-----Original Message-----
From: rick strong [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2002 10:21 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: cordain book excellent



S. Boyd Eaton's jacket note states, "Not all scientists can translate their
concepts into a straightforward, accessible format...."  I obtained and read
Eaton's book, The Paleolithic Prescription, in 1988.  At the time, I thought
I was relatively well informed as to nutrition and the Eaton book turned my
thinking upside down.  It was the elegant simplicity of the proposition that
10,000 years was relatively insignificant on the evolutionary scale.  I do
not know the sales figures for that book but I doubt that they approached
that of Nenaderthin.  (Does anyone know?) Ray Audette has alluded, I think,
to some of the foibles of the publishing industry and media prerogatives on
this list.  Those who are disappointed that the Cordain book is not the
definitive tome on paleo nutrition need to appreciate the difference between
marketing pressures concerning the mass market versus, say, the college text
market.  I think Cordain's book is the right book for the mass market if we
assume that his goal is to inform, through the book itself, as many people
as practical.  Apparently, Art Devany has not had an easy time getting his
ideas into print in book form despite stated intentions to do so.  I note
from his Evolutionary fitness page that he is teaching a college course on
the subject at the institution where he pursues his career as a professor in
the Department of Economics.
        As to criticisms of the book for Cordain's INTERPRETATION of the paleo
diet, one will have to get into the peer review literature to cogently
pursue that debate.  Let me know when you knock off a significant portion of
the 20 pages of citations in his book's bibliography.  The debate is ongoing
and  part of the territory despite the fact that we would all like the
perfect, definitive formula.  Note that Cordain, on page 9, states that he
and his research team were "amazed" at the DIVERSITY of the diet of 200
hunter-gatherer societies that they studied.
        As I said in an earlier post,  I do not fault L. Cordain for launching a
book that is more likely to reward him financially and to increase his
visibility in that he has distinguished himself in the field as a primary
contributor and a scientist.  His book is credible, accessible, and nicely
put together for those looking for an overview of the principles and
practical application of this way of eating.  What I find disturbing are the
goofball rip-offs of "paleo" terminology that seem to be popping up at an
increasing rate in the popular press.  I am speaking of those in the diet
and fitness industry who have no real understanding of the science who
promote some warped and inaccurate of an ostensibly paleo approach to diet.
Some have been mentioned on this list over the past couple of years.
Cordain's book is not in that category.