The Origin of Humankind : Unearthing Our Family Tree

Leakey has always been interested in far more than the mere physical features presented by fossils, and here he is particularly concerned with non-tangible human attributes, such as art, language and consciousness itself.

Leakey's personal involvement in many of the key discoveries of hominid fossils, and his friendships and rivalries with his fellow fossil hunters, add more than a dash of spice to his narrative.

‘An outstanding account of our current understanding of human evolution' Sunday Times

‘An elegant summary of what is currently known about human evolution’ Observer

Richard Leakey, the son of leading paleoanthropologists Louis and Mary Leakey, was Director of the National Museums of Kenya for twenty years and more recently has served his country in a more political role as Director of the Wildlife Service. He made the important discovery of the ‘Turkana Boy’, a virtually complete skeleton, and his popular books include Origins, The People of the Lake and The Making of Mankind.

Sean Barrett narrated the BBC Modern History series, People’s Century and appeared in television productions of Twelfth Night and Father Ted.