The Origin of Species
by Darwin
Darwin's classic book, The Origin of Species, found a ready audience both with the scientists of his day and with the general public. Evolution is, first and foremost, the theory that structures modern biology. Ecology and genetics are two fields that sprang largely from the questions that Darwin posed about the interactions among species and the role of heredity in shaping life's history and future. Much of the work in genomics and proteomics that fills the science section of the newspaper depends on advances in population genetics and phylogenetics. But evolution is also an important idea in many other intellectual realms beyond biology, including psychology, linguistics, theology, and philosophy. The books that appear in this list represent a sampling of evolutionary thought from many of these disciplines. Some are classics in biology, some are about the philosophy of evolutionary science, some are about how religion and science interact, some are stories about the people who shape and have been shaped by the study of evolution. Most of these are books that will make you think about how evolution works and what the history of life means for humanity. Many of these books are truly fun reads that will stretch your mind in new ways. Science is something that we hope many of you will be called to create; maybe one of these books will provide the inspiration for your contribution.

EVOLUTION AND NATURAL HISTORY

From DNA to Diversity: Molecular Genetics and the Evolution of Animal Design
by Sean B. Carroll, Jennifer K. Grenier, and Scott D. Weatherbee
Evolutionary developmental biology (EvoDevo) is making great strides in understanding how genes specify morphology. These authors, all researchers on the leading edge of this revolution, present a beautifully illustrated introduction to two decades of progress in their field. The text can be heavy going, but persistence will be rewarded with insight!

The Ant and the Peacock: Altruism and Sexual Selection from Darwin to Today
by Helena Cronin
The cooperative living of ant societies and the elaborate plumage of birds such as the peacock have been pivotal in understanding how natural selection creates the diversity of living strategies we find in nature. This book is a philosophical account of evolutionary thinking that assumes a basic knowledge of evolutionary science.

On the Origin of Species
by Charles Darwin
Daniel Dennett calls Darwin's theory of natural selection "…the best idea anybody ever had." Few scientists have had the influence both within and outside their fields that Darwin had. He was a great writer, a careful thinker, and a hard-working researcher. The Origin is a must read for any biologist. Darwin produced six editions over his lifetime, each with some subtle differences. Harvard Press' facsimile of the first edition (with comments by Ernst Mayr) is one of the best.

The Selfish Gene
The Blind Watchmaker
The Extended Phenotype
A River Out Of Eden
Climbing Mount Improbable
by Richard Dawkins
Dawkins has written an excellent set of books addressing many of the same topics as Stephen J Gould, but from a very different perspective. Some will find Dawkins' style easier to follow than Gould's.

The Third Chimpanzee
by Jared Diamond
This is an admittedly more speculative work focusing on the specific evolutionary "forces" (natural selection, sexual selection, genetic drift) shaping human evolution since our divergence from our nearest primate relatives.

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
by Jared Diamond
A masterpiece of reasoning that shows the role of geography, demography, and ecology in shaping human history. This book will change the way you look at the history and future of human society.

Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life
by Daniel C. Dennett
This philosopher of science has written a book about Darwinism as a "universal acid" that eats away all metaphysical deliberation. This is a deliciously argued book that nearly everyone will find things to disagree with. But even when you disagree, you have to admire Dennett's style and clarity of reasoning; he will make you think about the meaning of life in a new way.

The Miner's Canary
by Niles Eldredge
This book addresses much the same topic, with a distinct conservation bent that Raup does in his book titled "Extinction: Bad Genes or Bad Luck?."

The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance
by Laurie Garrett
Based on international field research and extensive interviews with experts in virology, molecular biology, disease ecology and medicine, Garrett (health and science writer and former science correspondent for National Public Radio) investigates newly identified viruses such as HIV, HIV-II and the mysterious Ebola; old viruses in new locations, such as hantavirus and dengue; and mutant strains of old diseases examining the relationship between the spread of disease, sociology, politics, and science.

Through a Window: My Thirty Years with The Chimpanzees of Gombe
by Jane Goodall
This is Dr. Goodall's latest discussion of the fascinating lives of our nearest living relatives.

Ever Since Darwin
Hen's Teeth and Horse's Toes
Flamingo's Smile
Bully for Brontosaurus
Eight Little Piggies
The Dinosaur in the Haystack
Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History
by Stephen Jay Gould
Most of these books are collections of essays from Gould's column in the Natural History magazine. They provide great discussions of every aspect of evolutionary biology under the sun. Wonderful Life is a discussion of the Cambrian Explosion. His style is a bit ornate and wide-ranging but an excellent read nonetheless.

The Structure of Evolutionary Theory
by Stephen Jay Gould
This massive volume is the late Dr. Gould's last major work and one of his few writings directed towards professional scientists. Gould provides a great historical background for thinking about evolution in the first part of the book before turning his attention to the themes that dominated Gould's career. The book is an important one, however the prose is dense and often rambling. You must really want to read this book to make it all the way through!

Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in Nature
by Harry Greene
A brilliant natural history punctuated with meditations and stories of a herpetologist's life. Gorgeously illustrated with photographs by Michael Fogden and Patricia Fogden.

Phylogenetic Trees Made Easy: A How-To Manual for Molecular Biologists
by Barry G. Hall
This little volume provides a terrific introduction to the theory and methodology of modern phylogenetics. Because phylogenies have become such important tools in genomics, development, and microbiology, this well-written tutorial is a "must read" for persons who must construct or interpret phylogenetic data.

Lucy: The Beginnings of Humankind
by Donald Johanson
This book allows for those readers who know nothing about the archaeological world a glimpse into the past. It is an interesting look into the events leading to the discovery of Humankind's oldest known ancestor, Lucy, and chronicles Dr. Johanson's growth to experienced field worker, with world renown. As it is from his perspective, it gives a more personable and personal angle to the story as a whole.

From Lucy to Language
by Donald Johanson and Blake Edgar
In recent decades, new fossil discoveries have redefined perceptions of human evolution at a remarkable pace. This book by paleoanthropologist Johanson, discoverer of the famous partial skeleton of "Lucy," a female hominid who lived 3.2 million years ago, gives as complete a picture as is presently known. Much mystery remains, but the earlier view of human evolution as a linear progression from apes through the hominids to the various Homo species has been replaced by a more treelike analogue, one with many branches of upright-walking hominids. It includes more than 200 color pictures of the major fossil discoveries, each with explanatory text.

Ancestors: In Search of Human Origins
by Donald Johanson, Lenora Johanson, and Blake Edgar
This is the companion book to a PBS video series and offers a good overview of human evolution, with particular attention to the relationships among various hominids and at least a brief evaluation of various competing hypotheses about human evolution. Remember that this whole field is still rife with controversy!

Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation: The Definitive Guide to the Evolutionary Biology of Sex
by Olivia Judson
Written as an advice column to sexually frustrated creatures of every sort, Dr. Tatiana (aka, Olivia Judson) takes you on a romp through the bizarre and surprising world of animal reproduction. This book is great fun, quirky, and a source of conversation to enliven any dinner party, but sometimes the science gets stretched a bit far.

Acquiring Genomes: A Theory of the Origins of Species
by Lynn Margulis and Dorion Sagan
Can symbiogenesis (the combining of genomes) explain speciation in a way that selection, drift, mutation, and the other standard forces of evolution cannot? This is a radical book about evolution by one of the most successful mavericks in biology. Regardless of whether or not you are convinced by her argument, you will come away with a deeper appreciation of the complexity of the microbial world.

What Evolution Is
by Ernst Mayr
Mayr brings seven decades of professional contributions to this volume on the philosophy and science behind evolutionary biology. He provides a lucid exposition on the principles and terms that are needed to understand evolutionary thinking, and presents his case for a focus on individuals and populations rather than genes in understanding life's history.

The Growth of Biological Thought
Toward a New Philosophy of Biology
by Ernst Mayr
These are (respectively) Ernst Mayr's history of seminal ideas in biology and a broader discussion of the philosophical underpinnings of modern evolutionary biology.

Science as a Way of Knowing
by John Moore
A master teacher takes serious students of science on a ride through the historical and conceptual bases of biological thinking. A fascinating book, with great case studies and meditations on the value of science.

The Song of the Dodo
by David Quammen
This book offers an excellent combination of natural history, island biogeography, and conservation.

Extinction: Bad Genes or Bad Luck?
by David Raup
Raup explains some of the mysteries of the process that has eliminated 99% of all the species of organisms that have ever lived and provides his views on the relationship(s) between "normal" and "mass" extinction events.

The Cooperative Gene: How Mendel's Demon Explains the Evolution of Complex Beings
by Mark Ridley
This is a book about sex and how it has enabled the evolution of complicated life. Although written as a popular book, the ideas here are novel and exciting. Ridley provides some fascinating speculation on the future of complex life.

The Fossil Trail: How We Know What We Think We Know About Human Evolution
by Ian Tattersall
Tattersall, head of the Anthropology Department at the American Museum of Natural History, presents a sweeping tour of the study of human evolution. Offers a fascinating history of fossil discoveries, including some very recent finds, and a revealing look at how these finds have been interpreted, and misinterpreted, throughout history.

The Life and Death of Planet Earth: How the New Science of Astrobiology Charts the Ultimate Fate of Our World
by Peter Ward and Don Brownlee
This pairing of a paleontologist and an astronomer has previously written a book (Rare Earth) arguing that life on earth is a pretty extraordinary accident. In this continuation, they suggest that it might also be a pretty short-lived accident, with catastrophic climatic changes bearing down on our world in a few thousand years. Even if this story turns out to be science fiction, this book is a fun read about an emerging field of science.

