Selected Product:
| The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution
Paperback
Author: Richard Dawkins
Publisher: Mariner Books
Release Date: 2005-09-02
ISBN-10: 061861916X
ISBN-13: 9780618619160
List Price: $16.95
Average Customer Rating:
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Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com
With unparalleled wit, clarity, and intelligence, Richard Dawkins, one of the world's most renowned evolutionary biologists, has introduced countless readers to the wonders of science in works such as The Selfish Gene. Now, in The Ancestor's Tale, Dawkins offers a masterwork: an exhilarating reverse tour through evolution, from present-day humans back to the microbial beginnings of life four billion years ago. Throughout the journey Dawkins spins entertaining, insightful stories and sheds light on topics such as speciation, sexual selection, and extinction. The Ancestor's Tale is at once an essential education in evolutionary theory and a riveting read.
Is it Wrong?
| Customer Rating: | Specifically, is it wrong that I'm using this book for the third time as bedtime reading material and am actually staying up later than I should? This enormous, densely written tome would seem at first to be a monumental bore, but I find it a compelling read time and time again!
The metaphor of the whole of modern life, meeting up and converging on that time when all life was one, gives a slight understanding to how complex evolution has been, and how much time it has taken. The fact that virtually identical genes can be found in creatures as different as whales and fruit flies shows just how related every living thing is. The idea that DNA is more of a recipe than a blueprint, makes the fact than any of us are here just that much more weird and wonderful. Dawkins' thoughts on human culture as a barrier that has exaggerated racial differences are disturbing and intriguing.
Once I am finished with this reading, I will put it away, slowly absorb what little I could wrap my head around this time, swear I'll never read it again, and come back for another go round in six months or so. I'll do so grudgingly at first, but soon find myself lost as Dr. Dawkins sweeps me and all my fellow organisms back to our beginnings. |
The perfect gift/get!
| Customer Rating: | I've always loved Dawkins books, so when my son had this on his wish list at birthday time, even though I'd already spent all of my alloted birthday money (and more!), I had to add this one!
I'm glad I did. He's told me how much he enjoyed it, and that, afterall, is the whole point of a gift, giving something the receiver will enjoy.
Of course, now I want the book, but it will have to wait a while. I still have 5 birthdays and Christmas to buy for before there's unspoken for cash in my wallet! |
Not without its flaws, but a must-read for anyone interested in the subject
| Customer Rating:  | "The Ancestor's Tale," Richard Dawkins's engaging look into the reverse-chronology of evolution, is based upon Chaucer's "Cantebury Tales;" we get various chapters revolving around certain organisms (or, rather, the earliest common ancestor of the modern-day organism), most chapters featuring a "tale" that deals with some aspect of evolution.
"Tale" is not perfect, though it is helped out by the fact that Dawkins readily admits his book isn't perfect. If he's uncertain of who came first in his backward trek through time, he admits it. If there is something scientists are still unsure of, Dawkins doesn't throw an answer our way--he describes to us the problem, and how future scientists might unravel it. There are a few other flaws, however, inherent in his writing: he is often wordy (especially in the sections co-written with Yan Wong, some of which Dawkins even tells the casual reader to just skip), and his various invented phrases ("concestor" being the prominent one) become hard to follow. Then there is his needless political skewering; he goes off-topic frequently to talk about the (mainly American) political climate of today's world. He also makes his opinions about Creationists plain; he often goes out of his way to mock them, to the extent of deterring the reader (most of whom, we must assume, believe in evolution) from his points.
His snide remarks (and occasional wordiness) aside, Dawkins's "The Ancestor's Tale" is an enjoyable, thoroughly informative romp through evolution. It is an admitably-biased approach (evolution through a human perspective; it could just as easily have been told through that of an elephant, which even Dawkins admits would be interesting), but that is unavoidable; humans can only tell human stories. Taken as such, "The Ancestor's Tale" is a must-read for anyone with an interest in evolution, or scientific writing in general. It may be a bit more than the most casual reader can handle, but if you've done some general-science reading before (I'm not expert, believe me; hell, I'm an English major!), you are more than prepared. Strap yourselves in for a journey back to the beginning of life...you'll find quite a few surprises along the way, I guarantee you. |
A great introduction to the science of Evolution
| Customer Rating: | A lot has already been said about this book, and I just thought I would throw in my two cents!
This is a great book! This book is Dawkins' best book for the masses. If you're curious about how evolution actually works and exactly how we know evolution by natural selection works, this is a great introduction.
Dawkins has a clear and easy to read style of writing, and he keeps the pace brisk and entertaining!
A lot has been said about how Dawkins rants and how long the book is. First, Dawkins keeps his rants to a bare minimum, and most of them are funny asides in the footnotes, don't believe the hype!
Second, the length of the book: this book is over 600 pages long! But it's not long and rambling, considering the scope and breadth of what the author is trying to do here, this book is actually quite condensed and to the point. Dawkins manages to tell the story of human and primate evolution in about 100 pages, which is no mean feat. This chapter in itself could easily fill up volumes!
Given the episodic structure of this book, I could easily imagine it being adapted (pun intended) into a great Cosmos style TV series! |
Evolutionary Biology
| Customer Rating: | | Great read for anyone interested in evolutionary biology - from an academic or a curiosity standpoint. |
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