Product Description

Reissued in a larger format, this popular anthology offers an introduction to the wonders and depths of evolutionary biology. "A remarkable achievement by any measure . . . One is hard pressed to single out past writers who could wear the sobriquet of natural history essayist with such distinction."--Chicago Tribune. Illustrations.

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This collection of essays will change your worldview - OUTSTANDING        Rating:

This book is a collection of thirty-something essays that Steven Jay Gould wrote in the 70s on evolution, natural selection, plate tectonics, and related topics. Without exaggeration, this book will change your worldview. The discussions are so profound and detailed, yet so readable and approachable, I can guarantee that you won't look at the natural world or humanity's role in it the same way after working through this collection. Gould touches on so many topics that I can't really do it justice in a short Amazon review, but I'll mention a few items that struck me as particularly compelling. First, this book is a good intro into the theory of evolution and natural selection. If you want to learn more about these two topics, I would recommend this book. One thing that emphasizes about natural selection that is commonly miscontrued by the public is that the evolution of species does not imply that the subsequent evolved generations are and better or superior, they only changed as a result of specific stimuli. If the stimuli were different, the population would have evolved differently. There is this notion that man in particular rests atop some pedestal as the 'ultimate' in evolution. This view is incorrect though, at least through the perspective of Darwinian evolution and natural selection. Second, Gould explains our relationship to the other primates and how we may have evolved. He also elaborates on this idea of a 'missing link', that is a direct fossil link between our pre-human primate ancestors and modern man. He states that our family tree is more of a bush, not a tree, with many branches. Evolution and natural selection generally only occurs in small sub-populations of larger, relatively stable populations that become isolated and undergo some stress. The fossil record comes from the large, stable population, we only learn about the population that has evolved once it become large (large enough for it to become probably that we would find fossils) and stable. Many of the evolutionary branches lead nowhere and we don't ever know they existed because they didn't become large enough to create a stable population. Third, Gould discusses the role that plate tectonics played in the development of life on Earth. The collision and separation of the continental land masses played a key role in bringing together and separating various species. Additionally, the expansion and contraction of the continental coastal zones (the continental shelves) where many species lives may have been responsible for the mass extinction event roughly 200 Myrs ago. This event dwarfs the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 Myrs ago based on numbers of species which became extinct. The final chapters of the book discuss race and IQ tests. In particular, Gould pans the late 18th/early 19th century notions that simple physiological features can be used to demonstrate that whites are superior to blacks. He also shows that the arguments used to demonstrate that IQ is largely racially based are totally fallacious. I don't think that all of Gould's conclusions are agreed upon in the paleontology/evolutionary biology community, but that shouldn't cause you to hesitate to buy this book and read it.

The bottom line is that if you have any interest in evolution and want to learn more, buy this book (you'll want it as part of your collection) and read it. There is so much information packed in this thin book, but it is so well written and readable that anyone can go through this book and enjoy it. You don't need to have a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology to appreciate this book, only a desire to learn more about the natural world. I would give this 6 stars if I could - outstanding and highly recommended.

A glimpse of the history of evolutionary theory        Rating:

Ever Since Darwin is Stephen Jay Gould's first book and is a collection of essays written in the mid-1970's for Natural History Magazine. It is easily accessible for the general reader and covers a range of topics related to Darwin's big idea. Interesting topics include:

- The history of Charles Darwin's life while developing his theory (however, not a lot of details about the findings that made him question creationism).
- The theory of human neoteny (humans retain juvenile ape features into adulthood and evolved by slowing down ontogenic development).
- Human infants as embryos. Other mammals are at a level of development when they are born that human infants don't reach until 6-12 months after birth.
- The history of geologic theories and the vindication of plate tectonics.
- An argument that preformation (the outmoded theory that zygotes were tiny fully formed humans that developed in utero by simply growing larger) was a reasonable scientific theory at the time when it was popular based on what was known then.
- A refutation of the simplistic view of science as objective data collection and theorizing based strictly on the facts. Scientists work within a theoretical framework and are inevitably biased by prevailing social and political attitudes.
- A discussion of genetic determinism vs. potentiality

I am generally averse to books that are made up of a series of independent short articles because they typically fail to reach great depths or reveal great revelations on any one topic, and instead tend to skim the surface of many assorted subjects. This book is no exception to that rule. In addition, it's been over 30 years since it was written and it makes me wonder what new information and theories are necessarily omitted as a result. On the other hand, there is a fair amount of material about the history of scientific theories that is certainly not in danger of becoming obsolete.

There is a little repetition of material between chapters since they were originally written to be read independently, but it is not terribly bothersome. Since I've already read almost all of Richard Dawkins' books, some sections discussed material I was already pretty familiar with. I guess that is inevitable since the information is not newly discovered, this book is written for a general audience, and I've already read quite a bit on the subject of evolution.

This is my first Stephen Jay Gould book, so I can't say how it compares to his others.

Pretty good popular science for a Marxist        Rating:

Pretty darned good popular science for a Marxist, rest his soul (do Marxists have souls, and do they rest after there's no historical left in their materialism?).

His first essays were his best        Rating:

This book offers a dazzling tour of Darwiniana, often as straight history but always in the form of essays for (Natural History Magazine) that are digestible in one sitting. Gould's writing is so masterful and clear that it is simply stunning to read. Gould comes across as a great humanist, respectful of the points of view of others - even the Creationists - and erudite in only the way a lover of knowledge can be. I have studied his writing style for years: it is elegant, spare yet sensual, and continually reformulates ideas is new ways, that is, rarely repetitive. Unlike his later essays, which covered quirkier details in increasingly lugubrious attempts to get at the broader notions he cherished, these essays are fresh and light, in my view amoung the best of the entire series.As an introducer of popular notions and as a scientist, I believe that Gould will be remembered as a genius. I think he was one of the great essayists of the 20C. Warmly recommended.

Trying to make the ineffable understandable        Rating:

Jill had been trying to get me to read Gould for over a year. She subscribes to Natural History and so had a fresh dose every month to tackle me with. And I'm not sure of my reluctance. Jill would say that it's because I'm reluctant to do anything that she wants me to do--I'm not ready to admit that (I certainly hope that that's not true!). I think it may have been that I didn't want to add Natural History to my voluminous stack of stuff yet to read-- cleverly forgetting, if I had ever truly realized it, that Gould's column was collected, and continuously being collected, in a series of volumes, of which this one is the first. Maybe I just wanted to start from the beginning.It's a good thing that Jill had introduced me to some later Gould, because this, while genuinely entertaining, and definately intellectually stimulating, is a rougher mix. Gould has grown as a writer (and probably as a scientist) since originally starting his column.This isn't a book to try to read at one sitting (I think it's been at my bedside for the last year) because it is thick and meaty. While Gould attempts to write at a level that a layman can understand, he doesn't simplify things. It's a tough slog through some of these essays, but always worth the effort. I've got the next volume by the bedside now, and I look forward to growing with Gould.

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