The Evolutionary World presents a new argument for evolution's broader importance. Adaptation plays a role not only in the development of new species but the development of human civilization, and by understanding how evolutionary theory has played out in areas such as our economic system, our preparation for catastrophes, and even the development of communities, we can learn not just how these systems work, but also what challenges lie ahead. For readers of Richard Dawkins and Jerry A. Coyne's "Why Evolution is True", this book offers the next step in appreciating evolution's integral part in our lives.
"To earn the title of distinguished professor of geology at the University of California, Vermeij had to be an astute and careful observer, an original thinker and analyst, and a skilled teacher and communicator. All of these qualities are on display in his new book ... This naturalistic bent is coupled with literary flair."--"The Dallas Morning News"
"A transcendent view of evolution as adaptation, not only accounting for the origin of species but as the force that can explain the accumulation of knowledge, economies and civilization itself."--"Kirkus Reviews"
"An absorbing joy to read."--"Booklist""A marvel ... Vermeij writes personably, and his arguments are detailed but free of jargon.... "The Evolutionary World" is very accessible even to rigorously non-scientific readers like this reviewer. Such attention is richly rewarded."--"Bookpage"
"A bold, brash, and magisterial account of the fundamental mechanisms that built our bodies, our genes, and our society. A culmination