God—or Gorilla

"This highly readable book is valuable as it stands. It is also timely. The 1920s shaped pictures of evolution, and of evolutionary debate, that are still in our heads. As biologists work with illustrators to communicate science, and creationists attack textbook icons, it is helpful to reflect on the struggles of that decisive decade."

"Engagingly written, well illustrated, and refreshingly free of the theory-driven jargon that often diverts attention from the task at hand, God—or Gorilla is a valuable contribution to our understanding of the Scopes trial, the continuing controversy over the teaching of evolution, and the role of expertise in American society."

"A shining example of interdisciplinary American Studies at its very best."

"Clark's investigation of the images of evolution in the 1920s is a wonderful window into the place of science in the United States and how the cultural concerns of an era can shape scientific activity."

"Perceptive and enjoyable book."

"Significant contribution[s] to this broad interdisciplinary area, illuminating the ways in which ideas about organic evolution were contested, and charting the processes by which eugenics acquired an established place in American political and social life."

"The value of this book, which is considerable, lies in its careful depiction of the scientific and cultural landscape within which the 'evolution wars' of the 1920s took place."

"Clark's choice of the 1920s is perfectly suited for her brilliant study of evolutionary imagery, for the decade saw significant social, economic and political changes along with growing tensions over the question of where humans came from."

"Clark's study offers a novel perspective of the history of human evolutionary research and popular culture and is a valuable contribution to scholarship in this area."

"A refreshing picture of the origins of the evolution–creation dispute, and in it we can see the germ of the outlooks and arguments that largely still motivate creationism today."

"An exceedingly interesting contribution to the history of anthropology."

"Clark's study has additional significance as a contribution to intellectual history. Readers will find familiar themes of evolution—natural selection, chance and design, and missing links—and the book shows the fate of these issues when they entered the public arena."

"God—or Gorilla is a splendid study and an important contribution to our understanding of the role of science in democratic society. It shows not only how early advocates understood evolutionary theory, but also how they illustrated and explained it, packaging it for a popular audience. This is interdisciplinary scholarship at its best."