Richard Leakey Books

In this insightful exploration, Richard Leakey, a leading figure in paleoanthropology, takes readers on a thought-provoking journey through human history. He begins with his groundbreaking discoveries at Lake Turkana, including the remarkable find of a 1.5-million-year-old boy's skull and the nearly complete skeleton known as "Turkana Boy," which stands as a pivotal moment in the field. While this discovery captivated the scientific community and the public, Leakey's focus shifted to deeper questions about our humanity. He challenges the conventional inquiry of "How did we physically evolve?" and instead asks, "How did we become human?" This introspection reveals a gap in our understanding, emphasizing that our ancestors evolved from simple scavengers to complex beings capable of making tools, communicating, and creating culture. Leakey revisits his earlier work, particularly his 1977 book, to reassess his beliefs about what defines us. He acknowledges that such reflections are often left to philosophers, yet he remains committed to the idea that "The past is the key to our future." By weaving together insights from philosophy, anthropology, molecular biology, and linguistics, he investigates not just our anatomical evolution, but also the development of consciousness, creativity, and culture that truly characterize humanity.

Discusses the evolution of prehistoric ape-like creatures into human beings, theorizing that the key to this transformation was the ability to share & cooperate in a social context.

A comprehensive survey of the fields that deal with human prehistory explains the techniques used in the study of the life, appearance, and evolution of human and prehuman ancestors

Richard Leakey's tenure as the administrative director of Kenya's National Museum coincided with a serious kidney disease diagnosis, which would impact his life significantly. In January 1969, doctors in London informed him that his kidneys would last no longer than ten years. They were correct, but a kidney transplant from his brother Philip in 1979 marked the beginning of a new chapter for him. While awaiting the transplant, he started writing his autobiography. Born and raised in Kenya like his father Louis, Richard's unconventional childhood was filled with colorful experiences that shaped his identity. Growing up in a nation transitioning from a British colony to independence, he absorbed lessons about prehistoric Africa from his parents, which ultimately led him to study human ancestry. His work in this field positioned him as a leader in Kenya's museums and contributed to establishing the country as a major center for the study of evolution and human origins. A prolific lecturer and author, Richard has written numerous books and articles, and has appeared on television globally, including a notable 7-part series titled "The Making of Mankind," which became a bestseller. He currently resides in Nairobi with his wife Meave and two of their daughters, remaining actively engaged in the search for early human ancestors and various scientific endeavors as director of Africa's leading museum.

Beschrijving in woord en beeld van leven en werk van Marie Eugène François Thomas Dubois (1858-1940) waarbij vooral wordt ingegaan op de door hem gevonden fossiele resten van de Javamens die als Missing Link tussen aap en mens werd gezien.

There have been five great extinctions in the long history of life on earth, the most recent 65 million years ago, when all dinosaur species perished in an astonishingly brief period of time. Each of these great extinctions was unimaginably catastrophic - at least 65 percent of all species living vanished in a geological instant; in the Permian extinction, nearly 95 percent of all species were obliterated. The agency for these extinctions, the why, is hotly debated - sudden climate change, asteroids, evolutionary inadequacy - but the patterns are remarkably consistent. Now, as Leakey and Lewin show with inarguable logic based on irrefutable scientific evidence, the sixth great extinction is underway. And this time the cause is beyond dispute: By the lowest estimate, thirty thousand species are wiped out by human agency every year - a rate that matches the patterns of the other five great extinctions with frightening exactitude

This text contains two chapters from "The Origin of Humankind" on the characteristics that define modern Homo Sapiens - the flair for innovation, artistic expression and a sense of morality.

Kälter als Eis/Du fehlst mir, meine Schwester/Wildlife/Flieg, Maikäfer, flieg - Aus der Im Spiegel der Zeit - bk544; Verlag "Das Beste"; Arved Fuchs/Norma Khouri/Richard Leakey/Werburg Doerr; Paperback; 2004

In nur einem Jahrzehnt, 1979 bis 1989, wurden drei Viertel aller Elefanten Kenias von Wildererbanden niedergemetzelt. Als Richard Leakey 1989 begann, den Kenya Wildlife Service aufzubauen, nahm er die größte Herausforderung seines Lebens an. Ihm gelang es, eine schlagkräftige Truppe von Wildhütern zu formieren, ein Handelsverbot für Elfenbein durchzusetzen und so den Erhalt des Afrikanischen Elefanten vorerst zu sichern.

