Who Ate the First Oyster?

The Extraordinary People Behind the Greatest Firsts in History

By: Cody Cassidy

Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris

Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Who wore the first pants? Who painted the first masterpiece? Who first rode the horse? Who invented soap? This madcap adventure across ancient history uses everything from modern genetics to archaeology to uncover the geniuses behind these and other world-changing innovations.

Who invented the wheel? Who told the first joke? Who drank the first beer? Who was the murderer in the first murder mystery, who was the first surgeon, who sparked the first fire - and most critically, who was the first to brave the slimy, pale oyster?

In this audiobook, writer Cody Cassidy digs deep into the latest research to uncover the untold stories of some of these incredible innovators (or participants in lucky accidents). With a sharp sense of humor and boundless enthusiasm for the wonders of our ancient ancestors, Who Ate the First Oyster? profiles the perpetrators of the greatest firsts and catastrophes of prehistory, using the lives of individuals to provide a glimpse into ancient cultures, show how and why these critical developments occurred, and educate us on a period of time that until recently we've known almost nothing about.

©2020 Cody Cassidy (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A fun and enlightening quick trip through all the clever, stupid, dangerous, and gross human firsts that we've all wondered about." (Zach and Kelly Weinersmith, New York Times best-selling authors of Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything)

"In this fascinating and entertaining book, Cody Cassidy has done what might seem impossible: illustrating the identity, life, and death of some of the most momentous - and entirely anonymous - figures in human (and prehuman) history." (Ryan North, author of How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler)

"Illuminating and entertaining.... Cassidy humanizes prehistory with wit and a firm grasp of the science behind these anthropological case studies. Enthralled readers will develop a new appreciation for the ancient past." (Publishers Weekly)

Great Stories

This book was very entertaining.
I enjoyed from first to last story. I was able to enjoy while towards end of day. Each story was so interesting and attention grabing. Good author!

Fascinating Book!

I loved this book, from the topic to the performance, and the way its written. Cassidy does a great job of communicating complex ideas in science about human development and making connections to the modern day. This is an approachable read with humor and a wealth of fascinating information. It's a great way to further understand all the ways that we've benefited from the contributions of generations before us.

Not what I expected, but a pleasant surprise

I picked this up hoping to listen to a bit of a fun fact list of "firsts" in our recent history, but this goes way back to the beginning of our species and although it may not mention the specific first people to do something, it delves into the type of person they might have been and how their customs and environments moved them to these discoveries.

This is a little book on the history of our species, able to stay short by focusing only on "firsts" and as such bringing so much insight into our species; not only how we evolved, but WHY we evolved. I absolutely recommend this for history buffs or anyone that can enjoy a documentary for its historical accuracy

Interesting and fun

This was a bit anecdotal, but still quite fun and interesting. It’s basically a really nice collection of archeological facts put together in an interesting way. So if you’re looking for a super light archeological read, this book will definitely do.
Also, I’m not usually a fan of authors narrating their own books, but he did a pretty good job. Worked out just fine!

Things you probably never thought of

A small few of us ever take the time to understand how civilizations before advanced and the perils they faced to lay foundation for who we are today. This book takes you on that journey. It is a bit wonky in the beginning of the read as the author sets the structure for marking historical time by relating it to time on a clock, but don't let that stop you as it is a good ploy. This book is thought provoking and will make you wiser for sure.

Interesting material and an excellent reading performance

I found the book’s premise intriguing, identify the first people to do, discover, or invent something. The author goes in depth to give us the best possible answer and while diving into material that can be at times somewhat dull does an excellent job of keeping the reader engaged and interested. The audible performance of the book was excellent and I really enjoyed the performers deep steady voice and pace.

listened to the whole thing in one day

I love science, and I loved history, this book scratched that itch quite nicely. it was great paced and kept this ADD brain's attention (which is hard to do I might add).

fun and informative

a fun light hearted look at key moments in human history. interesting way to frame up the subjects.

Absolutely Intriguing

once you start this adventure you won't want to stop, every chapter is an interesting moment in our bumbling yet extraordinary evolution. I came away from this book in awe of all that it took to get us to where we are today and the brave souls that took this first steps to get us here. Great read, great narration, I'll probably give it a second read for good measure, the story on Utsi the "1st murder" was incredibly interesting...

Interesting and More Enjoyable Than Anticipated

This book was a fantastic listen. It was extremely interesting, more enjoyable than anticipated, and just quirky enough to keep me wanting to come back or keep listening.