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Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 576.8 EAN: 9780618619160 ISBN: 061861916X Label: Mariner Books Manufacturer: Mariner Books Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 688 Publication Date: September 02, 2005 Publisher: Mariner Books Studio: Mariner Books Editorial Review: Amazon.com Review: Just as we trace our personal family trees from parents to grandparents and so on back in time, so in The Ancestor's Tale Richard Dawkins traces the ancestry of life. As he is at pains to point out, this is very much our human tale, our ancestry. Surprisingly, it is one that many otherwise literate people are largely unaware of. Hopefully Dawkins's name and well deserved reputation as a best selling writer will introduce them to this wonderful saga. The Ancestor's Tale takes us from our immediate human ancestors back through what he calls concestors, those shared with the apes, monkeys and other mammals and other vertebrates and beyond to the dim and distant microbial beginnings of life some 4 billion years ago. It is a remarkable story which is still very much in the process of being uncovered. And, of course from a scientist of Dawkins stature and reputation we get an insider's knowledge of the most up-to-date science and many of those involved in the research. And, as we have come to expect of Dawkins, it is told with a passionate commitment to scientific veracity and a nose for a good story. Dawkins's knowledge of the vast and wonderful sweep of life's diversity is admirable. Not only does it encompass the most interesting living representatives of so many groups of organisms but also the important and informative fossil ones, many of which have only been found in recent years. Dawkins sees his journey with its reverse chronology as cast in the form of an epic pilgrimage from the present to the past [and] all roads lead to the origin of life. It is, to my mind, a sensible and perfectly acceptable approach although some might complain about going against the grain of evolution. The great benefit for the general reader is that it begins with the more familiar present and the animals nearest and dearest to usour immediate human ancestors. And then it delves back into the more remote and less familiar past with its droves of lesser known and extinct fossil forms. The whole pilgrimage is divided into 40 tales, each based around a group of organisms and discusses their role in the overall story. Genetic, morphological and fossil evidence is all taken into account and illustrated with a wealth of photos and drawings of living and fossils forms, evolutionary and distributional charts and maps through time, providing a visual compliment and complement to the text. The design also allows Dawkins to make numerous running comments and characteristic asides. There are also numerous references and a good index.-- Douglas Palmer Product Description: With unparalleled wit, clarity, and intelligence, Richard Dawkins, one of the world's most renowned evolutionary biologists, has introduced countless readers to the wonders of science in works such as The Selfish Gene. Now, in The Ancestor's Tale, Dawkins offers a masterwork: an exhilarating reverse tour through evolution, from present-day humans back to the microbial beginnings of life four billion years ago. Throughout the journey Dawkins spins entertaining, insightful stories and sheds light on topics such as speciation, sexual selection, and extinction. The Ancestor's Tale is at once an essential education in evolutionary theory and a riveting read. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - A Pilgrimage to Where?In this astonishing display of biological knowledge, Richard Dawkins, with a cue from Chaucer, sees the progression of life forms as a pilgrimage, a pilgrimage that apparently will go on forever. And it will go on forever because life forms have no purpose of their own, their only purpose is to replicate. The book could be entitled: "The March of the Replicators". That is all he sees: a universe of replicators going nowhere. Even his fellow human beings he sees merely as replicators. ... Read More Rating:  - Not without its flaws, but a must-read for anyone interested in the subject"The Ancestor's Tale," Richard Dawkins's engaging look into the reverse-chronology of evolution, is based upon Chaucer's "Cantebury Tales;" we get various chapters revolving around certain organisms (or, rather, the earliest common ancestor of the modern-day organism), most chapters featuring a "tale" that deals with some aspect of evolution. "Tale" is not perfect, though it is helped out by the fact that Dawkins readily admits his book isn't perfect. If he's uncertain of who came first ... Read More Rating: - A great introduction to the science of EvolutionA lot has already been said about this book, and I just thought I would throw in my two cents! This is a great book! This book is Dawkins' best book for the masses. If you're curious about how evolution actually works and exactly how we know evolution by natural selection works, this is a great introduction. Dawkins has a clear and easy to read style of writing, and he keeps the pace brisk and entertaining! A lot has been said about how Dawkins rants and how long the book is. ... Read More Rating: - Evolutionary BiologyGreat read for anyone interested in evolutionary biology - from an academic or a curiosity standpoint. Rating:  - BEE'S UNDER HIS BONNET.The book is a survey of recent revelations about hominids. It's poorly written and has a cobbled-together quality to it. Do you recall Don McLean's AMERICAN PIE hit? This book reminds me of the follow-up 'analysis' record that was made to explain McLean's lyrics. Dawkins' chief contribution seems to be commentary about what others are doing...or did. If his writing was better I'd give it 4 stars. Dawkins also seems troubled by how modern hominids act. That is, his writing is punctuated with ... Read More |
