does do an excellent job at making his ideas clear to the reader. I also enjoyed the fact that he had stories, etc. to help the average reader understand it more.

Very Understandable!

Regardless of what the other 'scientist' says, I found it very helpful for the person that is just beginning their understanding of linguistic anthropology. It is very understandable and makes clear some of the mysteries of the human brain. I, too, am a scientist but found this book very helpful for my students.

Says it all

I just want to echo bilge's comments. I, too, picked this book up in a overstock bin and found it compelling and fascinating. If you can get a hold of a copy, buy it!

This book makes anthropology more gripping than fiction

I picked up my copy of "The Ape That Spoke" in the overstock bins at my local bookstore, so who could have imagined that it would be one of the most engaging books I had ever picked up? Like the PBS series "Connections", the author weaves disparate threads of topics into an easily understood foundation for social fabric. "The Ape That Spoke" reveals current theories about why intelligence was a successful factor in human evolution. It relates the power of speech with self expression then with social interaction. The ability to formulate complex expression is then shown in the contexts of prehistoric man as well as modern life. The viability of these theories is backed by a description of the data from experimentation. This helps ground the theories so that it is easy to follow the conclusions made by the anthropologists whose work is represented by the book's author. I'd encourage the reading of this book for anyone with a curiosity about the workings of the mind, and further would suggest it as a required reading for a college philosophy course.