by Greg Mayer
I frequently teach evolutionary biology in the spring semester, but for various reasons I will not be teaching it this coming spring. A few days ago, a student who wanted to take the course, but now couldn’t, asked what he could read in lieu of taking it. We discussed some suggestions, and then I sent him a copy of a chapter on “The evidence for evolution” that I’d written for The Princeton Guide to Evolution, edited by my friend and colleague Jon Losos. The point was not for him to read the chapter (although there’s nothing wrong with doing that!), but rather to send him the list of “Further Reading” that closed the chapter. The Guide is intended for students, and for scientists reading outside their specialties, so the recommended readings are not at a highly technical level, but can be edifying for any curious and interested reader. We were limited to ten, and here’s what I chose.
Young, D. 2007. The Discovery of Evolution. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Though last alphabetically, I list this one first, because it is a truly excellent book that is not well enough known (though I’m trying!) Ostensibly a history of evolutionary biology, it serves as a text for evolutionary biology itself, because it introduces and explicates not just the ideas and historical figures, but the evidence on which the major discoveries of evolutionary biology are based. It is intended for a general audience, and richly illustrated.
Carroll, R. 2009. The Rise of Amphibians: 365 Million Years of Evolution. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press. This book, by the dean of North American paleontology, is a bit more technical, and includes accounts of the origins of vertebrates and reptiles, as well as of the origin of amphibians.
Coyne, J. A. 2009. Why Evolution Is True. New York: Viking Penguin. ’nuff said.
Dawkins, R. 2009. The Greatest Show on Earth. New York: Free Press. Another account of the evidence for evolution for a general audience, by another person we all know.
Futuyma, D. J. 2013. Evolution. 3rd ed. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer. This is the leading undergraduate textbook of evolutionary biology, and is a good read for biology majors. It would require a bit more effort from a general reader, but it’s chock full of good stuff and worth the effort. Doug’s 1997 Evolutionary Biology (Sinauer) is more of a graduate level text, and, though a bit dated in spots, is more comprehensive and still quite worthwhile.
Grant, P. R., and Grant, B. R. 2008. How and Why Species Multiply: The Radiation of Darwin’s Finches. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. The Grants have published a number of more technical books on their groundbreaking work in the Galapagos on Darwin’s finches, but this volume provides a more accessible overview of the detailed evolutionary studies they and their associates have conducted over four decades, including several episodes of closely observed evolutionary changes. They have recently published a more technical but still readable account, including several more years of field work, in 40 Years of Evolution (2014, Princeton University Press).
Mayr, E. 2001. What Evolution Is. New York: Basic Books. A summary of the evidence for evolution and its causes by the man Jerry has rightly called the “Darwin of the 20th century.”
Prothero, D. R. 2007. Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters. New York: Columbia University Press. Intended for a general audience, this richly illustrated account of the fossil record emphasizes transitions between major groups, and is a great resource for understanding the broad outlines of evolutionary history and how we know how it happened.
Shubin, N. 2008. Your Inner Fish. New York: Pantheon Books. Another book by someone we all know, this is a popular account of the discovery of the fish-amphibian transitional form Tiktaalik, and of the traces of common ancestry in the anatomy and genes of vertebrates and other animals.
My tenth book was Darwin’s Origin of Species, but since almost every chapter could have cited it, and chapters before mine already had done so, it was left out. But I can add it back in here for WEIT readers.
Darwin, C. 1859. On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray. The modern reprinting which I read and usually cite from is the Harvard University Press reprint of 1964, with an introduction by Ernst Mayr. Although I have heard that some find Darwin’s “Victorian” style offputting (what do they want?– he was a Victorian), I find it quite readable, and still remarkably cogent and astute.
I can also add in here for WEIT readers the Princeton Guide, for which I prepared the original list. It has dozens of chapters by a top selection of evolutionary biologists (present company excluded!).
Losos, J.B., ed. 2014. The Princeton Guide to Evolution. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.
I would also add in a second evolution textbook, coauthored by the accomplished science writer Carl Zimmer, and by the scion of a distinguished biological family, Doug Emlen.
Zimmer, C., and D.J. Emlen. 2016. Evolution: Making Sense of Life. 2nd ed. Greenwood Village, Colorado: Roberts. Well written and well illustrated; at a slightly lower level than Futuyma (Z&E is sort of for sophomores, Futuyma for seniors; juniors could go either way). A great book for someone teaching an evolution course– very clear and well structured, with a variety of useful teaching aids.