The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA
by James D. Watson
"Science seldom proceeds in the straightforward logical manner imagined by outsiders," writes James Watson in The Double Helix, his account of his co-discovery (along with Francis Crick) of the structure of DNA. Watson and Crick won Nobel Prizes for their work. The real story behind the deceptively simple outcome was messy, intense, and sometimes truly hilarious. To preserve the "real" story for the world, James Watson attempted to record his first impressions as soon after the events of 1951-1953 as possible.

The Beak of the Finch
by Jonathan Weiner
Weiner discusses evolutionary theory relating to natural selection and speciation by presenting the pioneering work of Peter and Rosemary Grant. The Grants have done work over the last 30 years on the finches of the Galapagos Islands.

The Future of Life
by Edward O. Wilson
This great writer and naturalist provides a passionate meditation on the environmental problems that face our planet and how they will affect the future of living organisms.

The Diversity of Life
by Edward O. Wilson
This is E. O. Wilson at his most eloquent, interesting, and passionate. In it he describes the processes and events that have shaped the diversity of life on earth, those that currently threaten its existence, and the new ethic he proposes as necessary if we are to maintain that diversity and a quality of life worth living.

Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea
by Carl Zimmer, Stephen Jay Gould (Introduction)
This is a superbly written companion volume to the (great) PBS series on evolution that aired in 2001. Zimmer provides a lively account of the major ideas in evolution and why they dominate biological science. This book is very accessible to the non-scientist, with an exceptionally clear presentation of natural selection, paleontology, and some of the outstanding examples of evolution in action.

BIOGRAPHIES AND AUTOBIOGRAPHIES

Darwin: The Life of a Tormented Evolutionist
by Adrian Desmond and James Moore
This is the latest, and by at least some accounts, the best of the Darwin biographies. Adrian Desmond and James Moore draw extensively on original journals and other documents to recreate, as much as possible, Darwin's own thinking about his work.

The Kindly Fruits of the Earth: Recollections of an Embryo Ecologist
by G. Evelyn Hutchinson
This is the autobiography of the formative years of G. Evelyn Hutchinson, one of the most important ecologists of this century.

Apes, Angels and Victorians: Darwin, Huxley and Evolution
by William Irvine
Pretty much what the title says, a combined biography of Darwin and his "bulldog," with special attention to events surrounding the publication of The Origin.

Men of Science in America
by Bernard Jaffee
This is a collection of vignettes on key scientists up to the late 1800's. It includes Thomas Say, O.C. Marsh, and T. H. Morgan.

A Feeling for the Organism
by Evelyn Fox Keller
This is a wonderful biography of Barbara McClintock. McClintock won the 1983 Nobel Laureate for her work on transposons, which was an early harbinger of the age of molecular genetics.

Darwin, His Daughter, and Human Evolution
by Randal Keynes
This biography of Darwin (by one of his descendents) focuses on how Darwin's family life and science were intertwined. This book reveals the human side of the great man.

Bones of Contention: Controversies in the Search for Human Origins
by Roger Lewin
Roger Lewin's recently updated Bones of Contention is a guide to the scientists, their characters, and controversies. Lewin never forgets that hominid fossil discoveries always involve both the self-image of humanity and that of individual scientists.

Ancestral Passions
by Virginia Morrell
This is science writer Virginia Morrell's biography of the Leakey family (Louis, Mary, Richard et al.) and their pioneering work to unravel human evolutionary history.

Woman in the Mists
by Farley Mowat
Mowat tells the story of gorilla researcher Dian Fossey in the jungles of Africa. A movie by the same name was developed from this book.

Impressions of Great Naturalists
by Henry Fairfield Osborn
This is a collection of biographical "reminiscences" of such naturalists as Darwin, Roosevelt, John Burroughs, and John Muir, told by the former president of the American Museum of Natural History.

Green Laurels
by Donald Culross Peattie
Peattie offers brief discussions of the lives and works of great naturalists from Middle Ages through the publication of The Origin.

Rosalind Franklin and DNA
by Anne Sayre
This is a biography of Rosalind Franklin. In it she addresses the errors and sexism (blatant and otherwise) of Watson's account of the discovery of DNA.

Concessions to the Improbable: An Unconventional Autobiography
by George Gaylord Simpson
This is a delightful description of his life, travels, and work.

Privileged Hands: A Scientific Life
by Geerat Vermeij
This autobiography of one of the great marine evolutionary biologist tells three stories: what the current state of evolutionary biology reveals about the natural world, what it's like to travel and study exotic living organisms in equally exotic locations, and finally a deep exploration of what it is to live without sight. Vermeij's story is one of inspiration and brilliance. A wonderful read.

Naturalist
by Edward O. Wilson
This is Wilson's account of his development as an entomologist and ecologist, as the father of sociobiology, and a major proponent of the value and importance of conserving biodiversity.

Chapter 2: The Evidence for Evolution

Further Reading