Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Penguin Books (1963), Paperback, 123 pages
Description
"The Evolution Man is a novel about your basic upwardly mobile Pleistocene cave family - as they come down from trees (except for Uncle Vanya, who insists that it's the stupidest thing man ever did), dislodge a family of bears from the best cave in the neighborhood, and widen their digestive horizons to keep down things not only disgusting but disagreeable as well. Life cannot be all snails and sweetbreads." "Recorded here is the correct version of the invention of fire, the first intellectual argument about shadows, and an eye-witness account of the first human courtship."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
User reviews
LibraryThing member patience_crabstick
This book made me want to wander the streets and press copies of it into the hands of strangers. A family group of proto-humans who speak like English aristocrats? Brilliant!
LibraryThing member Warriapendibookclub
Jenny first read this book in 1960 and really enjoyed it. Last year she found a copy at the Mundaring Sharing book sale. Read it again and still enjoyed it. Was able to get enough copies from Better World Books. She liked the gentle humour and the way it was written though it did get a bit lost in
Wendy: Found it heavy going and couldn't finish it.
Jenny A.: Haven't finished it yet but really enjoying it. He must have had a fascination with evolution.
Sheena: Enjoyed it, read it over a weekend. He picked up on one generation being pushy and experimental and the next generation enjoying the result.
Enid: Enjoyed it. It is suited to a screenplay.
Lorita: Haven't finished it but really liked it. I have to get into the right mood to read it. He referred to other literature.
Pam: Tough read, bits were amusing. Enjoyed learning about evoloution.
Barbara: Not my kind of read. Quite clever.
Norriel: Read it quickly, didn't like it. Not my sense of humour. Didn't like the writing style. Some cleverness.
Janine via Norriel: Described it as a cautionary tale.
Lynn: Wasn't funny, expected something more sophisticated. Didn't enjoy it. I was fairly outraged by the cynicism.
Ros via Jenny M.: Enjoyed it.
Robyn via Jenny M.: Read it
Scores: 4, 7, 8, 6.5, 7, 4, 5, 5, 7, 7.5, 4, 8. Av. 6.08
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the middle. The author borrowed some names and characters from classic books eg Uncle Vanya.Wendy: Found it heavy going and couldn't finish it.
Jenny A.: Haven't finished it yet but really enjoying it. He must have had a fascination with evolution.
Sheena: Enjoyed it, read it over a weekend. He picked up on one generation being pushy and experimental and the next generation enjoying the result.
Enid: Enjoyed it. It is suited to a screenplay.
Lorita: Haven't finished it but really liked it. I have to get into the right mood to read it. He referred to other literature.
Pam: Tough read, bits were amusing. Enjoyed learning about evoloution.
Barbara: Not my kind of read. Quite clever.
Norriel: Read it quickly, didn't like it. Not my sense of humour. Didn't like the writing style. Some cleverness.
Janine via Norriel: Described it as a cautionary tale.
Lynn: Wasn't funny, expected something more sophisticated. Didn't enjoy it. I was fairly outraged by the cynicism.
Ros via Jenny M.: Enjoyed it.
Robyn via Jenny M.: Read it
Scores: 4, 7, 8, 6.5, 7, 4, 5, 5, 7, 7.5, 4, 8. Av. 6.08
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LibraryThing member .Monkey.
The first chunk of this book had me chortling on the train, it starts out with a definite bang. I think after that the tone changes ever-so-slightly, less wildly amusing into a somewhat more dramatized tale, but it's still plenty amusing and overall light-hearted, and a very quick read.
Underneath
Underneath
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the silly humor, I think Lewis has some truly thought-provoking ideas about our history and evolution. Obviously these things occurred on a much smaller scale, in a much less blatant manner, than he describes; but the notions behind the irreverent and playful dialog of the ape-men seem quite relevant and true to life, and they're presented in such a fun entertaining style that he gets you thinking about it without being philosophical or scholarly. I think it takes a lot of talent to write such a cheerful fast-paced comic, and yet insightful, work about such a huge weighted topic. Well done! Show Less
LibraryThing member CarmenMilligan
I just don't know if I am going to be able to finish this one...it is not sparking me...not catching me...when I pick it up, I find it easy to read. It's just...boring. I may have to invoke the "100 page rule".
LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
Well, this is the revisionist book to end (or begin) them all. Once you understand that we wanted to be modern humans from the moment we developed speech, or better yet even before then this whole book falls neatly into place. I see by the copyright date that it predated Douglas Adams' famous
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reference to the arguments about whether coming down from the trees was a good idea for ancient man. Funny book, but the subtitle is a bit of a spoiler. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ma_Washigeri
Very satisfying, loved the blend of Pleistocene and modern sensibilities, the humour was just right for me. I grew up in the 60s and I have no idea how I managed to miss hearing about this book until lent it by friend this month. I notice most of the reviews on this site are in various other
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languages although the book is available in english, and it does appear on the neglected books website so as this was so good I shall explore what else is suggested there. Show Less
Language
Original publication date
1960
ISBN
none