The Aquatic Ape

by Elaine Morgan

Book Overview

Hardcover book, with dust jacket, 1982. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812828739
• ISBN13: 9780812828733
• Release Date: January 1982
• Publisher: Stein & Day Pub
• Length: 170 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The Aquatic Ape: A Theory of Human Evolution

The Aquatic Ape: A Theory of Human Evolution written by Elaine Morgan is an interesting book about human evolution with an unique twist.Imagine, if you will, in the course of human evolution, what if man had to adapt to an aquatic existance for a period of time before again returning to land. This is the theory put forth by the author. This theory was first propounded by Professor Alister Hardy. He laid the foundation for his theory by comparing man to other animals and asking questions. Some of these question were very basic, why does man walk upright, why is man naked, why does man have an aquired language, why does man shed tears, and why does man have a different sexual behavior than other primates. All of these questions and more are basic to evolution.Now, if you compare man to aquatic mammals, these questions will start to have answers in comparative anatomy. But, where to you find the evidence to link an aquatic adaptation in man's past? Well, the author does some good ol' detective work and came up with some answers. There are parts of Africa, more precisely the Nubian, Arabian, and Somalian plates around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.I found the book to be an easy well-written read that is engagingly clever. But, the questions that it raises have answers that are very compelling to the theory of some aquatic evolutionary history, which is hard to iqnore.

Not the best AAT/AAH book out there.

I've agreed with some of the other reviewers and rated this book at four stars only because of it's historical and feminist merit. Oh, and because I am biased because Elaine is my grandmother. If you want this for it's place in feminist history, or the history of the AAT, then go ahead and buy it. Otherwise, I suggest you buy "the Aquatic Ape Hypothesis" by the same author. While it is of no notable feminist import, it is considerably more up to date for the AAT/AAH, better written, better researched (25 years more research went into it), with more evidence, better references, and so on and so forth. Also see "the Descent of the Child", and "the Scars of Evolution", again by the same author. Be warned that this is the only significantly feminist work by THIS Elaine Morgan. There is a DIFFERENT Elaine Morgan who has written such books as "Women and Society".

Simple, consistent explanation of human evolution

Blows the savannah theories to smithereens! Explains human anatomy that those cannot (body fur, noses, sweat glands, subcut. fat, hip bones, m/f diffs, etc.). Points out similarities with other, known evolutions. Provides solid alternative to stretched, contrived savannah-based explanations that cannot be substantiated and have no evolutionary parallel. The theory's pieces "fit". The Aquatic Ape Theory only lacks field work that substantiates the theory with findings in the field. The theory is not contradicted to date; findings so far still do not eliminate savannah nor aquatic theories.

Absolutely convincing

I was skeptical at best when my mother handed me this book to read. After a few pages I was enthralled. Five years later, I've read it three times and even summarized it for my young daughters. She makes a convincing case that human beings went through some period of semi-aquatic existence (and no, she isn't saying we once had gills or flippers!) Elaine Morgan makes it seem anything but outlandish, and her writing style is inviting. This book is out of print, but read The Descent of Woman, The Descent of the Child and The Scars of Evolution, all by the same author.