Tamed

Tamed may be the title of Alice Roberts' latest book, but the writing is anything but tame. Lyrical storytelling untangles the current thinking on how we've entwined our lives with those of plants and animals. From dogs to apples to potatoes to chickens, Roberts provides fascinating insights into domestication, offering anecdotes from past and present that link genetic and archaeological findings. -- Liz Kalaugher * 'Book of the Month', BBC Wildlife Magazine * [A] lively work of popular scientific history, in which [Roberts] looks at 10 species that have become part of our everyday existence ... illuminating facts, Roberts is an informed guide to the oddities that have made the world what it is today. * Observer * Two recent pioneers of the history of humanity are Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs and Steel, and Yuval Noah Harari, in his book Sapiens. It is a teeming subject, about which Roberts is multiply qualified to write, as an anatomist, archaeologist, anthropologist, paleopathologist and professor of public engagement in science. Roberts remains composed, engaging and undogmatic throughout... Tamed is an excellent point of entry for anyone who wants to understand the new deep human history and what it portends. -- Peter Forbes * Guardian * Epic and joyous, a landmark in the story of us. -- Adam Rutherford A masterpiece of evocative scientific storytelling. -- BRIAN COX