'A beautifully synthesized portrait of a powerful people ... the first complete chronological narrative of the species from emergence to extinction ... a gem' - Nature 'If you thought you knew about the Neanderthals, think again. Prepare to have your prejudices shattered and your understanding of humanity challenged' - Clive Gamble, Professor of Archaeology, University of Southampton 'Excellent and absorbing' - Current World Archaeology ' Fresh, well-informed and highly recommended ... The inspired pairing of a Palaeolithic expert and a historian of science makes for compelling reading' - Paul Pettitt, Professor of Archaeology, Durham University 'A nuanced and sympathetic perspective on these fascinating people' ' - Brian Fagan, Professor Emeritus of Archaeology, University of California, Santa Barbara ' [Written] with confidence and verve ... strikes an excellent balance between broad popular appeal and satisfyingly rich content' - Society for American Archaeology 'Has the fresh charm of treating human evolution as a curious story that leads to the Neanderthals, rather than as a moral tale that rises ever upward and inevitably to us godlike moderns' - Harper's