Several years ago, Jerry prepared a list of the five books about evolution for general readers that he would pick. I did not consult Jerry’s list when I prepared mine for the Princeton Guide, so the comparison is of interest. The only one on both lists is Prothero. Jerry also chose the Origin (which would have been on my list if it had not already been recommended in the Guide); Dawkins’ Blind Watchmaker, which I too highly recommend; Janet Browne’s two volume biography of Darwin, which I again highly prize and recommend as well (although if you’ve only one history book to read, read Young’s Discovery of Evolution); and two books by Steven Jay Gould: an essay collection, and The Mismeasure of Man (they let Jerry pick 6 books). In comparing our lists, do recall the differences in the audiences for our lists– Jerry’s intended audience being nonscientist readers, mine being a bit of a hybrid, but leaning toward science students.
In teaching our undergraduate evolution classes, Jerry and I have both, at least at times, used Futuyma’s textbook and the Origin as our required readings. Although he and I have consulted occasionally on our teaching of evolution, I believe we arrived at our choices of books independently.
NOTE: The Princeton books (Losos, the Grants) are on a 30% off sale till November 15th– buy now!
Reblogged this on aspiblog and commented:
A very interesting account of some of the best books about evolution. I was personally gratified to note how many of them I have read!
I’ve read six of those. (Pats self on back)
I’ve only read five. Time to get to the book store.
No, wait, bookstores these days don’t have science books. They have nice scented candles though.
I’m trying to pluck up the courage to launch an assault on Gould’s Structure of Evolutionary Theory. It’s been sitting on my bookshelf, winking at me with “run away, fast” eyes (like “come hither” eyes, but slightly less enticing) for the thick end of a decade, looking like 1400 pages that I know I really ought to read, but can’t bring myself to open.
I read that one when it first appeared, and joked with colleagues that I was one of only a handful of people in the country to have read the whole thing. Gould would not let others edit his books, and it certainly shows in his magnum opus. He repeats himself in many places, and spends an inordinate amount of time defending some of his nebulous ideas against various critics. I am glad that I read it, but, on the whole, I doubt it is truly worth the investment. PCC’s former student, Allen Orr, wrote an excellent review of this book in the New Yorker in 2002.
Although it is 20 years old, I would add Dennett’s Darwin’s Dangerous Idea, to any list of popular evolution books. I think it is easily Dennett’s best book.
I second that, it takes the idea of natural selection and expands it to its natural conclusion. A fabulous book.
Excellent list to have. Thank you!
Greg, I’m especially interested in human evolution. Can you recommend a good, reliable, readable book for a non-scientist?
I’d like to know that too. There are so many transitional fossils nowadays, I have no idea which one is an ancestor or a cousin.
If I may put one in, one that I really enjoyed was Lucy by Donald Johanson. It is not comprehensive on human evolution (and it is dated now), but it focuses on his research, discovery of Lucy and her place in the scheme of human evolution, plus the relationships he has developed with the people living in the Afar region of Africa. I really enjoyed it.
He has also published a # of more recent books which I should read.
Thanks. I’ve heard of that, and would like to read it. There have been so many discoveries since then, I wondered if there was something that encompasses the more recent stuff too.
I enjoyed that one too. Learning about the science is always nice, but I particularly enjoy the stories behind the science.
I’d have to think about a human evolution book to recommend, and in the end I’m not sure I would recommend anything. There are two areas of exciting advances in human evolution– new fossil discoveries, and comprehensive genetic studies (the most exciting of which incorporate DNA recovered from fossils). Unfortunately, the recent anatomical work on fossils is grounded in a revived 19th century typological species concept that has led to a proliferation of names that makes it difficult for the interested non-expert to sort out real advances in knowledge from nomenclatural changes. The genomic work seems to me much more well grounded conceptually, but I don’t know of a book that covers it, and it’s moving so fast, a book would soon be outdated. Maybe John Hawks is working on a book (he already has a mooc)– I’m hoping he is!
GCM
Thank Greg. I’ll look out for one.
Hi Jerry, have you checked out “Ancestors in our Genome” by Eugene Harris? Would love to know what you think.
http://www.amazon.com/Ancestors-Our-Genome-Science-Evolution/dp/0199978034
To this list I would add Jim Costa’s “The Annotated Origin: A Facsimile of the First Edition of On the Origin of Species”, from Harvard University Press, 2009.
