This is a biography of an extraordinary family, and the story of the origins of mankind as revealed in the rocks of East Africa. The author does equally well at revealing the strange dynamics of the Leakey family, as often at war with each other as they were with the forces of academic conservatism, as she does at introducing the reader to the rapidly developing study of early hominoid (ape-like) and hominid (human-like) evolution. It is apparent that the author has undertaken an immense amount of research in writing this book, including extensive personal interviews and periods spent in the field with Richard and Meave Leakey.

Morell has crafted a great book, a perfect confluence of history, biography and science, all done with great style and enthusiasm. She has worked hard to give a fair account of the scientific disagreements amongst paleontologists ('my skeleton is older than yours, and furthermore is the ancestor of modern humans...), particularly noting that she invited comment from all of the players (and some refused her invitation). The Leakey's were certainly wrong sometimes with their dating of finds or the interpretation of their significance, but probably no more than others working in a field where a single fossil tooth can form the basis of speculation about a new species of hominid walking the earth 2 million years ago. What is beyond dispute is that the Leakey's discoveries of fossil skeletons in the 1950's through to the 1980's brought the science of early human evolution to the masses through their close association with the National Geographic magazine. Louise Leakey furthermore was the driving force behind setting up and funding the work of Dian Fossey (with apes) and Jane Goodall (with chimpanzees), while Richard Leakey played an immensely important role in protecting wildlife (particularly elephants) in East Africa.

I couldn't recommend this book too highly to highly to anyone with an interest in the origins of the human species, in Africa, or who simply want to know the real background to all of those National Geographic stories about the Leakeys (and Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey) and their discoveries in Africa. This is a brick of a book at over 600 pages, and each commanding complete attention, but I have seldom read such an engaging biography that is at the same time candid, immensely informative, and ultimately respectful towards it's subject. The lesson of the Leakey's is perhaps ultimately not in the fossil fragments they delved for, but in the strength the can come from family and their power to support each other in adversity, even when they (at times) despise each other. A five star rating, without a doubt. ( )