60 pages 2 hours read

Cat Bohannon

Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2023

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

Eve by Cat Bohannon examines the female contributions to human evolution, tracing the development of key traits from female ancestors, such as lactation, uteri and pregnancy, perception, bipedalism, toolmaking, brain development, language, menopause, and sexuality. The book challenges the male-default perspective in science and medicine and highlights the crucial role of female biology in human history. The book contains references to sexual violence, infanticide, pregnancy loss, suicide, birth trauma, female genital mutilation, and child marriage.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Eve by Cat Bohannon offers a compelling exploration of female evolution, praised for its engaging narrative and thorough research. Critics appreciate Bohannon's ability to make complex scientific concepts accessible and interesting. However, some feel the book occasionally drifts into overly detailed tangents. Overall, Eve is a thought-provoking read that successfully blends science and storytelling.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Eve?

A reader who would enjoy Eve by Cat Bohannon likely has a keen interest in feminist literature, anthropology, and evolutionary biology. Similar to fans of Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari and The Evolution of Beauty by Richard O. Prum, they appreciate interdisciplinary approaches to human history and the roles women have played in shaping society.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Topics

Science / Nature

Gender / Feminism

Women's Studies (Nonfiction)

Themes

Identity: Femininity

Identity: Gender

Identity: Masculinity

Genre

Anthropology