Rating: 
Summary: Superb and thorough
Review: Evolution the Triumph of an Idea is a superbly written synthesis of the theory of evolution and its history. The author, Carl Zimmer, is a science journalist rather than a professional anthropologist, geologist or historian, which means that the book is eminently readable. It is also well researched with an extensive bibliography for each chapter. While it is clearly enough framed for the average reader without a background in the subject, it also presents enough new information to keep the serious student of the topic interested as well. Although the volume was intended to accompany a PBS series on evolution, it would make an excellent source text for a high school or college survey course on the subject, as it covers the theory, the data supporting it, the newer thoughts on human evolution, the issues of ecology and conservation, and the character of science. It even touches upon the issue of God and science. As an overview, Part 1 covers the autobiographical history of Darwin and the metamorphosis of his theory and the intellectual and emotional environment into which it was introduced. Part 2 introduces the actual theory and how the web of life has come to exist as it does. It also discusses the impact of human activity on the natural world and what the likely outcome will be if we persist in pursuing our present behavior with respect to the environment. Part 3 describes the coevolution of species and its impacts on relationships such as those in agriculture: natural plants, bioengineered plants, and insect and microbial pests. It also discusses the probable origin of some of the human diseases, the use and abuse of antibiotics, and the rise of antibiotic resistant superbugs and AIDES. Part 4 contains some of the most pertinent information in that it points out the risks of dropping the subject of evolution from the core curricula of the nation's high schools. In his defense of evolution, Zimmer points out that it is not simply a theory of biology that is at stake, but the scientific method itself. Some of my favorite quotes from Part 4 are: 1) "The scientific method does not claim that events can have only natural causes but that the only causes that we can understand scientifically are natural ones. As powerful as the scientific method may be, it must be mute about things beyond its scope. Supernatural forces are, by definition, above the laws of nature, and thus beyond the scope of science (p. 332)." And 2) "When microbiologists study an outbreak of resistant tuberculosis, they do not research the possibility that it is an act of God. When astrophysicists try to figure out the sequence of events by which a primordial cloud condensed into our solar system, they do not simply draw a big box between the hazy cloud and the well-formed planets and write inside it, 'Here a miracle happened.' When meteorologists fail to predict the path of a hurricane, they do not claim that God's will pushed it off course (p. 333)." And finally 3) "Science cannot simply cede the unknown in nature to the divine. If it did, there would be no science at all. As University of Chicago geneticist Jerry Coyne puts it, 'If the history of science shows us anything, it is that we get nowhere by labeling our ignorance 'God''(p. 333)." As we get closer and closer to bringing about a total collapse of the environment of which we are an integral part, it behooves us to come to a clearer understanding of how our biosphere came to exist, how the various parts of it interrelate, and how our tinkering with it can have disastrous consequences. The teaching and learning of evolutionary theory is an important part of that understanding. This book helps further that goal.
Rating: 
Summary: Triumph of an idea, a loss for science
Review: Beautifully illustrated, this book unfortunately has been rendered obsolete by Behe's "Darwin's Black Box," which shows the utter inability of the theory to account for the molecular complexity of living things; Wells' "Icons of Evolution," which shows how most of the textbook "proofs" of evolution such as the myth of "Darwin's Finches" and the horse sequence are fraudulent or misleading; and Bird's "Origin of Species Revisited," which shows, through the evolutionist literature, the utter confusion behind the scenes; all of which expose the scientific case against evolution, which has been described by former adherents as "a metaphysical research programme." Strangely enough, these books were published before this one; apparently the authors decided to gloss over the difficulties and controversy, and write a sort of religious tome. But the difficulties will not go away and a book which was envisioned as a pop science piece should have addressed them, even if inadequately. There is no reply to Behe's challenge of providing evolutionary explanations on the level of molecular detail, which is now the only level which matters. Even a parade of transitional fossils would not address this problem, which is perhaps the crux of the argument. The evolutionary scenarios remain hopelessly superficial and vague - perhaps reflecting their target audience. In a way, the title is right. For forty years, the idea of evolution triumphed over science, until Piltdown Man was exposed as a fraud. Evolution triumphs, but only in the same way that Scientology still triumphs in the minds of its many adherents. Evolution also wins through frantic publishing and publicity instead of debate. Unfortunately, it is at the cost of progress and science itself. A little more scientific integrity and willingness to explore the scientific problems, such as how evolution apparently also triumphs over physics and probability, and can generate mind-bogglingly complex systems of cascading molecular interactions, would have been welcome, especially the seeming impossibility of abiogenesis, the obstacles of which are both enormous and well known in origins research.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic intro to science
Review: This is one of the best introductions to biological science I have ever read. If you have any interest in how living species came to be, this book will explain it in non-technical terms that anyone (even creationists!) can understand.
Rating: 
Summary: Evolution triumphed?
