This book is a comprehensive study of the structure and formation of the earliest form of Greek poetry, the Homeric verse. It explores the oral tradition of the Homeric epics, suggesting that they were originally composed and performed by illiterate bards who used a complex system of formulaic language to create and remember the epic poems. The book also investigates the influence of the oral tradition on the written versions of the epics, offering a new understanding of the development of ancient Greek literature.

"The Secret of Our Success" explores how humans have become the planet's dominant species through our unique ability to learn and adapt culturally. The book argues that it is not just our intelligence or individual capabilities that set us apart, but rather our capacity to accumulate, preserve, and build upon the knowledge of previous generations. This cultural evolution, including the development of language, norms, and technologies, has enabled humans to thrive in a wide array of environments and to create complex societies. The author uses a blend of anthropology, psychology, and evolutionary biology to demonstrate how cultural transmission is an essential ingredient in human success.

In this thought-provoking exploration of cultural evolution, the author delves into the concept of memes as units of cultural transmission, akin to genes in biological evolution. The book examines how memes, encompassing ideas, behaviors, and styles, replicate and spread through human minds, shaping societies and influencing human behavior. By drawing parallels between genetic and memetic evolution, the narrative challenges traditional views on consciousness and free will, suggesting that humans are not just creators but also vehicles for these self-replicating cultural elements. Through a blend of scientific inquiry and philosophical reflection, the work invites readers to reconsider the forces that drive human culture and identity.

An exploration of Ice Age cave art revealing that, beyond animal figures, early humans repeated a limited set of geometric signs across tens of millennia and vast distances, suggesting a shared symbolic repertoire and deep roots of graphic communication. Blending science with fieldwork in European caves, it catalogs 32 recurring motifs—dots, lines, triangles, hand stencils, and more—and examines what they may have signified, challenging assumptions about when abstract thought and proto-writing emerged.