Refine your search

  • Books (207)

to

Custom price range (£)

to

Prum Richard (207 results)

Author: 
Refine with Advanced Search
  • Language: English

    Published by Random House USA Inc, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books (was SecondSale)

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Very good

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardback. Condition: Very Good. A major reimagining of how evolutionary forces work, revealing how mating preferences--what Darwin termed the taste for the beautiful--create the extraordinary range of ornament in the animal world. A delicious read, both seductive and mutinous. Minutely detailed, exquisitely observant, deeply informed, and often tenderly sensual.--New York Times Book Review In the great halls of science, dogma holds that Darwin's theory of natural selection explains every branch on the tree of life: which species thrive, which wither away to extinction, and what features each evolves. But can adaptation by natural selection really account for everything we see in nature? Yale University ornithologist Richard Prum--reviving Darwin's own views--thinks not. Deep in tropical jungles around the world are birds with a dizzying array of appearances and mating displays: Club-winged Manakins who sing with their wings, Great Argus Pheasants who dazzle prospective mates with a four-foot-wide cone of feathers covered in golden 3D spheres, Red-capped Manakins who moonwalk. In thirty years of fieldwork, Prum has seen numerous display traits that seem disconnected from, if not outright contrary to, selection for individual survival. To explain this, he dusts off Darwin's long-neglected theory of sexual selection in which the act of choosing a mate for purely aesthetic reasons--for the mere pleasure of it--is an independent engine of evolutionary change. Mate choice can drive ornamental traits from the constraints of adaptive evolution, allowing them to grow ever more elaborate. It also sets the stakes for sexual conflict, in which the sexual autonomy of the female evolves in response to male sexual control. Most crucially, this framework provides important insights into the evolution of human sexuality, particularly the ways in which female preferences have changed male bodies, and even maleness itself, through evolutionary time. The Evolution of Beauty presents a unique scientific vision for how nature's splendor contributes to a more complete understanding of evolution and of ourselves. …

  • Language: English

    Published by Random House USA Inc, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books (was SecondSale)

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 5 available

    Hardback. Condition: Good. A major reimagining of how evolutionary forces work, revealing how mating preferences--what Darwin termed the taste for the beautiful--create the extraordinary range of ornament in the animal world. A delicious read, both seductive and mutinous. Minutely detailed, exquisitely observant, deeply informed, and often tenderly sensual.--New York Times Book Review In the great halls of science, dogma holds that Darwin's theory of natural selection explains every branch on the tree of life: which species thrive, which wither away to extinction, and what features each evolves. But can adaptation by natural selection really account for everything we see in nature? Yale University ornithologist Richard Prum--reviving Darwin's own views--thinks not. Deep in tropical jungles around the world are birds with a dizzying array of appearances and mating displays: Club-winged Manakins who sing with their wings, Great Argus Pheasants who dazzle prospective mates with a four-foot-wide cone of feathers covered in golden 3D spheres, Red-capped Manakins who moonwalk. In thirty years of fieldwork, Prum has seen numerous display traits that seem disconnected from, if not outright contrary to, selection for individual survival. To explain this, he dusts off Darwin's long-neglected theory of sexual selection in which the act of choosing a mate for purely aesthetic reasons--for the mere pleasure of it--is an independent engine of evolutionary change. Mate choice can drive ornamental traits from the constraints of adaptive evolution, allowing them to grow ever more elaborate. It also sets the stakes for sexual conflict, in which the sexual autonomy of the female evolves in response to male sexual control. Most crucially, this framework provides important insights into the evolution of human sexuality, particularly the ways in which female preferences have changed male bodies, and even maleness itself, through evolutionary time. The Evolution of Beauty presents a unique scientific vision for how nature's splendor contributes to a more complete understanding of evolution and of ourselves. …

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday Books, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover
    Buy 4 items, get 10% offfrom this seller

    Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.ThriftBooks-Atlanta

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Fair

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Former library book; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday Books, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: ThriftBooks-Reno, Reno, NV, U.S.A.ThriftBooks-Reno

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Fair

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Missing dust jacket; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday Books, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: ThriftBooks-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A.ThriftBooks-Phoenix

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Fair

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Former library book; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday Books, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.ThriftBooks-Dallas

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Fair

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday Books, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: ThriftBooks-Reno, Reno, NV, U.S.A.ThriftBooks-Reno

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday Books, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: ThriftBooks-Reno, Reno, NV, U.S.A.ThriftBooks-Reno

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday Books, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: ThriftBooks-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A.ThriftBooks-Phoenix

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday Books, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.ThriftBooks-Dallas

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Very good

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday Books, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover
    Buy 4 items, get 10% offfrom this seller

    Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.ThriftBooks-Atlanta

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Very good

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday Books, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.ThriftBooks-Dallas