Review: That's news to me. The latest stats I read say that about 45 percent of Americans take the Genesis account more or less literally, while another 45 percent believe in some variant of "intelligent design," or "theistic evolution." The latter group includes many scientists, not the least of them the head of the Human Genome Project. Zimmer may feel that evolution (in the atheistic sense) deserves to triumph, but so far, it's come up flat. It won't gain any adherents by treading out the same old tired arguments that have been refuted again and again, the way Zimmer does.
Rating:
Summary: Ideal intro to evolution
Review: Clearly written, beautifully illustrated, this book should be accessible to any intelligent lay person, and provides an ideal introduction to the history of evolution as a theory and as reality. It is an excellent companion to the PBS series. Although it will not convince any "true believer" creationist types (who rank right up there in the deluded ranks with people who think Osama was framed), it does explicitly address their concerns. It includes results from some cutting edge research, as well as covering the basics. A real pleasure to read.
Rating: 
Summary: A good overview
Review: For anyone wanting a not too long,not too swamped in technical language review of evolutionary basics,then you might do well to start right here.Zimmer is not dogmatic nor does he claim to have all the answers to evolutions unknowns,and he doesn't waste his time or breath on a load of idle speculation.He simply presents what is known and leaves you to think for yourself.By the way,I'm tired of people discussing evolutionary theory as though they have the prerequisite education to understand the myriad of complexities inherent in such an enormous field of interrelated knowledge which people who've worked and studied their entire lives can barely grasp,let alone lay people who probably could't pass a Biology 101 college course.Let the scientists sort it out!
Rating:
Summary: Triumph over creationism
Review: "Evolution" combines broad scope with enough detail to make a fascinating overview; though the "Triumph" in the subtitle was not emphasized enough, at least regarding evolution's triumph over creationism. (I'll remedy that here!) Chapters I and II review Darwin's life and the origin of "Origin." III discusses some ingenious techniques used to date ancient rocks, which shows that creationists are wrong to believe that evolutionists use fossils to date rocks in a type of circular argument. (Minerals being dated often don't even contain fossils!) Zimmer discusses Precambrian life, which preceded the Cambrian Explosion (CE) by billions of years, so creationists are wrong to believe that life began suddenly in the CE without prior ancestors. The review of life's migration from sea to land was also fascinating, and shows that creationists are wrong to believe that all life forms, including land-dwellers, appeared simultaneously in the CE. IV, on genes and natural selection in action, documents that our modern ideas about heredity are completely different from Darwin's, showing how wrong creationists (including a previous reviewer) are to claim that evolution is a dogmatic theory that ignores new evidence. (The ways in which modern evolutionists differ from Darwin's original theory are discussed repeatedly. Did that reviewer even read the book?!) IV's fascinating sections on our immune systems using evolutionary processes to fight infections and engineers using "evolutionary computing" show that "intelligent design" creationists are wrong to argue that random variation and non-random selection cannot produce complex, specified information systems, and that only intelligent forces, i.e., God, can produce such systems. V discusses the first 3 billion years of life, dominated by microbes, and answers the question, "Which came first, enzymes or proteins?" (One creationist reviewer must have missed this chapter.) Gene transfer, gene duplication, and fusion evolution are explained. All involve non-Darwinian processes, again, refuting creationist complaints about dogmatism! VI describes how Hox genes act as "tool kits," enabling widely separated species to construct similar body parts. Some Hox genes are virtually identical in flies, mice, humans, and crabs. These complex genes could not possibly have evolved separately in separate species, but must have been passed down to each species through a common ancestor. Hox genes' role in the CE helps refute the creationist claim of "sudden creation." The evolution of land animals from fish, the eye, and whales are all staples of creationist rhetoric, but Zimmer outlines the proper, scientific response. Another common creationist argument is that evolution is based on geological uniformitarianism, which holds that Earth's geological features were formed through gradual processes operating at a constant speed. It is easy to show that many geological formations could only have been formed by sudden, i.e., catastrophic events, and therefore creationists have an easy time showing that evolution is false. Of course, the creationist argument is valid only if evolution does in fact reject catastrophes. Chapter VII shows that it is creationists who are wrong, because catastrophes play a key role in evolution. Zimmer attributes mass extinctions to catastrophic events, and discusses the effect these catastrophic extinctions had on the subsequent history of life, particularly the evolution of small, nocturnal, warm-blooded mammals with more evolved brains. (Catastrophes are discussed in other chapters too, enough to make a creationist squirm!) VIII describes examples of co-evolution, where evolution in one species affects evolution in a separate species. This "Red Queen" process is a type of arms race that can produce startling effects, such as moths with 16-inch tongues, or ants running their own farms, complete with fertilizer and better pesticides than those produced by humans! IX examines co-evolution in medical situations. The evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria through mutation and natural selection is a good refutation of "intelligent