Kindred

By: Rebecca Wragg Sykes

Narrated by: Rebecca Wragg Sykes

Kindred is the definitive guide to the Neanderthals.

Since their discovery more than 160 years ago, Neanderthals have metamorphosed from the losers of the human family tree to A-list hominins.

In Kindred, Rebecca Wragg Sykes uses her experience at the cutting-edge of Palaeolithic research to share our new understanding of Neanderthals, shoving aside clichés of rag-clad brutes in an icy wasteland. She reveals them to be curious, clever connoisseurs of their world, technologically inventive and ecologically adaptable. They ranged across vast tracts of tundra and steppe, but also stalked in dappled forests and waded in the Mediterranean Sea. Above all, they were successful survivors for more than 300,000 years, during times of massive climatic upheaval.

At a time when our species has never faced greater threats, we're obsessed with what makes us special. But, much of what defines us was also in Neanderthals and their DNA is still inside us. Planning, co-operation, altruism, craftsmanship, aesthetic sense, imagination, perhaps even a desire for transcendence beyond mortality.

Kindred does for Neanderthals what Sapiens did for us, revealing a deeper, more nuanced story where humanity itself is our ancient, shared inheritance. It is only by understanding them, that we can truly understand ourselves.

©2020 Rebecca Wragg Sykes (P)2020 Audible, Ltd

beautifully written and performed

This book does an incredible job of weaving beautifully written vignettes into a distillation of the archaeological record to provide the account Neanderthals as we know them. Accuracy and good writing are often a tall order in pop-sci but this book delivers on both. As an audiobook, the performance is also very good. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the topic- especially if you're just dipping your toes in for the first time.

Ignore the whiny critics

A fascinating listen! I loved that it was the researcher herself who read this. Ignore the whiny critics, Rebecca’s voice and performance are FINE.

Best about Neandrathals

Best I've EVER heard about human relatives. Time that archeologists stopped thinking that other hominids were more brutish and stupid than sapiens. All hominids were violent to survive l in their world.

Well Written and Thought-Provoking

Most impressive to me was the way the other had a feel for the poetry and storytelling of the "facts". It was a bit formulaic by the end, but I do respect her ability as a scientist to envision and imagine the profound moments---the LAST Neanderthal looking at the sky, etc.

A worthy use of a credit!

Powerful, Enlightening, as well as Educational.

The writer's narration really brings it all home.
Her soothing voice sets the mood and her words paint a beautiful picture and carry the story in a tone of wonderment.
As a lover of history, I deeply appreciated her meticulously detailed descriptions. As a lover of Art, I fell in love with the wording she uses to activate the imagination.
I highly recommend this audiobook and I will most definitely be purchasing a hard copy.

Audio is a Bit Compressed

A great book exploring hominid interactions and social structures.

My only complaint is that the audio is a bit compressed which is noticeable when trying to run the book at 2x or 3x speed. Still a great listen, I just had to do it a little slower than I normally would.

Interesting and informative

Easy listening. The author effectively personalizes the lives of Neanderthals so that they are indeed seen as our “kindred.” Huge volume of data, fossil evidence, scientific methods put together in a cohesive, understandable way. Highly recommended.

Worth it

Glad I listened - words are pronounced properly. Really needs an accompanying PDF - perhaps with a map. Got lost sometimes, but she’s pulls you back in on the regular. Definitely worth a listen.

Great overview of past and current knowledge

Fantastic writing to go along with an excellent overview of Neanderthals. I also like the overview of past and current knowledge and how that is still changing even now.

Excellent

Very detailed, covered so many aspects of Neanderthal life that you hadn’t even considered to think about before