The Kingdom of Speech
A polemical nonfiction work that challenges the prevailing scientific consensus on the origins of language, arguing against both Darwinian evolution and Noam Chomsky's theory of universal grammar. Wolfe contends that speech is a human invention, not a product of biological evolution.
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Ranked #680 of 1942 · 192 pages · Published 2016 · Nonfiction / Essay
Mentioned 1× on The Joe Rogan Experience across 1 episode, most recently on Aug 27, 2026.
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Every episode where this book came up, newest first. Timestamps are approximate; each mention links to its source.
Mentioned by Daniel Everett · 00:52:35 · ▶︎ Watch this moment on YouTube (approximate) · Source: Transcript (podscripts.co)
Everett says Tom Wolfe's last book, The Kingdom of Speech, covered his controversy with Chomsky.
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Book data: ISBN 9780316404624. Page count from Open Library (median of editions). Cover via Open Library Covers.