The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature by Matt Ridley

The kind of book you find so interesting that you can't help but talk about at a family reunion. Then you realize you've been talking to your fifteen year old nephew about sexual evolution for the past two hours and that's the last time you see your brother.

This book is great for the science geeks out there. Being one, I enjoyed it very much. My background is in genetics and biology, so I can bore my friends at cocktail parties with my bio-ramblings, but this book is approachable and facinating to read for anyone. Mr Ridley does a masterful job of describing how species evolve over time to avoid predation, but also how predators evolve to counter the prey's evolutionary changes. In essence, the players keep changing, but the play stays the same. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an educational and fulfilling read that will open your eyes to worlds you may not have considered before.

A well-written and very insightful rollercoaster ride through genetics, primatology, ecology, comparative zoology, neurobiology, linguistics, and psychology. A skillful, guided tour that is useful not only because it teaches, but because it dares to put relative values upon the existing theories out there. A compelling case is made for the "causes" of man's intellectual differentiation from other apes, and the evidence presented causes one to consider these questions in a novel, very unexpected ways. Ridley is not afraid to take a stand and systematically crush the "man is totally unique" humanist evolutionary theory crowd, and he does this by relating how other species handle what we tend to think are problems unique to man. By the end of the book, you will find yourself reluctantly uneasy... and convinced that he's probably right on the money. Highly recommend.

Fantastic read. I've never considered myself the kind of person that reads science books for pleasure. This book changed my mind about that. The understanding I've gained of the theory of evolution and the interpretation here have changed my perception of the world. Without judgement, in an interesting way, facts are laid out and discussed in a compelling logical manner. Easy to read. Go slower for better understanding.

Cons: Try discussing the implications of this book in a public setting, and be accused of 1st degree thought crimes.

The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature by Matt Ridley

"The Red Queen" is the very interesting book about how human nature evolved as a result of sex. According to the author, human beings were "designed" to reproduce and that without understanding competitive reproduction we will not be able to comprehend the human psyche and nature. Well known journalist, scientist and educator; Matt Ridley, brings us a well-rounded science book that deals with many fascinating topics involving sexual evolution. The first third of book or so starts off a little dense and may put off some readers but once it picks up it really takes off and rewards readers with invaluable knowledge. This 416-page book is composed of the following ten chapters: 1. Human Nature, 2. The Enigma, 3. The Power of Parasites, 4. Genetic Mutiny and Gender, 5. The Peacock's Tale, 6. Polygamy and the Nature of Men, 7. Monogamy and the Nature of Women, 8. Sexing the Mind, 9. The Uses of Beauty, and 10. The Intellectual Chess Game.

Positives:
1. A well-written and well-researched book.
2. The fascinating topic of sexual evolution in the hands of a master.
3. The book was originally published in 1993 but it holds up generally well and it's still worth reading.
4. Good use of the best that science had to offer at that time.
5. Thought-provoking and refreshingly honest and witty approach.
6. Provides compelling arguments in support of a universal human nature.
7. Explains the reasoning behind the title which is a metaphor in evolution for "the faster you run, the more the world moves with you and the less you make progress".
8. Some great analogies, "The fashion in evolutionary science now is to scoff at progress; evolution is a treadmill, not a ladder".
9. What sex is. A look from three different kinds of scientists. Great stuff.
10. The unbelievable world of sex in both the animal and plant kingdom.
11. Some great facts and perspectives, "The `great war" of 1914-18 killed 25 million people in four years. The influenza epidemic that followed killed 25 million in four months".
12. What drive the evolution of sex.
13. Understanding what evolution is in a practical sense.
14. How science works to address a problem.
15. Understanding gender in terms of "genetic lottery". Or leave it to the environment.
16. Some great anecdotes, "Anaxagora's belief that lying on the right side during sex would produce a boy was so influential that centuries later some French aristocrats had their left testicles amputated". Ouch!
17. The nature of "choosy" females.
18. The two warring factions in sexual selection: "Fisher" and "Good-genes".
19. Testosterone and its relation to disease.
20. What men find attractive in women.
21. The impact of human culture.
22. An honest look at the roles of the sexes.
23. An understanding about homosexual behavior.
24. Game theory and how it plays out between males and females. Always interesting.
25. Human evolution always fascinating.
26. The growth of our brains.
27. Understanding the evil practice of female infanticide.
28. Power as a tool for sexual success. It's good being the king.
29. Marriage, understanding the institution of.
30. Adultery and how it shaped human society.
31. Fascinating look at what societies favor daughters over sons and vice versa.
32. The differences of mental features between the sexes.
33. A look at social statuses.
34. The innate instinct of learning language.
35. The evidence for neoteny.
36. Links to notes worked great!

Negatives:
1. The first third or so of the book was a bit dense and may have put off some readers.
2. Despite holding up generally well (book was published in 1993), some topics are outdated. For instance, free will is an illusion. I will provide a list of suggestion that offers more up to date information.
3. Animal altruism is not a myth.
4. Some topics are fairly logical. We all have a basic grasp of sexual selection.
5. Some topics may irk feminists. Let me leave it at that.
6. The author purposely sidesteps the issue of morality and the little that is here is inadequate.
7. "Deception is therefore the reason for the invention of the subconscious." - Trivers Really?

In summary, I wished I had read this book when it first came out in 1993. The book started off a little dry but once it gets going I wasn't able to put it down. Many topics of popular interest in the hands of an accomplished author make for good reading. In spite of its age, I learned some new things and have a much better grasp of why human nature evolved as a result of sex. If you have the patience to make it through the early chapters the book will reward you with wisdom, worth reading!

Further recommendations: "Human: The Science Behind What Makes Your Brain Unique" and "Who's in Charge?: Free Will and the Science of the BrainWho's In Charge?" by Michael S. Gazzaniga, "The 10,000 Year Explosion: How Civilization Accelerated Human Evolution" by Gregory Cochran and Henry Harpending, "Why Evolution Is True" by Jerry A. Coyne, "The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined" and "The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature" by Steven Pinker, "SuperSense: Why We Believe in the Unbelievable" by Bruce M. Hood, "The Myth of Free Will, Revised & Expanded Edition" by Cris Evatt, "The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths" by Michael Shermer, and "Before the Dawn: Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors" by Nicholas Wade. All books reviewed by me.

If you enjoy science and evolution and haven't read this yet, shame on you. LOL. Okay, I didn't know about it either until I was discussing my favorite topic online (on G+) and someone mentioned I'd enjoy this. They were correct. It's a great read. If you haven't read Jerry Coyne's Why Evolution is True, it's time to check that out as well.
This book explains reasons (and theories) about why sex evolved and what purposes it served (besides creating the porn industry, which was a later development).
I found if very fascinating and if you've read Dawkin's and so forth, you'll enjoy this for sure.

I am finishing reading Matt Ridley's fascinating book on why men and women act the way they do, across most cultures over millions of years: sex.

There are a number of paradigms on why sex exists in all living kingdoms. While somewhat complex, Mr. Ridley's explanations and review of what science knows today seems plausible.

This book makes something very clear: sex exists because it is the only efficient way to maintain and evolve species; but all are in a race (the Red Queen), and that race determines why we act the way we do today and in the future.

The idea that humans are a "blank" slate, i.e. that whatever our genes are, culture is everything is nicely handle and destroyed. The author's main thesis is that both our genes and our culture contribute to who we are and what we do.

A valuable book, that necessitates a good attention span. I recommend it for those interested in sociology, anthropology and willing to learn the most current trends affecting our views on who we are as humans.