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 2 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday Books, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover
    Buy 4 items, get 10% offfrom this seller

    Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.ThriftBooks-Atlanta

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 5.17

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 2 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

  • Language: English

    Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover
    • First Edition

    Seller: Better World Books: West, Reno, NV, U.S.A.Better World Books: West

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 5.42

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Condition: Good. 1st Edition. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.…

  • Language: English

    Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover
    • First Edition

    Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.Better World Books

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 5.42

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 3 available

    Condition: Good. 1st Edition. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.…

  • Language: English

    Published by Vintage, 2018

    0345804570 / 9780345804570

    • Softcover

    Seller: Zoom Books East, Glendale Heights, IL, U.S.A.Zoom Books East

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Very good

    £ 5.66

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Condition: very_good. Book is in very good condition and may include minimal underlining highlighting. The book can also include "From the library of" labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys, dvds, etc. . We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service.

  • Language: English

    Published by Random House USA Inc, 2018

    0345804570 / 9780345804570

    • Softcover

    Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books (was SecondSale)

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Very good

    £ 5.66

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 10 available

    Paperback. Condition: Very Good. A major reimagining of how evolutionary forces work, revealing how mating preferences-what Darwin termed "the taste for the beautiful"-create the extraordinary range of ornament in the animal world. "A delicious read, both seductive and mutinous. Minutely detailed, exquisitely observant, deeply informed, and often tenderly sensual."-New York Times Book Review In the great halls of science, dogma holds that Darwin's theory of natural selection explains every branch on the tree of life: which species thrive, which wither away to extinction, and what features each evolves. But can adaptation by natural selection really account for everything we see in nature? Yale University ornithologist Richard Prum-reviving Darwin's own views-thinks not. Deep in tropical jungles around the world are birds with a dizzying array of appearances and mating displays: Club-winged Manakins who sing with their wings, Great Argus Pheasants who dazzle prospective mates with a four-foot-wide cone of feathers covered in golden 3D spheres, Red-capped Manakins who moonwalk. In thirty years of fieldwork, Prum has seen numerous display traits that seem disconnected from, if not outright contrary to, selection for individual survival. To explain this, he dusts off Darwin's long-neglected theory of sexual selection in which the act of choosing a mate for purely aesthetic reasons-for the mere pleasure of it-is an independent engine of evolutionary change. Mate choice can drive ornamental traits from the constraints of adaptive evolution, allowing them to grow ever more elaborate. It also sets the stakes for sexual conflict, in which the sexual autonomy of the female evolves in response to male sexual control. Most crucially, this framework provides important insights into the evolution of human sexuality, particularly the ways in which female preferences have changed male bodies, and even maleness itself, through evolutionary time. The Evolution of Beauty presents a unique scientific vision for how nature's splendor contributes to a more complete understanding of evolution and of ourselves. …

  • Language: English

    Published by Random House USA Inc, 2018

    0345804570 / 9780345804570

    • Softcover

    Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books (was SecondSale)

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 5.66

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 8 available

    Paperback. Condition: Good. A major reimagining of how evolutionary forces work, revealing how mating preferences-what Darwin termed "the taste for the beautiful"-create the extraordinary range of ornament in the animal world. "A delicious read, both seductive and mutinous. Minutely detailed, exquisitely observant, deeply informed, and often tenderly sensual."-New York Times Book Review In the great halls of science, dogma holds that Darwin's theory of natural selection explains every branch on the tree of life: which species thrive, which wither away to extinction, and what features each evolves. But can adaptation by natural selection really account for everything we see in nature? Yale University ornithologist Richard Prum-reviving Darwin's own views-thinks not. Deep in tropical jungles around the world are birds with a dizzying array of appearances and mating displays: Club-winged Manakins who sing with their wings, Great Argus Pheasants who dazzle prospective mates with a four-foot-wide cone of feathers covered in golden 3D spheres, Red-capped Manakins who moonwalk. In thirty years of fieldwork, Prum has seen numerous display traits that seem disconnected from, if not outright contrary to, selection for individual survival. To explain this, he dusts off Darwin's long-neglected theory of sexual selection in which the act of choosing a mate for purely aesthetic reasons-for the mere pleasure of it-is an independent engine of evolutionary change. Mate choice can drive ornamental traits from the constraints of adaptive evolution, allowing them to grow ever more elaborate. It also sets the stakes for sexual conflict, in which the sexual autonomy of the female evolves in response to male sexual control. Most crucially, this framework provides important insights into the evolution of human sexuality, particularly the ways in which female preferences have changed male bodies, and even maleness itself, through evolutionary time. The Evolution of Beauty presents a unique scientific vision for how nature's splendor contributes to a more complete understanding of evolution and of ourselves. …

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: HPB-Ruby, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.HPB-Ruby

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Very good

    £ 3.06

    £ 2.79 shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover
    Buy 2 items, get 25% offfrom this seller

    Seller: Dream Books Co., Denver, CO, U.S.A.Dream Books Co.