In this book Jim presents the Origin in its original printing on one side, and then comments to help explain the logic and writing of Darwin on the other side. For those who get stuck on the Victorian use of language, this is an invaluable contribution to understanding this most important text.
It is also out in paperback now. Highly Recommended if you want students to read On the Origin of Species.
I found “Origin of Species” to be an easy read; the language was simple and clear.
The consensus amongst my fellow students in our undergraduate course in evolution was that The Origin tended to make us sleepy, which was likely due to the writing style of the 19th century. I have read it a couple of times since and have learned to appreciate the thoroughness of Darwin’s arguments.
I’m not fond of 19th century writing, either, but thought that Darwin’s writing was much clearer and to the point than his contemporaries. That said, I read a handful of pages a day for several weeks; if I had had to read the whole book in a more condensed timeframe, I might have found it rather tedious.
I read Darwin’s Origin several times, and had no trouble with the language, but I like Jane Austen and Anthony Trollope as well, so I guess I enjoy that kind of thing.
I’ve never read Trollope, but enjoyed e.g. Defoe and Swift even prior to Darwin (Voyage of the Beagle, later Origin and Descent). Having read the relatively bloated and wishy-washy 6th edition of Origin multiple times, I recently downloaded the first edition text and it’s a much better book.
I would add that the age and class gap between Darwin and Wallace really shows in their writing style. Wallace is much more modern, and I strongly recommend e.g. The Malay Archipelago (ripping adventure yarns, precursor of Durrell and Attenborough) and Island Life (exposition of biogeography).
I’m going to go and read that, thanks!
A wonderful selection I will look forward to visiting. I’ve only read 3 so far.
I have not read “The Discovery of Evolution” yet, but from the description in the blog post it sounds similar to the excellent book “The ‘Origin’ Then and Now: An Interpretive Guide to the ‘Origin of Species'”, by David N. Reznick. http://www.amazon.com/The-Origin-Then-Now-Interpretive/dp/0691152578
In this eye-opening and accessible guide, David Reznick shows how many peculiarities of the Origin can be explained by the state of science in 1859, helping readers to grasp the true scope of Darwin’s departure from the mainstream thinking of his day. He reconciles Darwin’s concept of species with our current concept, which has advanced in important ways since Darwin first wrote the Origin, and he demonstrates why Darwin’s theory unifies the biological sciences under a single conceptual framework much as Newton did for physics. Drawing liberally from the facsimile of the first edition of the Origin, Reznick enables readers to follow along as Darwin develops his ideas. The “Origin” Then and Now is an indispensable primer for anyone seeking to understand Darwin’s Origin of Species and the ways it has shaped the modern study of evolution.] http://press.princeton.edu/titles/9005.html
There are several books devoted to presenting the Origin in context for modern readers (Reznick’s, and others mentioned in other comments), but their purpose and coverage is fundamentally different from Young’s Discovery of Evolution. Read one (or more) of these Origin-centered works, but read Young’s first– it covers essentially the whole history of evolutionary biology (Darwin, of course, receiving due attention), concentrating on the evidence adduced by the many scientists it covers, and serves as a summary of the evidence for how we came to know what we know about evolution.
GCM
I enjoy reading the various trade books about evolution. My favs, in addition to ones mentioned include:
Darwin’s Dreampond, by Tijs Goldschmidt. This accounts research on speciation of African cichlid fishes, but it also describes plenty of adventures from the author as he worked in the area.
At the Waters’ Edge, by Carl Zimmer. On the history of evolution of aquatic species –> land, and from land –> water.
Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea also by Zimmer.
Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution by Nick Lane.
Thank you for providing this list. I have read a number of the books, should reread them, and add the rest to my list of books to be read. My husband and I recently spent a week enjoying the fossils (and conversations with the guides)at the Royal Tyrell Museum of Paleontology in Drumheller, AB for the second time.
For someone wanting just one book covering all aspects of evolutionary science itself, its history, the pivotal personalities in evolutionary science, the cultural impact including creationism conflicts… all in one relatively compact and highly readable text I would suggest Professor Mark Pallen’s “Rough Guide to Evolution”. I’d say that even the most subject aware reader would find much to learn on aspects of the subject in this particular book.
Darwin’s On the Origin of Species: A Modern Rendition – February 13, 2014
by Daniel Duzdevich (Author), Olivia Judson (Foreword)
“translates” Darwin’s English to 21st century English. May be this may attract a few readers.
