Includes bibliographical references (p. 257-287) and index.

In this stunningly original book, renowned primatologist Richard Wrangham argues that "cooking" created the human race. At the heart of "Catching Fire" lies an explosive new idea: The habit of eating cooked rather than raw food permitted the digestive tract to shrink and the human brain to grow, helped structure human society, and created the male-female division of labor.

The cooking hypothesis -- Quest for raw-foodists -- The cook's body -- The energy theory of cooking -- When cooking began -- Brain foods -- How cooking frees men -- The married cook -- The cook's journey -- The well-informed cook.