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The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature | 
 enlarge | Author: Matt Ridley
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $5.87
You Save: $9.08 (61%)
New (28) Used (36) Collectible (1) from $5.49
Avg. Customer Rating:  65 reviews
Sales Rank: 5116
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.3 x 1
ISBN: 0060556579
Dewey Decimal Number: 599.938
EAN: 9780060556570
ASIN: 0060556579
Publication Date: May 1, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Referring to Lewis Carroll's Red Queen from Through the Looking-Glass, a character who has to keep running to stay in the same place, Matt Ridley demonstrates why sex is humanity's best strategy for outwitting its constantly mutating internal predators. The Red Queen answers dozens of other riddles of human nature and culture -- including why men propose marriage, the method behind our maddening notions of beauty, and the disquieting fact that a woman is more likely to conceive a child by an adulterous lover than by her husband. Brilliantly written, The Red Queen offers an extraordinary new way of interpreting the human condition and how it has evolved.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 60 more reviews...
 Picking up where The Selfish Gene left off.... August 24, 2008
With a casual disregard for political correctness, the post-feminist generation is reintroduced to basic human nature. What for millenia was taken for granted as so fundamental that it needed no explanation, became the height of impropriety to mention in polite company. In fact, it's been a bizarre inversion of reality that's taken hold as the popular opinion in society. Because it's soft and cuddly and non-offensive and doesn't threaten to hurt the feewings of the poor widdle wadies out there.
There is no greater testament to our ability to suspend disbelief then the denial of human nature on such an elemental, such a rudimentary level. When Ridley dropped this book like a bomb in the mid-90's at the height of the PC movement, it was like the lone voice of reason in a sandstorm of blather. That we should have to go to such lengths - all the way down to the DNA, just to demonstrate common sense is nothing short of absurd.
A magnificent work of popular science. Instantly a modern classic. Eminently accessible to the laity, well written, engaging and entertaining. Any sex education curriculum would stand to benefit more from the inclusion of this book, then any other save a text on health and safety. Don't expect to see it on your school district's reading list any time soon though. But that doesn't mean you can't give it to you adolescent age child.
 The content is good but the quality of the book not June 14, 2008
The quality of this book I think is very good, the way in which the history is related and the content of the book are very good. The subject is developed very well and the way in which we learn the importance of the sex in the combat with parasites and virus is amazing. In general, the content of the book is very good and interesting.
Though, the quality of paper in the book that I received is very bad, the impression is not clear and the book is very fragile, is a shame because the book is very good but with this quality of book the interest in read it decrease.
May be is my version, but I have not found another version in paperback.
A fascinating analysis! February 8, 2008
This book is a fascinating analysis of research regarding human evolution. It puts together different theories of how we became the way we are, and reports both the supporting and rejecting evidence for each theory. Additionally, it is well-written and highly engaging.
 The Red Queen October 16, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The book has some interesting ideas, but could probably be summarized in about half the number of pages.
Great Book March 27, 2007
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
I can't add very much to the excellent reviews already posted. I'll just say quickly that I enjoyed very much the fresh insight into mating practices among the "lower animals" and among humans. I've read a lot about evolution and biology and so forth, and still found much new material here. I really enjoyed learning about how scientists finally discovered the rampant adultery among birds and how incredible they are at hiding it.
Several reviewers warn about having to "make it through" the first part, and I certainly understand that if your primary interest is in the evolutionary origins of human sexuality. However, I really enjoyed the first part as well, because it provides a broad understanding of sex in evolution and give lots of fun examples about different behaviors and adaptations.
Although I didn't give the book 5 stars (I reserve that for the best of the best), it showed me that Mr. Ridley is a great writer and I'll check out his other books (I think I'll start with Genome).
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