The Blind Watchmaker
A brilliantly funny, light but informative weekend read that I would happily recommend to anyone.
One of my all-time favourite popular science books and definitely one I would recommend for people interested in evolution.
The blind watchmaker was probably my first proper foray into the world of popular science books. It was recommended to me by one of my A level biology teachers and I have since read it twice. Richard Dawkins can be a bit of a marmite character, especially when it comes to his activities away from writing. However, love him or hate him, I don't think you can deny that he writes a good book. I have read many of his publications and will likely also post reviews for the others, however I thought it apt to start with the one that got me into the genre.
This book presents a beautiful explanation of the theory of evolution by natural selection and demonstrates how complex structures such as the human eye can arise without the need for a designer or preconceived intent. I will admit that there are passages and sections that perhaps become quite heavy going for people who don't have a background in biology. However, I would argue that these passages do not make it a slog or tricky to get through (I do realise that I am a tad biased as I was in the middle of A level biology when I read it for the first time). And if you do have a biological background then it borders on being an "easy read". I feel confident in saying this because although at time the science can get a tad detailed, the writing itself is eloquent and a joy to read. Resulting in even the heavier sections being enjoyable and not off-putting.
Whilst not exactly a recent book (published in 1986), it is still one of my favourite books on evolution. It covers the typical questions, such as "how would animals have functioned with only half and eye whilst waiting for a fully functioning one to evolve?" and similar queries with the use of beautiful analogies. Furthermore, you can feel Dawkins' passion for the subject throughout the book and this can only enhance the reading experience. With his obvious love for the topic, clear explanations, and a knack for flowing eloquent writing, the blind watchmaker is a fantastic book for anyone interested in evolution or who desires answers to common misconceptions/misunderstandings of how natural selection functions. Years after its publication, it still pulls its weight and deserves a spot on your bookshelf.
One of my all-time favourite popular science books and definitely one I would recommend for people interested in evolution.
The blind watchmaker was probably my first proper foray into the world of popular science books. It was recommended to me by one of my A level biology teachers and I have since read it twice. Richard Dawkins can be a bit of a marmite character, especially when it comes to his activities away from writing. However, love him or hate him, I don't think you can deny that he writes a good book. I have read many of his publications and will likely also post reviews for the others, however I thought it apt to start with the one that got me into the genre.
This book presents a beautiful explanation of the theory of evolution by natural selection and demonstrates how complex structures such as the human eye can arise without the need for a designer or preconceived intent. I will admit that there are passages and sections that perhaps become quite heavy going for people who don't have a background in biology. However, I would argue that these passages do not make it a slog or tricky to get through (I do realise that I am a tad biased as I was in the middle of A level biology when I read it for the first time). And if you do have a biological background then it borders on being an "easy read". I feel confident in saying this because although at time the science can get a tad detailed, the writing itself is eloquent and a joy to read. Resulting in even the heavier sections being enjoyable and not off-putting.
Whilst not exactly a recent book (published in 1986), it is still one of my favourite books on evolution. It covers the typical questions, such as "how would animals have functioned with only half and eye whilst waiting for a fully functioning one to evolve?" and similar queries with the use of beautiful analogies. Furthermore, you can feel Dawkins' passion for the subject throughout the book and this can only enhance the reading experience. With his obvious love for the topic, clear explanations, and a knack for flowing eloquent writing, the blind watchmaker is a fantastic book for anyone interested in evolution or who desires answers to common misconceptions/misunderstandings of how natural selection functions. Years after its publication, it still pulls its weight and deserves a spot on your bookshelf.