design" creationism. (See IV, above.) The history of HIV and similar viruses in cats, cows, and primates and the possible significance of medieval Europe's Black Death were particularly interesting. X discusses the evolutionary implications of SEX, including Red Queen aspects, the implications of females having a few large eggs and males having numerous small sperm, why males are brash and females are coy, the competitive advantages of sexual cannibalism, why lions kill lion cubs, why peacocks have tails, and why allegedly monogamous birds cheat on their husbands! Peyton Place was a convent compared to this! XI discusses some of the highlights of human evolution, such as environmental changes, tool-making, empathy, and language. XII discusses modern man and culture. Recent studies show that Neanderthal DNA is completely different from human DNA, proving that the creationist insistence that Neanderthals were just modern humans suffering from rickets was just stupid. XIII traced the rise of "scientific" creationism from the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925 to the Kansas Board of Education in 1999. This brief chapter still had enough space to lampoon some of the more bizarre creationist arguments, including some by Henry Morris and Michael Behe. Finally, note the dozens of citations to scientific papers published in the last decade, compared with most anti-evolution books, which rely almost exclusively on ancient, out-dated cites. (See Richard Milton's "Shattering the Myths of Darwinism," for a pathetic, and typical, example.) I also read the previous reviews. It's amazing (and depressing) how many creationists just don't get it. One complained that the book is all theory, no facts. What book was he reading? One bizarre review claimed whales appeared in the CE! One complained that Zimmer failed to cite creationists. Like most creationist arguments, that is simply false. First of all, the eight pages of citations are almost exclusively from professional science journals. It's not Zimmer's fault that creationists almost never publish in such journals. Secondly, despite creationists' lack of professional credentials, Zimmer did in fact relax his standards enough to reference very prominent creationists Henry Morris, Michael Behe, and Phillip Johnson. The references, however, demonstrate how shoddy their work is, which explains why they never publish in professional journals! Morris's population growth rate argument was simply insane! In short, it's a wonderful, informative book!
Rating:
Summary: Plain speaking about evolution
Review: Evolution is no mystery, just the plain facts, and this straightforward presentation does much to dispel any confusion. A fine introduction, even for those without background in biology.
Rating:
Summary: Stellar resource for both the layperson and professional
Review: Carl Zimmer has done a masterful job of presenting the modern synthesis of Evolutionary Theory. The format is accessible and nonconfrontational. The examples are quite lucid and prolific. I especially appreciate the extensive historical context of the rise of Evolutionary Theory and the difficulties facing it. .... As a scientist I can say that both the presentation of the theory and its religious implications are fair and balanced. The author has no need for dishonest rhetoric, he strives for historical accuracy, and ultimately leaves the theistic interpretations for the reader. If you are looking for a well-written introduction to evolution, look no further. This book will serve you well. I would also recommend this book to those looking to increase their understanding of Evolution. You might notice that this book draws comments that appear to be completely polarized. Bottom line-- read it for yourself. Draw your own conclusions.
Rating:
Summary: Evolution - Review
Review: I really liked this book. It is written from a perspective that anyone with reasonable intelligence can make sense of (which leaves out the fundamentalists that have reviewed this book). With the possible exception of the detail given about molecular evolution (DNA, RNA, etc), this book is an easy read. I appreciated the historical perspective regarding Darwin in the first couple chapters. The description of Darwin's own mental evolution was fascinating. As the fact of evolution became evident in the myriad of evidence he was facing, he became conflicted because of the implications involved, but only mildly. He overcame his reservations about the storm of protest he knew was coming and published anyway. Burying the truth is the province of Christian fundamentalists, and as a first-rate scientist, Darwin wanted no part of that. The book proceeds at a good pace and is generously sprinkled with photographs and diagrams. The book also proceeds in a very logical order that is easy to follow. I found the discussion of bacterial and viral evolution very interesting but also very disturbing. I am confident the human race will survive bacterial/viral evolution. Unfortunately, I suspect Zimmer is correct in being concerned that the effects of this microbial nightmare is going to have a devastating effect on humanity before it is resolved. The narrative addresses many of the Christian fundamentalist objections to evolution and natural selection throughout the book (whale evolution, Cambrian explosion, radiometric dating, etc.). But Zimmer does not speak to fundamentalist dogma specifically until the very last chapter. The fundamentalists that have reviewed this book and even the leading proponents of intelligent design proceed from a pre-school level understanding of what science is, let alone what evolution and natural selection are. The reviewer that suggested hank hanegraff's book on evolution betrays her ignorance in suggesting that his book is worth reading at all. It is no more than the rantings of a blatant fundamentalist evangelist who knows nothing of evolution. The reviewer that quoted Gould as having said "Whales and many other large animals appeared suddenly during the Cambrian explosion" is displaying ignorance at best but more likely is deliberately lying. Gould never said such a thing. I highly recommend reading this book.
| 
