Suggested Reading List for Paleoanthropology Enthusiasts!
These are in no particular order but are all great, modern books on the subject that, at the time of their publication (which I am only listing recent books) were the most updated at the time.
Check out our audiobook list!

Of course, the thing about our field is that it is ever-changing and what we know and learn changes every day!
So please, if you’re interested, check out these books by these awesome authors, researchers, and professors!
Many of them we have had on our show, and you can find our interviews on our Youtube Channel! (Just search, World for Paleoanthropology on YT).
- Almost Human by Lee Berger and John Hawks
- 7 Skeletons by Lydia Pyne
- Sediments of Time by Meave Leakey
- First Steps by Jeremy DeSilva
- Creative Spark: How Imagination Made Humans Exceptional by Agustin Fuentes
- A Most Interesting Problem edited by Jeremy DeSilva
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
- The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal by Jared Diamond
- Kindred by Rebecca Wragg-Sykes
- Lone Survivor: How We Came to Be the Only Humans on Earth by Chris Stringer
There are of course plenty more, and just because some books are a little older, does not mean they are not filled with great and valuable information! Some of my favorite books are about Lucy, and Olduvai, the Leakeys, etc. It may not be the most updated info, but it’s important for a strong foundation, so be sure to check those out too!
For now, this should be a good, up to date and modern list of books that will get you started, educate you (hopefully), and help you on your path to learning about Human’s Deep History.
What are your suggested reads? Comment below (include a link to be super helpful!)
Enjoy!
Seth Chagi
Great list! Thanks for sharing!
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Great!
My suggested read. Some of the authors on this list mention it:
David Reich – Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past (2018)
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Thanks! As someone who is just starting out, this is gold. I am currently reading Lewin, R. 2005. Human evolution (5th edition).
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I just finished reading “African Exodus” by Chris Stringer with Robin McVie from 1996. So good! I am happy to see a Chris Stringer book on your list!
-Rev. Su
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