I don’t see the point of that. Darwin’s original is perfectly readable.
I’ve read 4 of these, and have just added all the others to my list of books to read, as well as several from the comments.
The two that I’d add to the list are Sean B. Carroll’s “The Making of the Fittest” (the DNA evidence) and Carl Zimmer’s “Parasite Rex” (the history and evolution of parasites).
Question for the collective wisdom of the list:
Futuyma’s Evolution is in its third edition. It is very expensive. The second edition is still available and is quite inexpensive. Does the four-year difference in publication dates (2009 vs. 2013) matter? Is there a lot of new material, explanations, and evidence? Or better layout? Or is it just a matter of more color photos and graphics (which is often the case with revised editions of undergrad textbooks)?
All other things being equal, I’d rather buy the third edition, but all other things aren’t equal! Thanks in advance.
I’m at home and can’t compare them myself, but the publisher’s website (link in OP above– click on table of contents) lists the major differences. I would think that the genome chapter may well have had the most changes. If you want to really save, get a copy of the third edition of Evolutionary Biology, Futuyma’s more comprehensive, earlier text– I’ve seen online prices of $2– but you’ll miss out on evolutionary genomics, which basically did not exist when it was written. That said, the current Futuyma, at a list of $133, is not at all expensive for a college text book, and is available direct from the publisher for $113, and new copies can be found online for less than $100.
GCM
Thanks! I’ll check them out.
I personally would go with a different Dawkins book: The Ancestor’s Tale.
Not about the whole subject of evolution, but Plant Speciation by Verne Grant 1981 I think is a classic. I find it fascinating.
Structural diversity of supercoiled DNA http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9440 appears to refute everything touted about gene-centric evolution since DNA structure is not static.
Their atoms to ecosystems approach also seems more likely to explain over-the-weekend “re-evolution” of the bacterial flagellum in the context of nutrient-dependent pheromone-controlled ecological speciation.
I don’t get it, except maybe that this is about an epigenetic influence on gene expression and mutation.
That’s just silly, and you are making claims that have nothing to do with the paper you linked. Of course DNA tertiary structure is not static; the timescale on which it changes is far too short to be relevant to evolution. DNA sequence, OTOH, is relatively fixed and totally heritable, so that genes exert effects over many generations.
Thank you for recommending The Discovery Of Evolution. I’ve been looking for a good history of evolution book for years (not very hard, clearly). I’d buy it immediately if not for the price. Maybe I can get a used copy for under $50.
There are discounted new and also used copies available online. The first edition might be found used for even less, and has the additional virtue of the color plates having been printed on a better paper than in the second edition (at least in the copies I’ve seen).
GCM
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Looks like I’ve read most the books for the general audience. I especially enjoyed Why Evolution Is True, What Evolution Is, and Your Inner Fish. For Dawkins’ books, I think The Ancestor’s Tale was the one I got the most out of. It just seemed the most complete account of many aspects of evolutionary theory.
One not on the list I really enjoyed was Sean Carroll’s The Making Of The Fittest. I also read recently Andreas Wagner’s The Arrival Of The Fittest and found that really enlightening too.
Finally, it’s a book on the philosophy of evolution and intelligent design, but the late Niall Shanks’ God, The Devil, And Darwin was fascinating for its conceptual insights into the nature of biological explanations and where ID fails.
I second with enthusiasm Ernst Mayr’s What Evolution Is. It’s concise yet covers the important topics clearly.
I’m not a fan of Origin as an introduction. Darwin didn’t understand the source of genetic variation, so you don’t learn from him about the process of evolution. Wonderful illustration of how a great mind works, though.
As long as we’re adding titles, I’ll add PECC’s academic grandfather’s Genetics of the Evolutionary Process. It’s how I learned to think like an evolutionary biologist.
I found some value in Sober’s _Evidence and Evolution_. This is a detailed study of how the argument in favour of evolution by natural selection etc. functions qua argument. (Paradoxically, the title is not actually terribly accurate thereby, it is about how the evidential *structure* works, not content.)
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Quickie here from Greg Mayer over at Why Evolution is True. I intend to pass this list off to every creationist I interact with. Should save thousands of hours of bandwidth trying to explain what terms actually mean when real scientists use them. Just to round out the list I would add Lieberman’s “The Story of the Human Body” and Dennett’s “Intuition Pumps”.