This text provides concise, balanced coverage of heredity and evolution, primates, hominin evolution, and contemporary human evolution. Its exceptionally accessible, student-friendly presentation of complex concepts is complemented by many powerful, in-text study tools, including a newly drawn art and map program, as well as many new photographs. The text"s highly integrated art and pedagogical program makes the book more easily comprehensible no matter what you background is in science. * The book"s art program includes illustrations, maps, and hundreds of photos directly related to text material, achieving the highest level of pedagogical usefulness, quality, and consistency. Photos of specimens supplement illustrations to lend a more lifelike appearance. * The authors don"t just describe the fossils, they interpret them. The text presents fossils in chronological order and connects the different fossil finds to human evolution, so students are better able to understand the big picture of human evolution -- not just the data. * Numerous charts and diagrams summarize key information throughout the text, helping students understand complex scientific material using a visually simple format. Proven pedagogical aids, including intermittent Quick Reviews, a running glossary, a chapter-ending "Why it Matters" box, What"s Important tables in the fossil chapters, and chapter-ending critical-thinking questions, help students grasp course material and complex concepts. * Designed to help students understand the importance of knowing about human evolution, the text highlights "big picture" evolutionary changes, such as trends, characteristics, and patterns, and relates material dealing with genetics, disease, and environmental and cultural issues to students" lives. The book"s highly visual graphic reviews of fossil finds identify each major fossil group, the region where it was found, and its evolutionary significance. Also, vivid timelines on the tables highlight chronology.