Rebecca Wragg Sykes

Uses a thematic rather than chronological approach to tell the real and fascinating story of the Neanderthals.

A Note on NamesIntroductionChapter 1: The First FaceChapter 2: The River Fells the TreeChapter 3: Bodies GrowingChapter 4: Bodies LivingChapter 5: Ice and FireChapter 6: The Rocks RemainChapter 7: Material WorldChapter 8: Eat and LiveChapter 9: Chez NeanderthalChapter 10: Into the LandChapter 11: Beautiful ThingsChapter 12: Minds InsideChapter 13: Many Ways to DieChapter 14: Time Travellers in the BloodChapter 15: DenouementsChapter 16: Immortal BelovedEpilogueAcknowledgementsIndex

"Kindred is important reading not just for anyone interested in these ancient cousins of ours, but also for anyone interested in humanity."--The New York Times Book Review"[A] bold and magnificent attempt to resurrect our Neanderthal kin."--The Wall Street JournalIn Kindred, Neanderthal expert Rebecca Wragg Sykes shoves aside the cliché of the shivering ragged figure in an icy wasteland, and reveals the Neanderthal you don't know, our ancestor who lived across vast and diverse tracts of Eurasia and survived through hundreds of thousands of years of massive climate change. This book sheds new light on where they lived, what they ate, and the increasingly complex Neanderthal culture that researchers have discovered.Since their discovery 150 years ago, Neanderthals have gone from the losers of the human family tree to A-list hominins. Our perception of the Neanderthal has changed dramatically, but despite growing scientific curiosity, popular culture fascination, and a wealth of coverage in the media and beyond are we getting the whole story? The reality of 21st century Neanderthals is complex and fascinating, yet remains virtually unknown and inaccessible outside the scientific literature. Based on the author's first-hand experience at the cutting-edge of Palaeolithic research and theory, this easy-to-read but information-rich book lays out the first full picture we have of the Neanderthals, from amazing new discoveries changing our view of them forever, to the more enduring mysteries of how they lived and died, and the biggest question of them all: their relationship with modern humans.