I interview the author on my podcast.

"Joseph LeDoux is a celebrated neuroscientist whose latest book is a work of quite staggering ambition - it traces the ‘Four Billion Year Story of How We Got Conscious Brains’. He reveals the profound similarities between us and bacteria, as well as offering a brilliant, overarching account of what makes us unique in the animal kingdom; how we developed the capacity for emotion and self-consciousness."

http://nousthepodcast.libsyn.com/joseph-ledoux-on-the-4-billion-year-journey-to-our-conscious-selves

A dense, factual exploration of the history of evolution and life on our planet. Very technical in places, which may make it most appealing to scientists and those with a biology background. But still interesting reading.