I read The Accidental Homo Sapiens by Tattersall.
It discusses the branching of early hominids and the 
fortuitous circumstances that led to the spread of 
homo sapien. The early hominids started some 400 
million years ago.

The other book I read is Cafe Neandertal by Bahrami.
The paleontologists trace the descent of man using
evidence found in caves of France and other locations 
around the world.  We all may have evolved from 
Africa to fill the world.  The extinction of H.
Neandertal may be in part due to incorporation into
H. Sapien as well as crowding by the latter. 

Socially Neandertal formed groups of 12 or so while
Sapien groups were some ten times larger.  Bahrami 
characterizes Neandertal as more likely to working 
within the circumstances and materials available 
rather than planning and forcefully changing it.
In any case, we hold these genes of past homonids 
in our body.  Lastly, there is a romantic notion 
that Neandertal was more humane.

Which brings up the question what to teach?  I don't
answer that but such a question relates to another
recent post by colleague candide, entitled save the 
books.  In candide's town, there was a removal of 
certain books from the school, including what could
be called classics.  In this day hiding books seems
like a silly proposition.  If we surround young 
people with books, they might be tempted to read 
them.. is thqt really so bad?

A few years ago I read children the first chapter 
from Gustav Flaumbert's Salamb, about ancient 
Carthage and crawling through the aquaduct to enter
the city stealthily.  It was a lot of fun reading 
about the great city, the wild feast, the Balearic
stone throwers and such.  Again I wanted to read it 
but it wasn't in the library any more.  Was the 
material controversial or was the material too old 
and outdated I don't know.