Product Description

Text tells the story of evolution, from the history of the study to the most recent developments in evolutionary theory. For undergraduate students. Previous edition: c1996. Softcover. DLC: Evolution (Biology).

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #526460 in Books
• Published on: 2003-11-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 792 pages

Review
This is one of the best and certainly the most complete and up-to-date evolutionary textbooks in the market. This book has undergone extensive and welcome upgrading in the successive editions, since I have seen the earlier editions. Though it is comprehensive, it is easily followable by the students. The author is well known in the field and that is a big plus point.

The pedagogical aids are very good, with chapter opening outlines, summaries and questions, etc. The colour plates are very good, and the associated website is also quite useful. Hence, we are taking this valuable book as additional required reading.-V. Lakshminarayanan

"...this book certainly provides a good solid and up-to-date foundation to the subject of Evolution and one that I think students will find easy to use." Nick Colegrave, University of Edinburgh, in Genetic Research, May 2004

From the Back Cover
Mark Ridley’s Evolution has become the premier undergraduate text in the study of evolution. Readable and stimulating, yet well balanced and in-depth, this text tells the story of evolution, from the history of the study to the most recent developments in evolutionary theory.

The third edition of this successful textbook features updates and extensive new coverage. The sections on adaptation and diversity have been reorganized for improved clarity and flow, and a completely updated section on the evolution of sex and the inclusion of more plant examples have all helped to shape this new edition. Evolution also features strong, balanced coverage of population genetics, and scores of new applied plant and animal examples make this edition even more accessible and engaging.

About the Author
Mark Ridley works in the Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, UK, and formerly worked at Emory University, Atlanta, and the University of Cambridge, UK. He has carried out research in several areas of evolutionary biology, particularly in sexual selection and the comparative method.

Customer Reviews

Excellent review of modern evolutionary thought
I saw the 2 star review and decided I could not let it sit without challenge. I have just received my Phd in psychology and masters in statistics, and have decided to attempt to make a career out of behavioral genetics and evolutionary genetics. Mark Ridley's book was an absolute inspiration to me when I first read it, and it continues to be a must-have reference. The book is noteworthy because it explains the major debates in evolutionary thought in a balanced yet readable way. For example, Ridley gives an excellent introduction into the fundamental question about what maintains genetic variation in the face of selection, an issue that is given only cursory attention in other books of this kind.

I first read this as an undergraduate, yet it continues to serve as my fundamental reference to evolutionary biology. This is truly a wonderful introduction to evolution.

Great book, a bit pricey
Ridley does a great job of summarizing the evidence for evolution, highlighting key concepts, and discussing recent research findings. The references cited throughout the book (and nicely listed all together at the end) are a great starting point for a beginning student of evolution. I'm impressed with how many of the cited works were published in 2000 or later. Although written primarily as a textbook for undergraduates in the biological sciences, his clear writing style and insistence on defining all key terms should make it accessible to a much broader audience. For those lecturing on evolution, the Web resources that accompany the text are quite handy, too. If I had one knock against the book (it's the reason for 4, rather than 5, stars), it would be the price: ~ $140 CDN seems a bit steep, and will likely deter many prospective readers.

An absolute inspiration
I always thought biology was no more than stamp collecting and memorization of names in a dead language. This book changed my mind. The book is thoughtful, full of examples and results from other studies. The writing is smooth and easy to understand. I particularly like the part on evolutionary genetics. Here Ridley made the insights from evolution theory rigorous by introducing some simple models from population genetics. Simple yet rigorous. Anyone with highschool math can understand.

I think it's a very good place to start when you want to learn more beyond those popular science books on evolution.