Your Inner Fish: A Journey Into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body

A reviewer

Dr. Schubin has truly succeeded in tracing a fun and informative account of human evolution by looking at fossil and extant homologues. Drawing (especially) from paleontology, but also from fields such as molecular genetics, Schubin takes the reader on an introductory ride through vertebrate form, function, and genetics. I would highly recommend this title as a must-have to any person interested in the biological, medical, or paleontological sciences, whether professional or avocational.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

The Examination of a Beautiful Pedigree

The prominent University of Chicago Paleontologist and Professor of Anatomy Neil Shubin graciously narrates the long Geological journey that has led to the structure and function of our current biological system. Shubin's account of his discovery of the 375 million year fish from Ellesmere Island is a warm tale of modern science in one of its finest lights. The timeline he provides of the 375 million years passed since Tiktaalik is thoroughly engaging and bound to have any curious reader interested in our life history and common ancestry hooked until the end. Shubin's work is certain to enlighten all. Scientist or non-scientist, you will learn something new, and at the very least you are destined to gain a greater appreciate of life!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Evolution at It's Best

This book by Neil Shubin was an easy read, although I was not convinced with the author's opinions of how the human body came to be. Neil Shubin talked about how the human body was related to ancient fish found in fossils. He explores all over the world and shares his findings in this book. This book was an easy read with great pictures and graphs to explain each thought. The author had definite opinions about how the human form came to be. The author left no room for any religious theory.

-OSU Comp. Student 2009

1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

A MUST-READ FOR ALL EVOLUTION BUFFS ...

A fascinating read that really makes you think. So interesting to see an esteemed scientist like Shubin taking on this subject so successfully, getting into the nitty gritty of what evolution is and what it is not. The only problem was that at times it could be quite dry and sometimes slow to read. On that note, I just finished another book that also really made me think. NATURAL SELECTION by Dave Freedman. It's a Jurassic Park type book - a science-based action-thriller about the evolution of a new species of flying predator. What made it special - besides how incredibly fast those pages turned - was how fun, relatable and easy-to-understand it made evolution, a great 'fictional compliment' to anything by Shubin.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

evolutionary biology for everyone

This small-sized book teaches many of the key aspects of evolution by focusing features of you and me, like our hands and eyes and necks, and shows how they developed over the millennia from more ancient critters, not just earlier mammals or vertebrates but all the way back to bacteria. A really fun book to read, and nonetheless solidly accurate and never over-simplifying complex issues.

Nice read.

I would recommend it to anyone who is an environmentalist since it really allows us to see how related we really are to all animals not just chimps.

What a thought!

My comments should be received in light of the fact that I'm a self-admitted science nerd. However, this book was liked by my wife also (English degree). Any person curious about the history of life on Earth will find this book fascinating. This fish (Tiktaalik) establishes an anatomical connection between it and goes all the way up the chain to mammals.

A great exposition of the evolutionary development of the human body

Among many reasons that make evolution of life such a fascinating subject to study, the fact that we can learn more about how we humans have become what we are today must rank close to the top. This is the basic premise behind Neil Shubin's "Your Inner Fish." Shubin's day job is field paleontologist, but the idea for this book came about when he taught some laboratory exercises in human anatomy. It turns out that his training in recognizing and categorizing bones of long-extinct creatures is an excellent preparation for understanding of how the human body works.

The book is a fascinating and insightful journey into the 3.5 billion years of evolution. It combines scientific facts and information with personal stories and anecdotes. The scientific information is fresh and relevant, and it is not just a regurgitation of the material that can be found in a myriad other books on evolution. These facts really help you with gaining insight into how exactly all life on Earth is related.

The last major chapter is probably the most interesting. It is an examination of the way that many of our chronic diseases and illnesses can be traced to the very restricted design options that evolution had. There really is a price that we pay for getting to where we are in the evolutionary development.

Excellent read

This is a great book for the Everyman. Short, sweet and to the point, the author really puts the vast evolutionary history of modern life into tangible perspective.

wow

seriously pa28!!! where does god come from?

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I love it.

This book is great for anyone that wants to learn more about where we came from, and why we are the way we are. It take's you back to when we were all swimming around, and beyond. It contains all the logic and evidence that it needs to support its claims, and puts it all out there in an easy to read, easy to understand way. What a great book. I have it in paperback, and nookbook format.

Great Book!!!!!

This book is not about faith please put that behind you and you enjoy it.

Excellent read

I like how the author explains technicalities in plain language. I enjoyed this book.

Boring!

This was a book club choice so I had no idea what I was buying.
As a Christian I find that it is sad that a person would dedicate so much time and research into proving "Where we come from"!
It all comes down to faith....Fish don't talk or have feelings, so where does that come from????

0 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

a good read.

reading it put me in the mind set of the old natural history journals, translating well between the clinical scientific mind set and the more common workings mans logic that you don't always see. all in all a good book.

Breaking the mold of science writing

This is a fascinating book on a topic that is typically presented dryly: paleontology. A very readable and layperson assessable book, Dr. Neil Shubin has great story telling skills. He successfully incorporates a behind the scenes personal view of his research with facts from the fossil world and the paleontological thought process.
A great introduction to the researchers and fossil record supporting evolution!

A Wonderful Book Connecting Human Evolution and Physiology

This book is an excellent description of the the development of human physiology by the man who found the "missing link". For those interested in the scientific process it is great story to read. A refutation of all of the "creationist" arguments.

Poorly written

Many scientists think they have a great story to tell but unfortunately their writing skills do not match their enthusiasm. When I read this book I felt like the author was trying to make his research sound exciting and not achieving his goal. I think there is a story to be told here but Mr. Shubin should have let someone else tell it.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Will really make you think about where you came from!

In this book, Mr. Shubin describes how various facets of our anatomy are derived from early evolutionary waypoints in animals such as sharks, fish, even worms and jellyfish. It is really amazing to think that our larynx is derived from the gills of fish and our ear bones can be traced to sharks. The books is well written and humorous at times, while always being easily understandable to the general reader like myself. A fascinating read and a very enjoyable book. I came away from it thinking how interconnected all life on earth really is. Recommended.

You are a Zoo!

This is a wonderfully written and engaging book which takes one on a paleontologist's journey to undersrtand the human body. The story line of discovery is quite enganging and the writing is basic and accessible to general readers yet makes accurate connections to recent discoveries and work. I highly recommend this book as essential reading for those who have a human body or know any human bodies. For Human Anatomy and Physiology students: it is a great way to quiz yourself!