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The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature (Penguin Press Science)
 
 
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The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature (Penguin Press Science) (Paperback)

by Matt Ridley (Author) "When a surgeon cuts into a body, he knows what he will find inside ..." (more)
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
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Customers buy this book with The Selfish Gene: 30th Anniversary edition by Richard Dawkins

The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature (Penguin Press Science) + The Selfish Gene: 30th Anniversary edition
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Product details

  • Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin; New Ed edition (6 Oct 1994)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0140167722
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140167726
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 2.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 47,980 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Product Description

Sex is as fascinating to scientists as it is to the rest of us. A vast pool of knowledge, therefore, has been gleaned from research into the nature of sex, from the contentious problem of why the wasteful reproductive process exists at all, to how individuals choose their mates and what traits they find attractive. This fascinating book explores those findings, and their implications for the sexual behaviour of our own species. It uses the Red Queen from ‘Alice in Wonderland’ – who has to run at full speed to stay where she is – as a metaphor for a whole range of sexual behaviours. The book was shortlisted for the 1994 Rhone-Poulenc Prize for Science Books. ‘Animals and plants evolved sex to fend off parasitic infection. Now look where it has got us. Men want BMWs, power and money in order to pair-bond with women who are blonde, youthful and narrow-waisted … a brilliant examination of the scientific debates on the hows and whys of sex and evolution’ Independent.


From the Publisher

Science is...
According to Matt Ridley, science is not a catalogue of facts; it is a search for new mysteries. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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When a surgeon cuts into a body, he knows what he will find inside. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.9 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating book that enthralls as much as a great novel, 9 Sep 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature (Penguin Press Science) (Paperback)
The Red Queen - named after a theory which is itself named for the 'Alice' character, who must run as fast as she can simply to keep pace with the world around her - fascinated from beginning to end.

Looking at the evolution of sex, it is filled with intriguing facts, remarkable examples, and frequently alarming revelations. From why the peacock has that remarkable tail (it's probably to do with sexy sons) to why polygamy benefits females rather than males, the book is a real eye-opener.

Once you've learned the secret of the lek, the local disco will never seem the same again. And, given that a man's testicular size is evidence that neither he nor his partner evolved for true monogamy, you may not find this book terribly reassuring.

Polygyny, polyandry, incest, infanticide, and group-bonking bonobos: it may leave you thinking that, in comparison to even some of our closest relatives, we humans have very conservative sex lives indeed. And we may only have started doing it at all so that we don't fall prey to parasites!

A great read, and real incentive to read anything else available by Matt Ridley.

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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Good summary of a fascinating topic, 8 Jan 1999
By A Customer
This is "popular science" at its best. Ridley deals with an extremely complex topic in a manner which anyone with a reasonable level of common sense/logic can understand. At the same time the book is very well referenced and in no way lacking in scientific content or examples. It is at once shocking, exciting and educational, smoothly linking invertebrate parasitology to 20th century human society and convention - and covering a fair amount of ground on the way! I have persuaded all of my friends, (especially my girlfriend) to read it, and they have all found it as fascinating as I did.
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30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Red Queen- A topic for debate, 12 Jan 2004
This review is from: The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature (Paperback)
Matt Ridley's book the red queen talks about human evolution, but also how our love lives are similar to animals. Matt writes this book with conviction and spreads his love of zoology onto us when he compares how similar the courting rituals of birds to humans.
Matt also opens us up to debate as in one of the chapters he mentions about sexual reproduction "why do we have sex, why not go asexual, that way we would waste less energy" He wants us to question things instead of just accepting things for what they are just because someone famous made a discovery. He also mentions about the psychology of men and women and how any why they are different, the roles of beauty and how that could attract parasites and that is what makes this book so interesting up to the final ending when he leaves with a final analogy in the end of the chapter in The intellutual chess game. Recommended Reading!!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A fact-filled and enjoyable learning experience
'The Red Queen' makes a good case for William Hamilton's 'parasite theory of sex', which says that sex evolved as a tool to fight attacks by quickly-evolving parasites... Read more
Published 1 month ago by G. Imroth

1.0 out of 5 stars A study of the sexual behavior of chimps.
I found this very difficult to follow most of the time, partly due to the repetition of facts which tended to seem generalized by an author who borrows heavily from other sources... Read more
Published 9 months ago by N. T. Sharp

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating topic explained well
A very enjoyable popular science read. Evolutionary scientists are coming out with more and more evidence and theories on how evolution makes us what we are - not just the flesh... Read more
Published on 13 Aug 2005

5.0 out of 5 stars amazing
I couldn't believe the poor reviews this book got - don't believe them! This book was an amazing insight when I read it during my biology degree around 10 years ago, and I still... Read more
Published on 4 May 2005

2.0 out of 5 stars ideas are too simplistic and text is difficult to follow
this book makes some interesting points, but the information is not organised very well. It was a disappointment as it proved to be yet another book which does not go beyond the... Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2002

1.0 out of 5 stars old material
This book is interesting in parts but covers material which has already been dealt with by numerous authors in a more interesting, convincing and open manner. Read more
Published on 3 Mar 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars Realy should be read!
This book gives a fascinating insight into the human condition. Its a cliché I know but I really could not put this book down!
Published on 7 Dec 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars The paradigm shift left me dizzy
I have sinced read many more books on Evolutionary Psychology, but I still recommend The Red Queen (along with Robert Wright's The Moral Animal) as the best introduction. Read more
Published on 6 Oct 1999

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