The Selfish Gene

By: Richard Dawkins

Narrated by: Richard Dawkins, Lalla Ward

Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Richard Dawkins' brilliant reformulation of the theory of natural selection has the rare distinction of having provoked as much excitement and interest outside the scientific community as within it. His theories have helped change the whole nature of the study of social biology, and have forced thousands to rethink their beliefs about life.

In his internationally best-selling, now classic, volume, The Selfish Gene, Dawkins explains how the selfish gene can also be a subtle gene. The world of the selfish gene revolves around savage competition, ruthless exploitation, and deceit, and yet, Dawkins argues, acts of apparent altruism do exist in nature. Bees, for example, will commit suicide when they sting to protect the hive, and birds will risk their lives to warn the flock of an approaching hawk.

©1989 Richard Dawkins (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Dawkins first book, The Selfish Gene, was a smash hit.... Best of all, Dawkins laid out this biology - some of it truly subtle - in stunningly lucid prose. (It is, in my view, the best work of popular science ever written.)" (H. Allen Orr, Professor of Biology, University of Rochester, in The New York Review of Books)

A wonderful listen

Any additional comments?

I have been a follower of Richard Dawkins as an atheist crusader; this is my first try at one of his popular science books. I really enjoyed the listen. The production was well done. The 30th anniversary edition felt modern. The way Richard and Lalla went back and forth was pleasantly balanced.

The last two chapters blew my mind

Being a biology and evolution 'fan' (since I'm not a biologist myself) I was familiar with most of the content of this book. Some of the ideas feel almost outdated not because they were wrong, but because they have been improved over the years. I'm happy I was able to listen to the original stuff because the arguments are very well developed. The last two chapters came as a surprise to me. Now I want to read "the extended phenotype".
It is even more precious that the author himself narrates the book.

The Blind Watchmaker is much better

the Blind Watchmaker is much better. please, read The Blind Watchmaker. it explains things so logically.

EndNote:

There are endnotes.

EndNote to the endNote:
Sometimes the endnotes get in the way.

This book will give a whole new look to life

This book will change the way you look at life! The way it's written can be a little advanced and hard to follow if you don't already have some knowledge about biology, but still definitely woth a try. And for anyone studying biology, this will give a very good foundation for understanding biological processes and how everything can be traced down to genetics. I also liked how Dawkins brings up how humans have branched off the control of genes, into pop culture's memes.

Must read for any scientific enthusiast.

Even if you aren't interested in genetics or biology, just the way explanations and arguments are laid out is absolutely brilliant. Besides, this book will make you interested in biology and genetics.

Enlightening ideas

A great book, full of interesting concepts that shed light on the very meaning of life, its origin and its purpose. A keystone reference that should make part of any cultural background.

excellent information. must read twice

so different and outside my area of expertise this book was refreshing and so jam packed with good information and insights I will need to reread.

Top ten books ever, can't recommend this more highly

Read by the author and a lady which narration is perfect for this book, seminal work

entertaining and enlightening

This book offers a perspective on life which I had not considered before. I found it to be quite sensible, and applicable to more than "simple" biology. Several of the concepts discussed within (in particular ESS) resonate within all things struggling to find balance. This has been a worthwhile listen.