DANIEL E. LIEBERMAN is Edwin M. Lerner Professor of Biological Sciences and professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University. He is the author of the national best seller The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health, and Disease and Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rearding. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Lieberman's inquisitiveness as both a researcher and a fitful
fitness adherent allows him a distinct vantage on the subject...
Drawing on his expertise and knowledge of the way evolutionary
forces work, [Lieberman] takes ideas that have been spun and spun
again, often based on shaky information, and cracks them open... In
addition to exorcising myths and detailing what kinds of exercise
we're good at, as well as why these particular activities matter
for our physical well-being, Lieberman also gives us permission to
be kind to ourselves if we'd rather not bother... Most important,
Lieberman doesn't judge those who find exercising difficult, even
after knowing that they should be doing it, because exercise still
isn't all that fun.
--The New York Times Exercised makes important progress
in the research topic for which Mr. Lieberman himself has become
best known--the physiology of human running... my favorite passage
of the book concerns dancing. Dance in many societies is a physical
activity connected to ritual, a highly social activity with deep
symbolic meaning to its participants. It reminds us that beauty,
joy and rites of passage are central to human life, and that
physical activity can be exuberant and ecstatic... I find Mr.
Lieberman's voice of moderation to be welcome in a world where
barefoot running and paleo diets have become fads... Instead of
looking to a mythological view of our evolutionary past, we should
be looking around us at a broader array of real humans, all of them
moving--happily--through their lives. Getting Exercised is a
start.
--The Wall Street Journal Riveting... Highly appealing...
Lieberman begins a process of myth-busting about exercise... An
irresistible aspect of Exercised is Lieberman's firm stance that no
shame or stigma be attached to those who find it challenging to
sustain an exercise program... Another exceptionally informative
part of the book discusses the damage-and-repair cycle brought on
by exercise. Lieberman explains more clearly than I've ever read
what exercise does to the body, and how the body then begins to
repair itself afterwards... Lieberman makes a superb guide for
anyone wishing to understand why it can be hard to commit to
exercising, and why we should do it anyway.
--NPR
Lieberman's clarity never wavers... His answers to physiological
questions... inspire... The science beneath his arguments is
revelatory, with thrilling implications for evolutionary biology.
Written in a brisk prose, with ample graphs, Exercised is an
excellent compendium on the broad medical advantages of exercise
and a roadmap out of our pandemic to better health.
--The Boston Globe Entertaining and informative...The book is
full of helpful tips... conveyed in a humorous and sympathetic
style.
--The Guardian "Persuasive... Refreshing... [Lieberman's]
illuminating and frequently humorous work will delight fitness
mavens and make those pesky workout sessions more rewarding for
everyone else.
--Publishers Weekly Brilliant...This makes for captivating
reading.
--Booklist [starred review] A good choice for those
seeking a macro view of the history of movement... In appealing,
accessible language, the author tells interesting stories.
--Kirkus Lieberman writes in a clear, approachable style,
even when explaining complex research and concepts.
--Library Journal "Endlessly fascinating and full of
surprises. Daniel Lieberman strikes a perfect balance of
scholarship, wit, and enthusiasm for his subject. This is easily
one of my favorite books of the year."
--Bill Bryson, New York Times best-selling author of A
Walk in the Woods and The Body "Mythbusting, illuminating,
brilliant - Daniel Lieberman will completely change the way you
think about your body"
--Alice Roberts, presenter of Our Incredible Human Journey
"Were we born to run, to walk, or to sit on a couch? One of our
leading human biologists takes us through millions of years of
evolution and diverse cultures around the planet to give us
surprising, yet simple, answers. Part user manual for the human
body and part detective story exploring our evolution, Exercised
will change the way you think about exercise, diet, and your own
well-being."
--Neil Shubin, Robert R. Bensley Distinguished Service Professor
of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, and
best-selling author of Your Inner Fish "Excellent. Well-written,
amusing, and touching on all our lives. Seldom if ever have I so
enjoyed reading a book on any subject, and this one is for all of
us--those of us who like to exercise and those of us who
don't."
--Richard Leakey, co-author of Origins Reconsidered: In
Search of What Makes Us Human "Fantastic. Such a surprising,
erudite, and revelatory look at the natural history of physical
activity and why exercise is both so necessary for us and so
unnatural. It expands and alters our understanding of exercise,
health, motivation, and why we feel the way that we do about
treadmills. A must-read for anyone with a working body and
mind."
--Gretchen Reynolds, New York Times best-selling author
of The First 20 Minutes "In his earlier work, Lieberman
explained how we were 'born to run.' In Exercised, he explains that
we were also born to sit, which often leads to obesity, diabetes,
high blood pressure, and heart attacks--chronic diseases unknown to
early humans. Fortunately, Exercised also explains how physical
activity can set us free from these ills. It's both a fascinating
read and one that could nudge you toward a healthier (and longer)
life."
--Amby Burfoot, editor-at-large, Runner's World, and
winner of the 1968 Boston
Marathon
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
