Us

“Us is a book of revelation, a bold and timely retelling of human evolution based on the latest evidence from the fossil record, archaeology, and DNA. As humans, we have become so accustomed to the linear story of our evolution: how a series of ancestors progressively gave rise to our species, Homo sapiens, whose big brains, keen intelligence, and artistic brilliance set us apart from other animals. Here, renowned paleoanthropologist Jeremy DeSilva exposes the true story: one that is richer, more complex, and gloriously surprising. With a scholar’s authority and the deft and humorous hand of scientist who can write, DeSilva presents an engrossing and up-to-date story of our origins.” –Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs and The Story of Birds

“This is the best book on human evolution this century. Engaging, accessible and accurate, DeSilva combines science, heart, and storytelling to show how our story is a fun and fascinating journey, and why that matters.”
–Agustín Fuentes, author of The Creative Spark

“A leading expert in the field of paleoanthropology, Jeremy DeSilva provides readers with a much needed and refreshing antidote to our current state of misinformation, tackling the human story in all its glorious complexity and ambiguity. In Us, DeSilva gives us the big and the small, delving deep into the history of paleoanthropology to contextualize developments in the field and sharing stories of his own fieldwork to help make concepts more accessible. This book is trustworthy, lively, and ultimately transformative, like taking a college course with your favorite professor: so fun that you only realize later how much it changed your perspective on life.” –Jennifer Raff, author of Origin

“In his fascinating book Us, Jeremy DeSilva offers a long overdue reexamination of how humans became who we are. I was riveted by the tales of fossil discoveries and moved by the rigorous, imaginative work of learning to hear the voices, follow in the footsteps, and gather around the fires of our hominin cousins and ancestors–who it turns out are not so distant after all. DeSilva argues for an exciting and generous expansion of who counts as “us.”” –Lizzie Wade, author of Apocalypse

”[DeSilva] lays out with flair and enthusiasm the many ways in which members of Homo sapiens resemble other hominins–upright walking apes–notably including Australopithecus and Paranthropus, who shared the Earth two million years ago… . [with] a gift for metaphor and apt pop culture references, [DeSilva] brings to life a world hundreds of thousands of years in the past populated by many different groups of human and hominin species … The author, whose area of expertise is the evolution of the pre-human and human foot and of bipedalism marvels at–and persuades us to marvel with him–how much knowledge can be gained from a single bone or tooth. With a sense of awe and wonder, he explores mysteries, such as why Homo sapiens should have survived when other hominins didn’t … He moves deftly between the knowledge we have gained, and how much there is left to learn. An illuminating look at what we share with some now-extinct species.” –Kirkus (starred)

“DeSilva’s scrutiny of our evolutionary relatives reveals a propensity for aggression but also evidence of compassion, adaptation and movement, and resilience and persistence, all of which still reverberate in our species today.” –Booklist

Biography

Jeremy “Jerry” DeSilva is a paleoanthropologist whose research focuses on the evolution of early human ancestors (hominins). He was a member of the research team that discovered and described two ancient members of the human family tree: Australopithecus sediba and Homo naledi.

Jerry has conducted fieldwork studying wild chimpanzees in Western Uganda and excavating ancient human fossils at sites in Eastern and South Africa. From 1998 to 2003, he worked as an educator at the Boston Museum of Science and remains passionate about science education.

He is the author of the 2021 book First Steps: How Upright Walking Made Us Human.

Jerry lives in Norwich, Vermont, with his wife Erin and their twins, Ben and Josie.

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