The 10 Best Anthropology Books

The Unfolding of Language explores humankind's greatest invention and how language evolved from basic utterances to sophisticated grammar and huge vocabularies. It includes extensive appendices for those interested in further study.

Archaeology: The Essential Guide to Our Human Past is filled with a plethora of illustrations of key sites around the world that both the serious student and any layperson will appreciate. Each site covered includes an in-depth description of the remains found there.

Language, Culture, and Society provides an extensive first taste of the lesser-known field of linguistic anthropology. While the subtitle says it's an introduction, this text delves pretty deeply into theory and may be too much to cover in a single semester.

True crime and history buffs alike will enjoy When Science Sheds Light on History. The author examines 40 mysterious medical anomalies or deaths, from prehistoric to modern times, and incorporates forensic and medical science to uncover their secrets.

In Almost Human scientist Lee Berger recounts his team's 2013 discovery of a new primitive hominid species in hard-to-reach caves in South Africa. His tale of recruiting small, adventurous people to squeeze through 8-inch tunnels might leave you claustrophobic.

Asking Questions About Humanity encourages students to look at other cultures through the eyes of an ethnographic scientist. It manages to teach traditional research methods while still addressing a variety of modern issues.

Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies may have won the Pulitzer Prize over 20 years ago, but its analysis of the geographical and environmental influences on cultural development and wealth distribution remains relevant today.

Essentials of Physical Anthropology consistently emphasizes connections throughout the text to help students understand how Homo Sapiens are linked biologically to all life on Earth. Each new edition is updated with the latest in fossil finds.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind is a sweeping examination of how an insignificant member of the ape family became the most dominant species on the planet. This narrative of humanity's evolution is recommended by the likes of Bill Gates and Barack Obama.

Appreciating Human Diversity offers a comprehensive, college-level introduction to this wide-ranging discipline. The text covers the four major fields effectively while tying them all together with a focus on our increasingly interconnected world.