I gifted myself ‘First Steps: How Upright Walking Made Us Human’ by palaeoanthropologist Jeremy DeSilva this past Christmas after months of pining and searching in local book stores. Needless to say, I devoured it over the holiday season! This particular selection for the book club is quite special to me, you see, this book is a beautiful account of my own research interests: why we walk on two legs.

We marvel when other creatures do it, and yet we often forget how unique walking on two legs truly is. This book explores the concept from multiple perspectives, highlighting our evolutionary history and just how much our way of navigating the world has impacted so many different aspects of what it ultimately means to be human.

Jeremy is a world-renowned palaeoanthropologist and has worked on fossils from across the continent including our very own Homo naledi and Australopithecus sediba. His foundation was built as a museum educator and it is clear in his incredible storytelling ability.

Not only is the reader taken on an insightful yet accessible journey through the science of upright walking, it is thoroughly entertaining. A definite ‘must have’ for the palaeoanthropology professional and enthusiast alike. My research on this topic has been nothing short of a fascinating personal experience and I hope that when you read it- you find the same sense of eternal wonder.

This fantastic book is available to order through Exclusive Books and Amazon.