Details

Buy it now from Amazon

The Selfish Gene: 30th Anniversary Edition--with a new Introduction by the Author

Oxford University Press, USA

List price: $19.95
Lowest new price: $9.45
Lowest used price: $8.31

Average customer rating: 4.5 stars

Good Book for the Biologically Inclined

I'm an avid math/science pleasure reader, so I picked this book up one day when I was at my local bookstore. I'm glad I did.

Dawkins' main thesis here is that the gene is the fundamental unit of biological reproduction and that all biological phenomenon can be better understood if we look at what benefits genes as opposed to individuals. While arguing his thesis, Dawkins discusses biological relatedness and how it ultimately guides the behavior of individuals; why 'kin altruism' is so prevalent, for example. He also discusses the conflict of interest between certain genes and how that dynamic ultimately plays out from an evolutionary standpoint. He also introduces the concept of 'memes', which is interesting, if largely speculative.
The writing style is also pretty good and usually interesting, though it lags occasionally.

This is a good Dawkins book and certainly recommended to anyone who has an interest in biology/evolution. While I won't say this is the absolute best book I've ever read, it's probably one that I'll end up re-reading at some point.

4.5/5

Why Do I Keep Reading Dawkins?

Here I go again. Reading Richard Dawkins and gritting my teeth. Dawkins is one of the most pretentious authors I read. Dawkins is a Dawinian fundamentalist who figures somehow, someway he has been blessed with THE EXPLANATION of life. Like all fundamentalist, he ignores history, which shows, overtime, all know-it-alls are eventually proven fallible. He would be well advised to consider that maybe he isn't the great prophet he thinks he is. Look, I take the easy way out myself and figure I don't know much of anything. But I do know that history shows that people who figure they have THE answer are eventually proved wrong almost all the time. Dawkins would be more readable if he started from the premise that the cosmos is a very complex place and odds are he hasn't figured it all out himself. I just don't like to read fundamentalists at all. If you don't like reading pretentious authors, you might want to skip Dawkins. It's not what he says, it's how sure he is that he is right and any other idea is wrong. Grow up Richard! OK, my rant is over.

I have a confession to make. I wrote the above while in the middle of reading The Selfish Gene. Now that I've finished, I must amend my critique. The final third of the book was much less strident and much more interesting, in some instances profound. The last part of the book spent more time on new ideas and less time defending Dawinian fundamentalism. I just wish Dawkins would have employed a more civil tone from the start.

The best book I have ever read!!

This book is simply amazing! It is beautifully written and well formulated. I love how Richard Dawkins argues for his theories. I have learned about evolution in school, but not this way! Here he explains why we behave like we do towards our relatives (and others), how this has been evolutionary beneficial. The parts I like the most must be the parts with game theory. Is it smart to cheat others in order to survive? If so, how much can you cheat before you get busted and is less likely to survive?

Finally I have to say that this is clearly the best book of Richard Dawkins I have read so far, and I highly recommend it!! (I haven't read "The Extended Phenotype", but I will very soon)

A biological concept explained is surprisingly easy way

A biological concept explained is surprisingly easy way. In nutshell, it is about Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection at gene level. But book does contain a lot more details and useful observation at gene as well at individual organism level.

A fantastic book

A fantastic book. It deeply enhanced my understanding of evolution. Like most good non-fiction books that you'll ever get a lot from, it is best to read it carefully, rather than trying to rush through each paragraph.