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POPULAR SCIENCE BOOKS ON EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
MY TOP
FIVE
The
Blind Watchmaker Richard Dawkins (Evolutionary theory
- selfish genes)
The Song of the Dodo David Quammen (Biogeography/conservation)
The Origins of Virtue Matt Ridley (Evolutionary theory applied to humans)
The Beak of the Finch Jonathan Weiner (Evolution in the
wild)
The Blank Slate
Steve Pinker (The nature versus nurture debate)
The aim of this list is simply to convince
you to read a book or two. OK just one. Go on, live dangerously! All the books
listed fall into the 'popular science' category. These are the books that people
who - unlike you - don't have the privilege of access to higher education but
still crave knowledge read to improve themselves. Yup, I'm trying to guilt-trip
you by reminding you how fortunate you are.
It won't be that painful though. These books are written in non-technical
language and the authors make a huge effort to entertain while they
inform. Sex, drugs, pop culture, Mad Cow disease, Bush's brain capacity -
they'll do anything to try and hold your interest. These are also the very books
your lecturers have read to get some ideas on how to organize their teaching.
Cut out the middle man and read them too!!
If you read even a few of these books, I
guarantee that your marks in almost every course with an evolutionary or
ecological component will rise considerably. Why? First,
the authors are experts in explaining difficult concepts. They probably do a
better job than many lecturers. (Let's face it, you can read far more in 50
minutes than you can hear, so we can not present as much information or cover
every potential stumbling block). Second, you will suddenly find that you can
provide additional examples when answering exam questions. Nothing impresses a
lecturer more than a student who has done some independent study. It is
a green light to award marks. Third, you'll start to see links between disparate
fields. Once you have a mental map of the 'ideas landscape' it is easier to remember things. So do it. Read a Book.
Most of these books are cheap (far cheaper than textbooks). They are usually
AU$20-30. If you rummage around in secondhand bookstores (here in Canberra - see
below - and definitely in Sydney or Melbourne) you'll find a great many of them for less than $12. So poverty is no excuse. That is the price of a six
pack of beer.
Please note, that I've made links to the books as advertised on Amazon.com.
Titles may vary slightly from those available locally, as may the price (They
often use different titles in the U.S. to those in the Commonwealth). I
know people are hesitant to do so, but I 've ordered books using the 'Buy
Second Hand' option at Amazon.com and never had any problems. Just be sure
that you take postage costs into account.
MY NEXT FIVE
Dr Tatiana's Sex Advice
to All Creation Olivia Judson
(Natural history/behavioural ecology)
Stumbling upon Happiness
Daniel Gilbert (psychology and cognitive biases)
Third Chimpanzee Jared Diamond (History of
humanity)
The Red Queen Matt Ridley (Sexual selection, with emphasis on humans)
The Selfish Gene
Richard Dawkins (Evolutionary theory)
NEXT TEN
Freakonomics
Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner (microeconomics of weird stuff)
Games
of Life Karl Sigmund (Evolutionary theory
– especially game theory)
Life’s Devices Steven Vogel (Biomechanics and models)
Promiscuity Tim Birkhead (Sperm
competition)
The Future Eaters Tim Flannery (Australia's natural history)
Genome Matt Ridley (Introduction to
thinking about genes as ‘selfish organisms’)
Nature
via Nurture
Matt Ridley
(Genes and environment are both important)
Why Big, Fierce Animals are Rare
Paul Colinvaux (classic introduction to ecology)
The Moral Animal
Robert Wright (Evolutionary Psychology)
Parasite Rex Carl Zimmer
(Cool stories about parasites)
Modeling Nature Sharon Kingsland (History of modern ecology)
Cat's Paws and Catapults Steven Vogel (Biomechanics and models)
OTHER BOOKS
Life: A Natural History of the
First Four Billion Years of Life on Earth
- Richard Fortey
Feral Future –
Tim Low (Australian wildlife)
The Map that Changed the World – Simon
Winchester (Geology and fossils – science history)
Mendel’s Demon – Mark Ridley (Modern
genetics)
EVOLUTIONARY ISSUES IN HUMANS
Guns, Germs and Steel - Jared Diamond
Why is sex fun?
– Jared Diamond
Not in our Genes
– Rose, Lewontin & Kamin (Polemic against gene-based explanations for
human behaviour by Marxist biologists)
Why we Age –
Steven Austad (evolutionary explanation of aging)
Tom Kirkwood
AUTHORS OF INTEREST
The authors of the above books
have often written other interesting books.
Many of these are also excellent,
although some are more technical in nature.
Other authors you might enjoy are:
Daniel Dennett
(Evolutionary
theory by a Philosopher)
Lynn Margulis (Evolution of life,
sex, microbiology)
Robin Dunbar
(Primates, philosophy
of science, human evolution)
Steven Jay Gould (Evolution,
geology, anglophiia) *
Robert Desowitz (Parasites and
Immune systems) *
Steve Jones (Introductions to
evolution and genetics)
Scientific American Library Series (White covers – square shape) *
Robert Axelrod (The evolution of
cooperation)
Lee Dugatkin
(The evolution of
cooperation)
Secondhand bookstores in Canberra
1. Clouston & Hall
Booksellers in Garema Place and Fyshwick (Huge selection). They sell unused books ('remainders') at 2nd hand prices.
I've picked up quite a few there for teaching purposes.
2. Canty’s Bookshop in Fyshwick
(a nice selection of older stuff at low prices)
3. Booklore,
next to Tilley’s in Lynham
(a bit expensive, but lots of quality stuff)
Doubtless there are
others. My main point is that if you look around you'll find good
science books at low prices.
Otherwise, try the ANU library - that's FREE!!
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