From Anthropology to Social Theory: Rethinking the Social Sciences, by Arpad Szakolczai and Bjørn Thomassen Simon Underdown on a call for the discipline to reclaim its maverick heritage to rejuvenate itself and tackle dynamic real-world problems By Simon Underdown 28 February
A Taste for the Beautiful: The Evolution of Attraction, by Michael J. Ryan Females are the ‘biological puppeteers’ driving the evolution of allure, says Simon Underdown By Simon Underdown 8 February
Think Like an Anthropologist, by Matthew Engelke This brave book attempts to show that social anthropology and social anthropologists can offer insights into today’s world and also point to solutions, says Simon Underdown By Simon Underdown 31 August
Darwin and the Making of Sexual Selection, by Evelleen Richards Book of the week: Simon Underdown enjoys a stunning view of Darwin at work on his less celebrated classic By Simon Underdown 23 March
The Rhinoceros and the Megatherium: An Essay in Natural History, by Juan Pimentel Images of two beasts carried ideas about science and communication, says Simon Underdown By Simon Underdown 9 February
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, by Yuval Noah Harari Simon Underdown on a historian contemplating future challenges arising from modern lifestyles and technology By Simon Underdown 13 October
Home: How Habitat Made Us Human, by John S. Allen Simon Underdown on the novel notion that four walls were key to our development as a species By Simon Underdown 10 March
The Real Planet of the Apes: A New Story of Human Origins, by David R. Begun Simon Underdown relishes an engaging study of evolution that delights in breaking the fourth wall By Simon Underdown 7 January
The Strange Case of the Rickety Cossack and Other Cautionary Tales from Human Evolution, by Ian Tattersall Simon Underdown on our origin story’s twists, turns and red herrings By Simon Underdown 30 July
