Ancient fish bones can be a path to knowledge about who we are and how we got that way. We learn about our own bodies in seemingly bizarre places, ranging from the fossils of worms and fish recovered from rocks from around the world to the DNA in virtually every animal alive on earth today.
-- Shubin (Chapter 1 paragraph Page 3)

Importance: This quote captures the entire premise of “Finding Your Inner Fish” which is based on the author’s theory that man has a close relationship with fish.

The reason the wing of a bat and the arm of a human share a common skeletal pattern is because they shared a common ancestor.
-- Shubin (Chapter 2 paragraph Page 32)

Importance: Shubin paraphrased Charles Darwin in the above explanation for the similar elements in the bones of man and other species.

Do the facts of our ancient history mean that humans are not special or unique among living creatures? Of course not. In fact...
-- Shubin (Chapter 2 paragraph Page 43)