Desmond, Morris

The Naked Ape [Zoologist Study]

New York: McGraw-Hill, 1974. First American Edition. Hardcover with Dust Jacket.

This is a sharp copy of the First American Edition of Desmond Morris's groundbreaking work, 'The Naked Ape.' Published in 1967/68, this book revolutionized popular science by analyzing human behavior through the lens of a zoologist, effectively launching the genre of evolutionary psychology.

Key Features:
+++ Visuals: Bound in dark green cloth with gilt spine titles and the iconic dust jacket featuring the silhouette design.

+++ Content: A zoologist's study of the 'human animal,' covering sex, rearing, fighting, and feeding.

+++ Associated Names: Desmond Morris (Author); Niko Tinbergen (Author of laid-in article).

+++ Provenance: Includes a laid-in contemporary reprint of an article from Science Magazine (June 1968) by Niko Tinbergen (Nobel Laureate and Morris's mentor)titled 'On War and Peace in Animals and Man,' which cites this very book. Acquired directly from the estate of Ben Raeburn (Horizon Press); while the volume bears no personal signature, the preservation of such specific, high-level critical ephemera is consistent with the professional library of the noted publisher.

Condition: Very Good / Very Good -- The bindings are tight and square. Text is clean with light, even age-toning. Moderate shelf handling wear to the boards. The Dust Jacket is unclipped ($5.95) but bears the notation 'A Book-of-the-Month Club Selection' on the front flap, common for the First American Edition run. Light wear to the DJ spine tips.

When published in 1967, 'The Naked Ape' was a cultural shockwave. It was one of the first books to aggressively argue that human behavior—from business handshakes (grooming) to urban stress (overcrowding)—is governed by our primate evolutionary past. It sold over 10 million copies and established Desmond Morris as a premier public intellectual.

This copy is elevated by the inclusion of the 1968 article by Niko Tinbergen, the father of modern Ethology. Tinbergen mentions Morris in the text, creating a direct intellectual link between the master (Tinbergen) and the student (Morris) within this physical volume.

Keywords: Desmond Morris, Evolutionary Psychology, Anthropology, Human Behavior, 1960s Science, Natural History, Niko Tinbergen, Ethology, Vintage Nonfiction.

Item #21484

Price: $35.00