Eve's Seed: Biology, the Sexes, and the Course of History - Hardcover
In this provocative reinterpretation of the human experience, noted historian Robert S. McElvaine bridges the gap between evolutionary biology and history to create a new approach he terms "biohistory." Here for the first time he presents a startlingly fresh thesis: misperceptions about sexual difference and procreative power have, along with misleading sexual metaphors, been the major forces in history.In a bold departure from the methods of conventional history, McElvaine draws on a wide range of sources, from biology, anthropology, archaeology, mythology, religion, and popular culture, to show how the interplay between our evolutionary heritage and changing environments has shaped the course of history, from hunter-gatherers to the contemporary world. Doubly controversial for its method and its contention that "prehistoric" developments devalued men, subordinated women and continue to misshape our lives, Eve's Seed is sure to engender debate.
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From the Back Cover:
About the Author:
"Eve's Seed is a bestseller waiting to be discovered: a package of sex, science and species' vanity nicely wrapped in sparkling prose."--Joyce Appleby, UCLA, Los Angeles Times Book Review
"Eve's Seed is a truly remarkable book, probably the most thought-provoking book I've read in years. . . . a marvelous book."--Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People
In a bold reinterpretation of history, Robert S. McElvaine contends that scholars have told only half the human story--ignoring our evolutionary heritage, or "prehistory." With Eve's Seed, McElvaine offers unsettling insights into many of our most time-honored notions of ourselves and the "natural order," This book will compel everyone who reads it to view the world in a radically new light.
"I find the book Eve's Seed intriguing. It signals a significant paradigm shift."--Betty Friedan, author of The Feminine Mystique
"This impressive book . . . will provide [an] invaluable source of inspiration . . . regarding the huge issue of male/female roles and their impact on us. It's about time someone put men in their proper place: on the bottom."--George Carlin, Standup Comedian and author of Napalm and Silly Putty
"Written with passion, wit and insight, this accessible book throws down the gauntlet to academics and nonspecialists alike, daring a radical rethinking of the basic "truths" on which cultures have been constructed."--Publishers Weekly, starred review
"This is a radical revision of traditional visions of human history . . . a real eye-opener! I must now rethink my understanding of the Neolithic 'revolution' with McElvaine's help."--William H. McNeill, University of Chicago, author of The Rise of the West and Plagues and Peoples
Robert S. McElvaine, Ph.D., is Elizabeth Chisholm Professor of Arts and Letters and chair of the Department of History at Millsaps College. He is the author of six previous books, two of which were named among "Notable Books of the Year" by the New York Times.
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- PublisherDiane Pub Co
- Publication date2003
- ISBN 10 075676145X
- ISBN 13 9780756761455
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages453
- Rating
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