Following up on our very popular posts on the “Top Ten Modern Anthropology Books, Lectures, Documentaries” etc. we have a new article to share with you! The Top Ten Anthropology Related AudioBooks of 2021! (Look for updated versions of the other lists in early 2022!) I don’t know about you, but while I love reading, and you can always find me with multiple physical or ebooks in hand, sometimes I just do not have the time to read all of the books that I want to! And there are so many new ones published all of the time, especially in the last few years with how many major discoveries there have been over the last decade. Sometimes, it is just nice to sit down and listen to a good audiobook, either in your garden, on your couch, or on your way to and from work. Audiobooks are a great way to fill gaps of time where you are otherwise occupied. I love them, and I know that I am not the only one!
So for those of you who do not have the time to read physical books, and or just are a fan of audiobooks like myself, please check out the following list! It is not in any particular order, not by popularity or rating, just in the order that I thought of them in. I highly recommend each and everyone of these books as great educational sources for those interested in Anthropology and Primatology, Human Origins, and our beginnings, there is so much to learn!
While I have not written full reviews of each of these books, I do plan on it, and will get to it as soon as possible! Please look forward to that, but in the meantime, please enjoy and learn from the following!
The links provided lead to Apple Books audiobooks, but they can also be found on Audible, and your other audiobook sources.
Top 10 Audiobooks from 2021:
- The Dawn of Everything by David Grabber & David Wengrow (https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/the-dawn-of-everything/id1591463647)
- “A dramatically new understanding of human history, challenging our most fundamental assumptions about social evolution-from the development of agriculture and cities to the origins of the state, democracy, and inequality, and revealing new possibilities for human emancipation.”
- A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century: Evolution and the Challenges of Modern Life by Heather Heying & Bret Weinstein (https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/a-hunter-gatherers-guide-to-the-21st-century/id1579451153)
- “A provocative exploration of the tension between our evolutionary history and our modern woes-and what we can do about it”
The Book of Hope by Jane Goodall (https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/the-book-of-hope/id1584476609)
- “In a world that seems so troubled, how do we hold on to Hope?”
- The World Before Us: The New Science Behind Our Human Origins by Tom Higham (https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/the-world-before-us-the-new-science-behind-our-human-origins/id1576064918)
- “A fascinating investigation of the origin of humans based on incredible new discoveries and advanced scientific technology!”
- A Story of History of Humanity by Stephen Graybill (https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/a-short-history-of-humanity-a-new-history/id1557596531)
- “Thrilling…a bracing summary of what we have learned (from) archaeogenetics-the study of Ancient DNA….Krause and Trappe capture the excitement of this young field”-Kye Harper WSJ
- Our Oldest Companions by Pat Shipman (https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/our-oldest-companions-the-story-of-the/id1592106997)
- How did the dog become man’s best friend? A celebrated anthropologist unearths the mysterious origins of the unique partnership that rewrote the history of both species.”
- Evolution Gone Wrong by Joe Knezevich https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/evolution-gone-wrong/id1563087179)
- “An unforgettable journey through the twisted miracle of evolution we call “our body”- Spike Carlsen
- VIII.A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth by Henry Gee (https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/a-very-short-history-of-life-on-earth/id1591066758)
- In the tradition of E.H Gombrich, Stephen hawking, and Alan Wiesman entertaining and uniquely informed narration of Life’s life story.”
- Being a Human by David Thorpe (https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/being-a-human/id1580676223)
“A radically immersive exploration of the three pivotal moments in the evolution of human consciousness, asking what kinds of creatures humans were, are, and might yet be!”
- A Story of Us by Lesley Newson & Pete Richerson (https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/a-story-of-us-a-new-look-at-human-evolution/id1565502682)
- “Our species’ unique capacity for culture began to evolve millions of years ago, but it only really took off in the last few hundred thousand years. This capacity allowed our ancestors to survive and raise their difficult children during times of extreme climate chaos. Understanding how this has evolved can help us understand the cultural change and diversity that we experience today.”
Hopefully, you have found these as enjoyable and educational as I have! Let me know what you think, and what books are your favorites as well!
Seth Chagi
Project Director
World of Paleoanthropology
World of Paleoanthropology 