Lebendiges, reich und gut illustriertes Sachbuch über vorgeschichtliche Funde, über Biologie und Verhalten der Affen und ihre Beziehungen zum Menschen, über Kulturen primitiver Völker und Zukunftsperspektiven des Menschen

«Dissotterrare lo scheletro completo di un antico progenitore dell'uomo è il sogno di ogni antropologo» afferma Richard Leakey, e per lui questo sogno si è realizzato: la sua vita è una lunga avventura segnata da alcuni degli episodi più significativi della paleoantropologia moderna. In questo libro Leakey ricostruisce, insieme con la sua storia, quella delle più importanti acquisizioni di questa scienza, facendo il punto sulle nostre conoscenze riguardo la comparsa dell'uomo sulla terra, le sue caratteristiche fisiche, i luoghi in cui vivevano i nostri progenitori: un panorama completo che giunge fino all'analisi delle prime forme di organizzazione sociale, alla comparsa e al significato dell'arte preistorica e alla conquista dell'elaborazione del linguaggio. Il lettore troverà quindi in questo libro non solo la storia dell'evoluzione che ha visto nel corso di milioni di anni la progressiva affermazione di caratteristiche materiali decisive come il bipedismo, ma anche il racconto di come, contemporaneamente, abbia preso forma nell'uomo una qualità fondamentale e misteriosa: la coscienza del proprio essere.

Pátranie po našom pôvode je vzrušujúce ako napínavá detektívka. Čím viac vieme o našej minulosti, tým viac otázok sa vynára, no príbeh o našom pôvode predsa len dostáva čoraz presnejšie črty. V závere knihy sa Leakey venuje novým teóriám o tom, ako a prečo ľudia vyvinuli sociálne organizovanú spoločnosť, odkiaľ sa vzalo umenie a jazyk, kde sa vzalo to najľudskejšie, čo vlastníme - naše vedomie.

Podtitul: Můj boj za záchranu přírodního bohatství Afriky „Války v divočině“, paměti Richarda Leakeyho na jeho léta ve funkci ředitele keňské Wildlife Service, je fascinující kniha, nezapomenutelným způsobem popisující konflikt mezi pytláky a ochránci, mezi spravedlností a korupcí a bohužel také mezi rozdílnými názory na africkou volnou přírodu a na to, jak ji nejlépe bránit. Především se jedná o příběh muže bojujícího s pochybnosti o sobě samém a překonávajícího těžkosti v boji za to, co považuje za správné, dokonce i když je v sázce jeho vlastní život. Těšíme se z Richardových vítězství a trápí nás jeho neúspěchy. Přesvědčivá a krásně napsaná kniha „Války v divočině“ je plná akce, napětí a dobrodružství – což z ní činí povinnou četbu pro všechny, kdo se zajímají o africkou politiku v oblasti volné přírody a bouřlivé osudy rodiny Leakeyových v Keni.

Podtitul: Člověk, jeho počátky, jeho povaha a budoucnost. Populárně naučná kniha je věnovaná počátkům lidského rodu na základě nálezů u jezera Turkana v Keni. Pokus o rekonstrukci života našich dávných předků. Lov, organizace jejich společnosti, základy řeči, výroba nástrojů.

Darwinův text přesvědčivě líčí obrovské drama, které se na naší planetě od nepaměti odehrává mezi všemi živými tvory. Darwinova kniha a z ní pramenící „darwinismus“ se staly jedním z největších dramat v dějinách lidské vzdělanosti. Kniha O původu druhů přírodním výběrem jestručným výtahem z rozsáhlého vědeckého díla, které v úplnosti nikdy nevyšlo tiskem. Ve zkráceném a ilustrovaném šestém vydání slavného díla pořadatel R. E. Leakey umožňuje i méně trpělivému čtenáři i čtenáři s menší představivostí proniknout do podivuhodné dílny živé přírody a do podstaty Darwinova učení.