Who ate the first oyster by Cody Cassidy

Who wore the first pants? Who painted the first masterpiece? Who first rode the horse? This madcap adventure across ancient history uses everything from modern genetics to archaeology to uncover the geniuses behind these and other world-changing innovations.

Who invented the wheel? Who told the first joke? Who drank the first beer? Who was the murderer in the first murder mystery, who was the first surgeon, who sparked the first fire--and most critically, who was the first to brave the slimy, pale oyster?

In this book, writer Cody Cassidy digs deep into the latest research to uncover the untold stories of some of these incredible innovators (or participants in lucky accidents). With a sharp sense of humor and boundless enthusiasm for the wonders of our ancient ancestors, Who Ate the First Oyster? profiles the perpetrators of the greatest firsts and catastrophes of prehistory, using the lives of individuals to provide a glimpse into ancient cultures, show how and why these critical developments occurred, and educate us on a period of time that until recently we've known almost nothing about.


My thoughts:
Written in an engaging style and well-researched, Who Ate the First Oyaster is divided into short chapters that focus on an invention that was important for our evolution and progress. For instance, the first oyster chapter is really about our ancestors first getting interested in practical astronomy i.e realising that low and high tides were connected to the Moon phases.
I liked the way the author used the clock analogy to represent how long ago these events happened. It might not be new, but it was clear and very effective. I also liked the way the author did everything to avoid gender bias.
Very easy to follow, the book is ideal for teenagers, but also anybody with a curious mind and willingness to look beyond history we get taught at school.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.