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 6.14

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Condition: good. Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing, but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing, and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. May be ex-library with library markings. Ships promptly. …

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: St Vincent de Paul of Lane County, Eugene, OR, U.S.A.St Vincent de Paul of Lane County

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 3.43

    £ 2.97 shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Condition: Good. Hardcover This item shows wear from consistent use but remains in good readable condition. It may have marks on or in it, and may show other signs of previous use or shelf wear. May have minor creases or signs of wear on dust jacket. Packed with care, shipped promptly.

  • Language: English

    Published by Vintage, 2018

    0345804570 / 9780345804570

    • Softcover

    Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.Wonder Book

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Association member: ABAAILAB

    Condition: Used - As new

    £ 6.70

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Condition: As New. Like New condition. A near perfect copy that may have very minor cosmetic defects.

  • Language: English

    Published by Random House USA Inc, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books Inc

    4-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 6.70

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 5 available

    Hardback. Condition: Good. A major reimagining of how evolutionary forces work, revealing how mating preferences--what Darwin termed the taste for the beautiful--create the extraordinary range of ornament in the animal world. A delicious read, both seductive and mutinous. Minutely detailed, exquisitely observant, deeply informed, and often tenderly sensual.--New York Times Book Review In the great halls of science, dogma holds that Darwin's theory of natural selection explains every branch on the tree of life: which species thrive, which wither away to extinction, and what features each evolves. But can adaptation by natural selection really account for everything we see in nature? Yale University ornithologist Richard Prum--reviving Darwin's own views--thinks not. Deep in tropical jungles around the world are birds with a dizzying array of appearances and mating displays: Club-winged Manakins who sing with their wings, Great Argus Pheasants who dazzle prospective mates with a four-foot-wide cone of feathers covered in golden 3D spheres, Red-capped Manakins who moonwalk. In thirty years of fieldwork, Prum has seen numerous display traits that seem disconnected from, if not outright contrary to, selection for individual survival. To explain this, he dusts off Darwin's long-neglected theory of sexual selection in which the act of choosing a mate for purely aesthetic reasons--for the mere pleasure of it--is an independent engine of evolutionary change. Mate choice can drive ornamental traits from the constraints of adaptive evolution, allowing them to grow ever more elaborate. It also sets the stakes for sexual conflict, in which the sexual autonomy of the female evolves in response to male sexual control. Most crucially, this framework provides important insights into the evolution of human sexuality, particularly the ways in which female preferences have changed male bodies, and even maleness itself, through evolutionary time. The Evolution of Beauty presents a unique scientific vision for how nature's splendor contributes to a more complete understanding of evolution and of ourselves. …

  • Language: English

    Published by Random House USA Inc, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books Inc

    4-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Very good

    £ 6.70

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardback. Condition: Very Good. A major reimagining of how evolutionary forces work, revealing how mating preferences--what Darwin termed the taste for the beautiful--create the extraordinary range of ornament in the animal world. A delicious read, both seductive and mutinous. Minutely detailed, exquisitely observant, deeply informed, and often tenderly sensual.--New York Times Book Review In the great halls of science, dogma holds that Darwin's theory of natural selection explains every branch on the tree of life: which species thrive, which wither away to extinction, and what features each evolves. But can adaptation by natural selection really account for everything we see in nature? Yale University ornithologist Richard Prum--reviving Darwin's own views--thinks not. Deep in tropical jungles around the world are birds with a dizzying array of appearances and mating displays: Club-winged Manakins who sing with their wings, Great Argus Pheasants who dazzle prospective mates with a four-foot-wide cone of feathers covered in golden 3D spheres, Red-capped Manakins who moonwalk. In thirty years of fieldwork, Prum has seen numerous display traits that seem disconnected from, if not outright contrary to, selection for individual survival. To explain this, he dusts off Darwin's long-neglected theory of sexual selection in which the act of choosing a mate for purely aesthetic reasons--for the mere pleasure of it--is an independent engine of evolutionary change. Mate choice can drive ornamental traits from the constraints of adaptive evolution, allowing them to grow ever more elaborate. It also sets the stakes for sexual conflict, in which the sexual autonomy of the female evolves in response to male sexual control. Most crucially, this framework provides important insights into the evolution of human sexuality, particularly the ways in which female preferences have changed male bodies, and even maleness itself, through evolutionary time. The Evolution of Beauty presents a unique scientific vision for how nature's splendor contributes to a more complete understanding of evolution and of ourselves. …

  • Language: English

    Published by Vintage, 2018

    0345804570 / 9780345804570

    • Softcover

    Seller: ZBK Books, Carlstadt, NJ, U.S.A.ZBK Books

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Very good

    £ 6.83

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Condition: very_good. Fast & Free Shipping â" Very Good condition book with a firm cover and clean pages. Shows normal use and some light wear or limited notes markings. A solid, nice copy to enjoy.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: HPB Inc., Dallas, TX, U.S.A.HPB Inc.

