The Human Animal: A Personal View of the Human Species

by Desmond Morris

0 ratings • 0 reviews • 0 shelved
Book cover for The Human Animal

Bookhype may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.

Everything we do has an inborn, genetic basis, and all our activities show similarities to those of other species. Man is unique, though, in the way in which he has built on these animal patterns, exaggerating and elaborating them to an astounding degree or suppressing them with damaging consequences. Morris sets out to show that, despite our inclination to believe otherwise, human behaviour is full of animal instinct and reaction, and that whatever the species, we all share remarkable similarities. A fascinating, candid and entertaining exploration of man in the animal kingdom, this work sets out to expose our foibles and celebrate our triumphs in an attempt to understand emotion, language, social behaviour and custom. It also shows how, despite many fascinating superficial differences, every one of the 5000 million human beings alive today shares an almost identical genetic inheritance. Morris discusses the body language, gestures, facial expressions, sexual signals and the territorial instincts which, with slight variation, we all seem to share. Desmond Morris is a expert on animal and human behaviour.
His television credits include presenting "Zootime", "The Animals Roadshow", and "The Animal Country". He is a bestselling author and has published numerous works, the most notable of which are: "Babywatching" (1991), "Animalwatching" (1990), "The Illustrated Naked Ape" (1986), "Bodywatching" (1985), "Manwatching" (1977), and "The Human Zoo" (1969).
  • ISBN10 0563370211
  • ISBN13 9780563370215
  • Publish Date 21 July 1994
  • Publish Status Out of Print
  • Out of Print 16 April 2003
  • Publish Country GB
  • Publisher BBC Consumer Publishing
  • Imprint BBC Books
  • Format Hardcover
  • Pages 224
  • Language English