Book Review: The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

Rating: 5 of 5 stars   Review by: Rohini

Selfish gene is the story of evolution and animal behaviour written in an almost impeccable style by Dawkins through the language of genes.

With advances in biology, we definitely need to employ this outlook towards understanding why and how does an organism evolve from a single-celled free living entity to merged symbiotic establishments eventually giving rise to complex multicellular organisms. It is all the course of the ‘selfish gene’ trying to survive in this dynamic, highly selective world. In fact, every animal/plant behaviour can be reasoned out through their underlying genes.

Dawkins’ analogies are simply wonderful when he explains such a slow complex phenomenon of evolution. This book has definitely given me a different perspective in analysing and comprehending the link between species development and genes per se. A must-read for those who want to know the mystery of how and why many of us are here in this planet.

All the world’s a stage, And all the beings merely players – the story, however, is being directed and narrated by the Genes!

View all my reviews

Related articles

• The Leadership Qualities of Richard Dawkins (ericteske.com)
• The God wars (newstatesman.com)
• Why Richard Dawkins is still an atheist – Paula Kirby – The Washington Post (richarddawkins.net)
• Richard Dawkins: ‘My driving force is a love of truth…’ (smritidaniel.wordpress.com)
• The Selfish Gene – Part 4 (pathofthebeagle.com)