Manthropology

More about the book

Featured in The Wall Street Journal and on ABC's Nightline, this work offers an entertaining exploration of manliness. Anthropologist Peter McAllister aimed to demonstrate that modern man is the pinnacle of male achievement. However, he discovered that in nearly every category, contemporary men were outperformed by their ancestors. The narrative begins in Ice Age France, revealing how a Neanderthal woman could outmatch today’s strongest man in arm wrestling. It highlights medieval Slavic poets who could outshine modern rappers and examines the Aka Pygmy men in Africa, who take fatherhood to extraordinary lengths, even developing breasts to nurse their children. The findings for modern man are often unflattering, yet the analysis remains insightful and engaging. The text poses intriguing comparisons: Ultimate Fighters may find themselves bloodied in the Octagon, but how do their matches compare to those of Ancient Greece? Modern armies utilize advanced technology, yet could they outpace Nero's legions, who marched fifty miles a day while carrying heavy packs? Wilt Chamberlain is famous for his scoring prowess, but his claims of 20,000 sexual encounters pale in comparison to the 32 million people today descended from a single conqueror.