The Discovery of the Hobbit

When in October 2004 the prestigious science publication NATURE published the discovery of a 3-foot (1-metre) tall hominid skeleton, the world's press went wild. Hailed as one of the most important scientific discoveries for years, the 'Hobbit', as the adult female came to be known, entered the history books. But until now none of the members of the original archaeological team have told their story in book form. THE DISCOVERY OF THE HOBBIT, written by the orchestrator of the dig,...
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When in October 2004 the prestigious science publication NATURE published the discovery of a 3-foot (1-metre) tall hominid skeleton, the world's press went wild. Hailed as one of the most important scientific discoveries for years, the 'Hobbit', as the adult female came to be known, entered the history books. But until now none of the members of the original archaeological team have told their story in book form. THE DISCOVERY OF THE HOBBIT, written by the orchestrator of the dig, describes in vivid detail what the project was aiming to achieve, what it was like to stumble across such a find, what it means for our understanding of the history of the human race and how the whole enterprise nearly collapsed under the weight of Australia's fractious relationship with Indonesia. Featuring a bizarre island where evolution ran amok in isolation from the rest of the world and an eerie myth that may well be grounded in truth -- not to mention the reasons why other 'hobbits' may well be alive and undiscovered elsewhere in Indonesia, this remarkable book is an adventure story and a fascinating investigation, a moving and personal narrative and a landmark celebration of scientific endeavour.