Evolution

by Mark Ridley

Book Overview

This anthology contains extracts from more than 60 scientific papers, by authors such as Stephen Jay Gould, Richard Dawkins, Francis Crick and Jacques Monod. It starts with Charles Darwin, but concentrates on modern research, including genomics. The extracts are organized in sections, enabling the reader to sample a range of views on each topic, and have been chosen for their readability as well as their scientific importance.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0199267944
• ISBN13: 9780199267941
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 458 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A shortlist of monumental papers by evolutionary biologists

This was the main text we used in my evolution course at the University of Missouri - Kansas City. It is a collection of influential papers, each representative of an important discovery or contribution to the development of modern evolutionary thought. As you should expect from any collection of academic papers, some parts are very interesting and exciting while others are painfully boring. A couple personal favorites in this book are the papers "evolutionary explosions and the phylogenetic fuse" and "the spandrels of san marco and the panglossian paradigm." Though, it should be noted that the latter was significantly shortened for this edition. Overall, a great and fascinating collection.

Jam packed with important ideas

This might be the most valuable book I have on my shelf.Six selected pages from each of 64 classic authors. Fantastic!The book is divided into 10 sections,each with an introduction by the editor, Mark Ridley.Very helpful!There is no way a book like this can be summarized.It would be like trying to summarize a textbook.The table of contents tells the story best.Odd that an author would publish two very different books with identical titles.I write here of the one that is the Oxford Reader.

This book says it all!

This might be the most valuable book I have on my shelf.Six selected pages from each of 64 classic authors. Fantastic!The book is divided into 10 sections,each with an introduction by the editor, Mark Ridley.Very helpful!There is no way a book like this can be summarized.It would be like summarizing an encyclopedia.The table of contents tells the story.Odd that an author would publish two very different books with identical titles.I write here of the one that is the Oxford Reader.

This book says it all!

This might be the most valuable book I have on my shelf.Six selected pages from each of 64 classic authors. Fantastic!The book is divided into 10 sections,each with an introduction by the editor, Mark Ridley.Very helpful!There is no way a book like this can be summarized.It would be like summarizing an encyclopedia.Odd that an author would publish two very different books with identical titles.I write here of the one that is the Oxford Reader.

If you are serious about evolution, read this.

I have the 1994 edition. It is a textbook, but it was no act of masochism to read it through. This is a compliment to any sizeable textbook, but do not think it reads like a novel. If you skim it, you will be missing a great deal.I liked the writing, which is clear, pleasant and efficient; no waffle. The book is carefully structured and the aim throughout is to convey the successive themes; there is not much stopping to sniff the flowers. Examples and illustrations are effectively chosen to illuminate specific points. The history of the subject and of views on the subject matter is carefully interwoven with the development of the themes, to give a powerful insight into the respective status of major current schools of thought. The book is exceptional in its dispassionate discussion of rival opinions.I should have liked a more comprehensive index. Several times when wanting to refer back to points, I was reduced to paging and searching. The CD version must be a real luxury.Strongly recommended to students, professionals and serious evolutionary dilletants. Creation scientists have no one but themselves to blame if they burn their fingers on it.