Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Read
Review: Evolution is one of my favortie topics so I may be a little bias here, but I thought it was a well designed and easy to read and understand book about the evolution of life itself. I must read for anyone!

Rating:
Summary: The scope of a textbook, but written for the layman
Review: I am a biology major specializing in evolutionary developmental biology, and when I am asked for a single book for the layman to get an idea about evolutionary biology, I recommend this one. In my opinion, it is the single best general overview of evolutionary biology for the layman yet written, covering such key concepts as natural selection, sexual selection, coevolution, and evolutionary developmental biology (or evo devo, for short). Along the way, Zimmer covers the evidence for evolution, from genetics, fossils, anatomy, and observed instances of evolution with elegantly spare and careful prose which walks the layman through the many threads of evidence that truly make for the triumph of an idea.

Rating:
Summary: 10 stars - Read this even if you have read all of Dawkins'
Review: This book started out slow - very very slow ( I have to admit though - I am not keen in reading yet another biography of Darwin). I would have almost stopped before reading part II.
I was pleasantly surprised with the change in pace in chapter 4 and it never slows down! The illustrations neatly complement the explanations. Simply WOW!
I enjoyed reading this more than "Selfish Gene" by Dawkins ( Selfish gene is one of my top ten favorite books ).

Also recommended - "The Origins of Life: From the Birth of Life to the Origin of Language" by John Maynard Smith & Eors Szathmary.

P.S.
Why I didn't say anything on "creationism" ? - It is not even wrong!

Rating:
Summary: Aims to please
Review: I really think that this book deserves the full 5 stars. I have just gotten to the 50th page and for me, a person that has had little previous knowledge on biology or evolution, it is wonderful. The beautiful pictures help bring it all together, and the author makes it easy for anyone to understand what he means. He splits the book into well organized chapters that are actually interesting to read. I am not usually into read books about any school related subject, but it is truly interesting to read about. It to many people is how all species in the world came to be including ourselves. This theory, although there are some contradictions, seems to provide the best answer we can provide about how we came to be. So just read this book, it can't hurt you to try it out.

Rating:
Summary: Of fish antifreeze and whale feet
Review: Learning about walking whales is just one reason to buy this book. As Carl Zimmer so concisely points out in Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea, no scientific theory can ever be directly proven. But a theory generates hypotheses that make predictions, and these can be tested. Zimmer, delivering the most up-to-date information on the scientific consensus, shows that evolution has amassed over a century's worth of such testable predictions. He explains evolution's global journey, extracting the most important points and illuminating with representative examples along the way.

In one chapter of the book, Zimmer delivers a brilliant knockout punch to Intelligent Design, exposing it as repackaging of the irreducible complexity argument. It used to be thought that the eye was far too complex to have developed in a step-by-step (i.e. evolutionary) process. Take away any part of the eye and, like taking a cog out of a clock, it becomes useless, therefore must have been created whole, right? As it turns out, there are many examples of "partial" eyes in nature. I love how the editors have boldly used this icon of creationism on the cover of the book. Contrary to what a reviewer below claims about the book (which makes me skeptical that the person actually read it), Zimmer does indeed give examples of how complex biochemical reactions evolved - like blood clots, which depend on a cascade of different interactions, any one step of which, if missing, will cause the process to fail. It seems proponents of irreducible complexity must keep reducing the area defined as "too complex."

All in all, this is an excellent book to get an overview of the most current research on evolution. It's a great starting point for further reading into the finer points of evolution theory. Oh, and fish antifreeze? You'll just have to read the book.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding, clear synthesis
Review: Zimmer's book is a superb work. He harnesses evidence from across the biological sciences and explains them with great clarity and cohesion.

The book gives creationism more space than it deserves. I suppose that the danger to society of creationist dogma justifies a defence against these fables.

The description of the devlopment of Darwin's thoughts is also fascinating.

I shall be giving many people copies of this book.

Rating:
Summary: Great Information, Great Book
Review: This book is just packed with the basics on evolution. I did not see the PBS series, but the book is just great. It is spelled out in laymen's terms...so for the non-scientist, it is easy to understand and read. I would not say this about most books or textbooks of this nature, but I sat down just to "glance" through it, and found myself 2 hours later still reading it. The theories of coevolution, origin of AIDS and even "where is God in all this" in contained within this book. It is great. I recommend it, even for the non-scientist!

Rating:
Summary: The Failure of a Spurious Theory
Review: Zimmer and other evolutionists use a pattern of deception, wild assumptions, outright lies and clever masking techniques to propagandize their belief that the literal chain of human "evolution" saw its inception with an "unknown" species of sea creature swimming in the ocean, which evolved into several transitional forms between sea creatures and amphibians, which evolved into amphibians, which evolved into several transitional forms between amphibians and reptiles, which evolved into reptiles, which evolved into several transitional forms between reptiles and mammals, which evolved into rodents or small mammals, which evolved into several transitional forms between rodents or small mammals and primates, which evolved into primates, which evolved into several transitional forms between primates and humans, which evolved (finally) into humans! Each stage lasting for "millions of years" according to the theory of evolution. So we humans have a particular species of sea creature, amphibian and rodent in our ancestry? This book tries to convince the weak-minded that we do, yet no chain illustrating each species has ever been presented or documented. Not surprising, is it? Mr. Zimmer applies the masking technique throughout. If you want illogical fantasy, read this book. If you want true science, you'll have to look elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Superb book on evolution.
Review: I just got through reading this book the other day and I must say that is was a great book for both the layman and the seasoned veteran of evolutionary study (I myself have quite a decent amount of knowledge on the subject). It was easy to read and had plenty of illustrations. Definitely one of the best in recent years.

Evolution certainly is a triumph of science, but any good idea has the potential for controversy. Such is Darwin's theory, which still draws harsh criticism even after about a century and a half since its formulation. It just doesn't sit well with many people. For example, the reviewer from Boston (Dec. 7, I believe) that only gave this book one star points out a recent Gallup poll where only a small percentage of people believed in evolution as a totally naturalistic process. What he didn't point out is that a likewise small percentage had a "good understanding" of the theory. So it seems that the majority of the people in the poll have no reason to make a judgement in the matter. Also, the motivations and methods of creationism/ID are totally pseudoscientific.

In any case, one thing can always be said as being true of science: You can't vote on the truth. No matter how unpopular a theory is (with either the public or even the scientific community), if the evidence says what something is, then it is that. And since the evidence points that evolution is true, then evolution is true. It is a totally naturalistic process that doesn't require divine intervention and otherwise conforms to all the necessary principle of scientific investigation. Besides, all the people who gave this book a bad review for their ideological concepts must have not read the last chapter. It appears that their negative views of Darwin's grand masterpiece are not even close to unanimous with other religious people (even the Pope, who always warns about confusing science and religion, says there is no conflict with evolution and Christianity). But like I said, it doesn't matter what the Darwin bashers say--evolution is fact.

Rating:
Summary: A Cheerful Read.
Review: Although I am a young-earther, I found this book great for me to view the "other side". The book is presented in a cheerful tone, and one can really tell that Zimmer enjoys the discussion.

However, Zimmer loses 2 stars in his extremely biased attempted refutation of the creationist movement, especially in dealing with Intelligent Design. His arguments in this area are, to me at least, laughable. He mixes bad scientific philosophy with unfortunate mud-slinging.

However, I enjoyed reading through most of the book. Illustrations throughout also help to highlight this book's appeal. This is recommended for evolutionists or for creationists who want to see the "other side".