"Looking for "reasons why" in biology can seem a mug's game: every little biological accident sticks around in the genome, where it rubs up against every other little biological accident, hopelessly entangling causes and effects. Happily, no one dissuaded Beekman, who weaves a gripping, well-evidenced chain of chance between our molecular biology and language, our rarest skill"
– Telegraph, Best Books of 2025
"Plenty of theories have been tossed into the evidentiary void [...] mainly by men, but now evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman, of the University of Sydney, has turned her female gaze on the problem [...] Her theory, which she describes as having been hiding in plain sight, is compelling [...] exciting [...] thought-provoking [...] a persuasive case"
– Guardian
"A novel answer to a question that has long confounded evolutionary thinkers [...] Beekman's reading of the distant past gives us a chance to reckon with just how unnatural it is for parents to go it alone in the present and just how much we might be losing in the process"
– Atlantic
"Beekman makes an impressive case for an evolutionary development that brings together our physical limitations, large brain and the years of development required before we can operate independently. This is all done in a lightly handled, readable fashion [...] A fascinating addition to the field"
– Popular Science
"Beekman's big leap is her proposal that the demands of looking after human babies drove the evolution of complex language [...] it places women and children at the centre. Because science has traditionally been skewed towards the male, ideas about human evolution tended to overly focus on them ("Man the Hunter" and all that) [...] it is good to consider the roles of women and children in the origin of language"
– New Scientist
"A rigorous examination of the evolution of human communication. Compelling, thought provoking and hugely entertaining. I learned even as I laughed"
– Ashley Ward, biologist and author of The Social Lives of Animals and Sensational
"Beautiful, playful and all-encompassing. Beekman elegantly delves into that most elusive and tantalizing aspect of our evolution: language. On every page there's something that makes you smile and think, "I didn't know that!""
– Menno Schilthuizen, author of Darwin Comes to Town
"Beekman uncovers the evolutionary mysteries behind human speech in this riveting exploration of our linguistic past. As artificial intelligence reshapes communication, understanding the deep roots of human language has never been more crucial. A must-read for anyone seeking essential insights to navigate our rapidly evolving technological future"
– Dana Suskind, author of 30 Million Words
"An entertaining and enlightening examination of the roots of speech"
– Kirkus Reviews
"Writing with wit, Beekman showcases her knack for making complex ideas accessible. The result is an edifying and original foray into a critical aspect of human evolution"
– Publishers Weekly
"The Origin of Language is a tour de force. At its core it seeks to explain the origin of language. But, by linking our patterns of sociality, behavior, development, and communication it is a celebration of humanity's origins. Reading Madeleine Beekman's book, you will never look at babies – and their utterances – the same way ever again."
– Neil Shubin, evolutionary biologist and author of Your Inner Fish
"With a knack for making complex topics accessible and interesting, Beekman guides us through human evolution, with stops along the way to explain why we walk upright, why people made irrational decisions about buying honeycomb from her beehives, and why babies are cute but koalas are boring. She then persuasively argues for childcare as the linchpin in the evolution of our ability to speak, and shows how language, that extraordinary human accomplishment, engages in an exquisite to-and-fro with the brain."
– Marlene Zuk, author of Paleofantasy