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Very good

    £ 4.21

    £ 2.79 shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority.

  • Language: English

    Published by Doubleday, 2017

    0385537212 / 9780385537216

    • Hardcover

    Seller: HPB-Diamond, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.HPB-Diamond

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Very good

    £ 4.21

    £ 2.79 shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority.

  • Language: English

    Published by Random House USA Inc, 2018

    0345804570 / 9780345804570

    • Softcover

    Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books Inc

    4-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Very good

    £ 7.19

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 10 available

    Paperback. Condition: Very Good. A major reimagining of how evolutionary forces work, revealing how mating preferences-what Darwin termed "the taste for the beautiful"-create the extraordinary range of ornament in the animal world. "A delicious read, both seductive and mutinous. Minutely detailed, exquisitely observant, deeply informed, and often tenderly sensual."-New York Times Book Review In the great halls of science, dogma holds that Darwin's theory of natural selection explains every branch on the tree of life: which species thrive, which wither away to extinction, and what features each evolves. But can adaptation by natural selection really account for everything we see in nature? Yale University ornithologist Richard Prum-reviving Darwin's own views-thinks not. Deep in tropical jungles around the world are birds with a dizzying array of appearances and mating displays: Club-winged Manakins who sing with their wings, Great Argus Pheasants who dazzle prospective mates with a four-foot-wide cone of feathers covered in golden 3D spheres, Red-capped Manakins who moonwalk. In thirty years of fieldwork, Prum has seen numerous display traits that seem disconnected from, if not outright contrary to, selection for individual survival. To explain this, he dusts off Darwin's long-neglected theory of sexual selection in which the act of choosing a mate for purely aesthetic reasons-for the mere pleasure of it-is an independent engine of evolutionary change. Mate choice can drive ornamental traits from the constraints of adaptive evolution, allowing them to grow ever more elaborate. It also sets the stakes for sexual conflict, in which the sexual autonomy of the female evolves in response to male sexual control. Most crucially, this framework provides important insights into the evolution of human sexuality, particularly the ways in which female preferences have changed male bodies, and even maleness itself, through evolutionary time. The Evolution of Beauty presents a unique scientific vision for how nature's splendor contributes to a more complete understanding of evolution and of ourselves. …

  • Language: English

    Published by Random House USA Inc, 2018

    0345804570 / 9780345804570

    • Softcover

    Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books Inc

    4-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 7.19

     Free Shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 8 available

    Paperback. Condition: Good. A major reimagining of how evolutionary forces work, revealing how mating preferences-what Darwin termed "the taste for the beautiful"-create the extraordinary range of ornament in the animal world. "A delicious read, both seductive and mutinous. Minutely detailed, exquisitely observant, deeply informed, and often tenderly sensual."-New York Times Book Review In the great halls of science, dogma holds that Darwin's theory of natural selection explains every branch on the tree of life: which species thrive, which wither away to extinction, and what features each evolves. But can adaptation by natural selection really account for everything we see in nature? Yale University ornithologist Richard Prum-reviving Darwin's own views-thinks not. Deep in tropical jungles around the world are birds with a dizzying array of appearances and mating displays: Club-winged Manakins who sing with their wings, Great Argus Pheasants who dazzle prospective mates with a four-foot-wide cone of feathers covered in golden 3D spheres, Red-capped Manakins who moonwalk. In thirty years of fieldwork, Prum has seen numerous display traits that seem disconnected from, if not outright contrary to, selection for individual survival. To explain this, he dusts off Darwin's long-neglected theory of sexual selection in which the act of choosing a mate for purely aesthetic reasons-for the mere pleasure of it-is an independent engine of evolutionary change. Mate choice can drive ornamental traits from the constraints of adaptive evolution, allowing them to grow ever more elaborate. It also sets the stakes for sexual conflict, in which the sexual autonomy of the female evolves in response to male sexual control. Most crucially, this framework provides important insights into the evolution of human sexuality, particularly the ways in which female preferences have changed male bodies, and even maleness itself, through evolutionary time. The Evolution of Beauty presents a unique scientific vision for how nature's splendor contributes to a more complete understanding of evolution and of ourselves. …

  • Language: English

    Published by Anchor, 2018

    0345804570 / 9780345804570

    • Softcover

    Seller: Bookmans, tucson, AZ, U.S.A.Bookmans

    5-star seller
    Contact seller

    Condition: Used - Good

    £ 4.24

    £ 2.97 shipping 
    Ships within U.S.A.

    Quantity: 1 available

    Paperback. Condition: Good. Satisfaction 100% guaranteed.