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Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors
- Narrated by: Nick Sagan, Ann Druyan, Clinnette Minnis
- Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins
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Publisher's Summary
World renowned scientist Carl Sagan and acclaimed author Ann Druyan have written a Roots for the human species, a lucid and riveting account of how humans got to be the way we are. It shows with humor and drama that many of our key traits - self-awareness, technology, family ties, submission to authority, hatred for those a little different from ourselves, reason, and ethics - are rooted in the deep past, and illuminated by our kinship with other animals.
Astonishing in its scope, brilliant in its insights, and absolutely compelling, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a triumph of popular science.
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What listeners say about Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Kitty
- 09-11-17
Excellent Production
I really miss Dr. Sagan. Thank you Ann and all involved in this production, for bringing these books to life. I read all of these when I was younger and my eyes were in better shape. Now that I have problems with vision but my hearing is still sharp, I am so grateful to be able to hear the words again.
14 people found this helpful
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- Jenner Zeno
- 02-22-18
Profoundly Enlightening
For the first time in my life, I experienced something I can only describe as Spiritual. I’ve long been a fan of Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan’s works, but this book, especially with Nick Sagan’s spectacular and captivating performance, is something truly special.
12 people found this helpful
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- ADAT680554
- 05-25-18
Chapter 15
No idea what is in chapter 15.
Audible plz Check chapter 15 if it belongs to this book
8 people found this helpful
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- Tyeen Taylor
- 03-17-19
A very important read, poor audio performance
Understanding the evolved underpinnings of our modern psychology, culture, and societal structure helps me see our failings with greater compassion, and the obstacles in our path with greater clarity. We are a species with a history and a future--a future to be defined with knowledge and wisdom, or haphazardly via vestigial tendencies however impractical they may be in a modern context.
As important as this work is, and I feel bad saying it, the reading by Sagan and Druyan's son is uninspired, and even monotonously weasly, tending to end statements in a whiny, pleading tone that undermines the authority of carefully considered words. Toward the end, I either got more used to it or he got better, but getting there was often a struggle.
Still, for the absolutely critically essential content that should be in every human's brain, the audio version is worth it. Though if you're able to read it instead, maybe better...
11 people found this helpful
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- Mike
- 08-20-21
Probably not what you're after
I think most of this book is not written by Sagan. Still excellent but you are going to miss his signature writing in most parts. It fails to deliver on the promise that starting from bacteria it will explain the events in human history. On the contrary, last chapter makes its best to counter everything else the book covers. Last chapter is more like a prayer. It is as if it was taken from another book. The content on primates I enjoyed very much regardless.
2 people found this helpful
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- James
- 04-22-21
Busting the myth of human uniqueness
This is a weird one. I love reading Carl & Ann pretty much no matter what they write about. But this book does start off with some sexy chimpanzee fiction. Like, a whole chapter is in the voice of chimpanzee characters, talking mostly about doing the sex. Uncomfortable. But pretty fascinating from a Jane Goodall point of view.
The subject meanders a bit but it seems like the major goal of the book is to get across the idea that nothing is truly unique about human behavior. Human behavior literally is animal behavior. All things proposed as unique to human nature has been discovered in other animals. Like tool use, language, incest taboo, etc.
One issue with the book that I hope readers will keep in mind is that group selection is presented as an explanation for some evolved traits. But group selection isn't a thing. Gene selection is the whole show. Group selection is an antiquated idea and shouldn't have shown up in this book.
2 people found this helpful
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- Gabriel Szász
- 05-03-20
A masterpiece
Even in the 21st century, when we made a huge leap in molecular biology and pushed our knowledge much further than Carl Sagan would ever imagine, this book is still carries out the echoes of our conscience. The story offers thorough, provocative and humble journey from the early formation of the Earth to the times of our ancestors. Putting together the fascinating mosaic of our origins piece by piece, revealing how close we really are to non-human primates.
2 people found this helpful
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- Saminathan Suresh Nathan
- 02-15-18
A brilliant work of anthropological review
It started off sufficiently diverse but ended with too much on the nuances of apes and how similar humans are. The message was clear, that humans aren't particularly different in the anthropological sense from animals and great apes. Nevertheless the story could have been better constructed to sell this point.
2 people found this helpful
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- Ben Moore
- 11-23-20
pretty thoughtful
it moved pretty slow but once you get into it then it gets really good.
1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 01-08-19
Everyone should read this book!
Carl Sagan is a champion of logic and reason! I admire Sagan's work and his ability to communicate science to the public. I can't thank Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan enough for their inspirational hard work. Nick Sagan did a superb job in the audio book, bravo! Everyone should read Shadows of our forgotten ancestors. There is alot we can learn about ourselves. It's time to get to work.
3 people found this helpful
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- Edward R Lyons
- 04-25-20
Conflicted
Carl Sagan is one of my heroes. Cosmos was foundational in building my understanding of the world, the universe, and the nature of reality. I have read many of his books, and regretted that I did not get a copy of this one when it was published. So I was pleased to find it as an audio book. It's only the second one I have ever bought, and only because it isn't available in Kindle.
So I'm conflicted in having to admit disappointment at this audio book. Not because of its content, but because of the presentation. Carl Sagan is long gone, so the magnificent eloquence of his speech is sadly missed. To my European ears, this audio book is so jarringly *American*. It's grating, for example, to hear a Scottish review of Darwin's Origin of Species spoken in such a nasal faux 19th century north east American accent. It lends the whole experience of listening to this book an air of falsity. Which I never thought I'd *ever* say of anything by or about Carl Sagan.
While I would not recommend against buying this audio book for yourself, I will persevere to get a second hand printed copy to experience Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors the way it was intended.
3 people found this helpful
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- Luke Thomson
- 03-15-18
The story of how humans and our closest siblings
Wonderful tale of our ancestors and where we have come from. Some parts seem exceeding relevant to modern times. Excellent performance by Carl's own son. Truly perfect within the context of the nature of the book.