Description
One Life: An Autobiography by Richard E. Leakey details the life of the renowned paleoanthropologist and conservationist up to 1983. The memoir recounts his upbringing in Kenya as the son of famous anthropologists Louis and Mary Leakey, his initial resistance to following in their footsteps, and his eventual rise to prominence in the field of human origins research. The book was written while Leakey was recovering from a life-saving kidney transplant, which he also discusses.
A childhood in Kenya
Richard Leakey was born and raised in Kenya, where his parents, Louis and Mary, were already celebrated for their paleoanthropological discoveries. The book describes his unconventional childhood spent exploring the African wild, surrounded by his parents’ work and research.
Forging his own path
After a period of trying to distance himself from his famous parents’ field, Leakey was ultimately drawn back to the study of human ancestry. His autobiography recounts how he carved out his own distinguished career, eventually becoming director of Kenya’s National Museum at the age of 23.
Significant fossil discoveries
The book documents his crucial role in several major fossil discoveries that reshaped our understanding of human evolution. Some of these include:
Leading the team that found the Omo I and Omo II fossil skulls in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley.
His 1972 discovery of skull “1470,” which helped push back the timeline of large-brained early humans.
While written before his most famous find, One Life captures the period leading up to the 1984 discovery of “Turkana Boy”.
Health struggles
A significant portion of the book focuses on Leakey’s personal battle with kidney disease, which he was diagnosed with in his 20s and which threatened to end his life. He details the extensive treatments he underwent and the successful kidney transplant he received from his brother Philip. The experience of writing the book while in recovery provided a period of reflection and is a central theme of the memoir.
HARDCOVER. IN GOOD TO VERY GOOD CONDITION (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SLIGHT DISCOLORATION ALONG THE SPINE BOOK JACKET. 207 PAGES.
