If you enjoy stories of heroism, desperation and survival, then The Clan of the Cave Bear is for you. Natural history can often be difficult to interpret due to the immense cultural differences and the amounts of facts. However, when Archeology and anthropology is turned into an easily readable novel, it makes it easier for the general public to appreciate early life and mankind's history.

Jean M. Auel undertook extensive poleontological and anthropological research before commencing to write the story of Ayla. Her research included being part of a survival course, in order to appreciate the difficulties of survival in the natural world and especially how difficult life would have been long ago without any technology. The authors training consisted of making an ice cave, knapping of stone, primitive fire making, etc.

Ayla, a five-year-old girl is separated from her family due to an earthquake. However, she has no one to help her, as this story is set in the ancient Paleolithic world, where every corner and wrong turn harbors danger. Ayla faces extreme dangers during her adventures, which include being attacked by a lion and eventually being rescued by a clan of cave dwelling Neanderthals. The entire story is set during an ice age that took place approximately thirty five thousand years ago, when both the Cromagnon and the Neanderthal inhabited the earth.

The difficulty of Ayla arises due to the fact that she is a Cro-magnon, a different subhuman category to that of the Neanderthal man. This is the reason why in the story the Neanderthal tribe refers to Ayla as: "other." Nonetheless they do not discriminate against her, and raise her as one of their own. Being female she is categorised and is taught the ways of the clan's women. The medicinal woman in the tribe teaches Ayla about herbs and their applications, the girl eventually succeeds and becomes good at what she does.

As Ayla grows and matures her physical differences from that of the Neandethal become more prominent, making her an outcast amongst the clan, which is further reinforced by the clan's physical rebuking. During which the son of the clan's leader who initially took her into the clan rapes her. Such a display of violence and force changes the way Ayla sees the world around her and this makes her want to hunt like the men; an occupation, which is forbidden for women by the tribe. However, Ayla uses her intelligence and learns to hunt with the men, in order to raise her status in the clan as being an able individual.

Eventually Ayla is outcast due to the fact that she was carrying Broud's child. Later on Creb passing on and making Broud the leader of the clan reinforces that Ayla isn't welcome anymore in the clan. Being forced out, Ayla leaves her child behind in the clan and departs. Ahead of her lies a great journey, an adventure to find her lost family and the rest of her people, who left her behind after then disastrous earthquake.

This award-winning story is definitely for anyone who has a taste for ancient history, paleontology, adventure, human relationships, danger and excitement.

Learn more about this author, Phil P.
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