Almost Adam

By Petru Popescu
Audio Renaissance,
$24, 6 hours

ISBN 1559273984

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Neanderthal

By John Darnton
Random House Audiobooks
$18, 3 hours

ISBN 0679451722

More walks on the wild side of a different nature

Review by Sukey Howard

Two novels with roughly the same theme -- the discovery of living survivors of our ancient hominid cousins -- have just been published as books and as audios. A coincidence? Something in the ancestral air? Or a contemporary case of parallel evolution? Both are tales of high adventure-Neanderthal by John Darnton, read by Jay O. Sanders, takes place in the high caves and valleys of the remote Pamir mountains.

Almost Adam by Petru Popescu, read by Joseph Campanella, is set in a remote region of Kenya. Both stories star appealing, dedicated scientists, their not-so-appealing enemies, political and professional, some appealing proto-hominids (Neanderthal, obviously, and Australopithicus) who don't have language, but do have extra-linguistic powers (ever attractive to the CIA), and their not-so-appealing, brutal proto-hominid enemies. Both have a romantic subplot, and something to say about the essence of being human beings. Take your pick or try them both.

Sukey Howard reports on spoken word audio each month. Don't miss her appearances on CNN, where she is their regular audio reviewer. Catch Sukey on Sunday, July 21 on the morning show, 8:30 a.m. EST.

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