My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have read many books that discuss various aspects of evolution but never a complete overview of the subject. While I understand how evolution works, and have no doubt about its veracity, I was not aware of the overwhelming supporting evidence for the theory from multiple different scientific disciplines: Paleontology, Biogeography, Embryology, Genetics, Comparative Anatomy etc. Mr Coyne relishes his task, clearly presenting the evidence fact by fact. Within the first 100 pages he presents a broad, and consistent body of evidence in which he weaves together facts from multiple fields. It was hugely entertaining reading an academic, at the top of his game, build such an impressive case. The evidence is undeniable and overwhelming. Evolution is true!
The first section of the book presents the evidence for evolution, the middle section explains how evolution works and the last section explains how evolution has affected humans. The last chapter covers the current acceptance of the theory and hints that what the theory needs a modern Milton to explain it’s wonder. He finishes by pointing out we are the only species to have figured out how we came to be and that this is a wondrous thing.
This book is devastatingly convincing and very educational. I have read a lot of books on evolution but nothing this comprehensive. Jerry Coyne is a leading academic who set out to explain why evolution is undeniably true in layman’s terms. He has succeeded with a book that no thinking person should miss.