Which books do you recommend for learning and researching the basics of evolution and

BobMiller · Feb 17, 2006

Which books do you recommend for learning and researching the basics of evolution and other related biological subjects?

I have some websites that I have bookmarked(like talk origins and Berkley.edu), but I prefer books.

I have taken biology in high school, however, it was during summer school, so we only spent a day and half going over evolution.

rmwilliamsll · Feb 17, 2006

i really like:
Where Do We Come From?: The Molecular Evidence for Human Descent by Jan Klein, Naoyuki Takahata

it is heads and shoulders above anything else i've seen on human evolution.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/cu...02438-2478522?_encoding=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
the rmwilliamsjr review is mine.

truth above all else · Feb 17, 2006

BobMiller said:
Which books do you recommend for learning and researching the basics of evolution and other related biological subjects?

I have some websites that I have bookmarked(like talk origins and Berkley.edu), but I prefer books.

I have taken biology in high school, however, it was during summer school, so we only spent a day and half going over evolution.

Darwin On Trial.. by Phillip E Johnson is an outstanding companion to any "scientific" text. It brilliantly illuminates many of the a priori assumptions and associated ideoligies that evolutionary science embraces. I expect a cavalcade of criticism but nevertheless do yourself a favour

Gracchus · Feb 17, 2006

"What Evolution Is", by Ernst Mayr
"The Ancestors Tale", by Richard Dawkins

Mayr was the grand old man of evolutionary biology. Dawkins is also an evolutionary biologist.

As for "Darwin on Trial"... Phillip E. Johnson is a lawyer!

Dannager · Feb 17, 2006

truth above all else said:
Darwin On Trial.. by Phillip E Johnson is an outstanding companion to any "scientific" text. It brilliantly illuminates many of the a priori assumptions and associated ideoligies that evolutionary science embraces. I expect a cavalcade of criticism but nevertheless do yourself a favour

Hint: When someone tries to dissuade you from trusting a source by putting quotation marks around the word "science", they're usually bitter. Also, Phillip Johnson doesn't exactly have a background in biological evolution. The books mentioned by Gracchus are excellent. I don't have too much knowledge of "Where Do We Come From?", but it's probably very good as well.

Ryal Kane · Feb 17, 2006

I quite liked Evolution by Carl Zimmer

I also recommend A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. It covers a lot of science, not just evolution but it's an entertaining read and it explains just how a lot of science came about.

USincognito · Feb 17, 2006

If you're interested in human development I'd recommend two books.

Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors by Carl Sagan is an excellent book on human evolution with a lot of emphasis on evolutionary psychology.

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamon is really a history/archaeology book, but it discusses why some societies won out over most others when they clashed and is presented through the prisim of standard science.

Silent Bob · Feb 17, 2006

Ryal Kane said:
I also recommend A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. It covers a lot of science, not just evolution but it's an entertaining read and it explains just how a lot of science came about.

Is that any good? I wanted to buy it but I picked Hawking's Briefer History of time. I have finished Hawking and I am due for another visit to the bookstore.

Silent Bob · Feb 17, 2006

On evolution you might want to try Finding Darwin's God by Ken Miller. I've heard the best for this book and I have been meaning to buy it.

Late_Cretaceous · Feb 17, 2006

I would recommend Evolution, the Triumph of and Idea

It's not overly technical, and it's well laid out with excellent examples from various fields of science that support evolutionary theory. It even has a chapter on the whole religion vs evolution debate.

Another good book is Climbing Mount Improbable

I also recommend A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. It covers a lot of science, not just evolution but it's an entertaining read and it explains just how a lot of science came abou

Yes that's an excellent book

Late_Cretaceous · Feb 17, 2006

Has anybody read The Knowledge Web by James Burke?

OdwinOddball · Feb 17, 2006

Should definately read
Carl Sagan
A Demon Haunted World

Not really about Evolution, but more about Science in General. Will help prepare you for critical reading and thinking on Science and other subjects.

ChrisPelletier · Feb 17, 2006

If you were looking for something that was evo vs cre, i'd recommend Evolution vs. Creationism : An Introduction by Eugenie Scott. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/05...f=pd_bbs_1/002-1388964-7454433?_encoding=UTF8

I have not read it, but i recently went to a talk she gave. She was a fantastic speaker, and presented the history of the rise of Intelligent design in a clear an entertaining way. I only hope her book is written in the same way.

rmwilliamsll · Feb 17, 2006

of course there is always SJG's _The Structure of Evolutionary Theory_, finish that and you'll know the basics......*grin*

Dannager · Feb 17, 2006

ChrisPelletier said:
If you were looking for something that was evo vs cre, i'd recommend Evolution vs. Creationism : An Introduction by Eugenie Scott. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520246500/sr=8-1/qid=1140217238/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-1388964-7454433?%5Fencoding=UTF8

I have not read it, but i recently went to a talk she gave. She was a fantastic speaker, and presented the history of the rise of Intelligent design in a clear an entertaining way. I only hope her book is written in the same way.

Hard to go wrong with the Executive Director of the NCSE.

USincognito · Feb 17, 2006

rmwilliamsll said:
of course there is always SJG's _The Structure of Evolutionary Theory_, finish that and you'll know the basics......*grin*

You just reminded me of Gould's books of collected essays including The Panda's Thumb(which I have), Eight Little Piggies, etc.
-----

Some of the suggestions regarding creationism/evolution brings to mind a recent book by Michael Ruse which unfortunately I can't recall the title of.

Late_Cretaceous · Feb 17, 2006

The funny thing about SJG is that some of his work is an excellent read, while some if it is insufferable. I could not put down Bully for Brontosaurus and Wonderful Life, yet could not get through Dinosaur in a Haystack. He must have gone through different phases in his life, some where he came off sounding really pompous and others where he really connects with the reader.

Dr.GH · Feb 18, 2006

This was the topic of a recent discusion over at The Panda's Thumb. You might get some good ideas.

On my list I include;

Abiogenesis
Iris Fry,
2000 “The Emergence of Life on Earth: A Historical and Scientific Overview” Rutgers University Press
* A bit dated. Eg. There is no question that the early Earth’s atmosphere and oceans were reducing.

High School educated:
Burnie, Davin
1999 “Get a Grip on Evolution” London: The Ivy Press
**Breezy, fun read. Lots of historical details as well as science.

Books to send to creationists:
Towne, Margaret Gray
2003 “Honest to Genesis: A Biblical & Scientific Challenge to Creationism” Baltimore: PublishAmerica”
**Former student of paleontologist Jack Horner and seminarian.

Stephen J. Godfrey, Christopher R. Smith
2005 “Paradigms on Pligrimadge: Creationism, Paleontology, and biblical interpretation.” Toronto: Clements Publishing
**One time YEC fundies. Today: one paleontologist and one a Baptist minister.

jinkazama · Feb 18, 2006

I have Darwin's Black Box, Darwin on Trial, and Icons of Evolution,very popular Creationist and I.D. books, and they are not convincing, they distort science and try to pin evolutionists as the consquence of moral decay.

Apos · Feb 18, 2006

Bryson has a bit of a "overly witty journalist" style that often leaves the science sort of disjointed. Good reads sometimes, but don't rely on him for accuracy.

Which books do you recommend for learning and researching the basics of evolution and

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