Being Human

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

We are a wonder of evolution.

Powerful yet dextrous, instinctive yet thoughtful, we are expert communicators and innovators. Our exceptional abilities have created the civilisation we know today.

But we're also deeply flawed.

Our bodies break, choke and fail, whether we're kings or peasants. Diseases thwart our boldest plans. Our psychological biases have been at the root of terrible decisions in both war and peacetime.

This extraordinary contradiction is the essence of what it means to be human - the sum total of our frailties and our faculties. And history has played out in the balance between them. Now, for the first time, Lewis Dartnell tells our story through the lens of this unique, capricious and fragile nature. He explores how our biology has shaped our relationships, our societies, our economies and our wars, and how it continues to challenge and define our progress.

Being Human is history made flesh. It will change the way you see the world.

©2023 Lewis Dartnell (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critics Review

  • Always an interesting and engaging writer, Dartnell … finds fascinating nuggets in familiar stories

    Guardian

  • I’ve always liked Dartnell’s books for their factiness

    Sunday Times

  • An illuminating journey through history using our bodies as the vehicle. It’s quite a ride!

    Tim Marshall, author of Prisoners of Geography

  • Wide-ranging, comprehensive and refreshing

    Thomas Halliday, author of Otherlands

  • A wild ride through science, history and prehistory, full of unexpected connections and delightful insights

    Tim Harford, author of How to Make the World Add Up

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