Author:Edward O. Wilson
'With Genesis, Wilson inspires awe ... His message is that selection has shaped a society that is characterized by cooperation and division of labour' Nature
Of all species that have ever existed on earth, only one has reached human levels of intelligence and social organisation: us. Why? In Genesis, celebrated biologist Edward O. Wilson traces the great transitions of evolution, from the origin of life to the invention of sexual reproduction to the development of language itself.
The only way for us to fully understand human behaviour, Wilson argues, is to study the evolutionary histories of nonhuman species. Of these, he demonstrates that at least seventeen - from the African naked mole rat and the sponge-dwelling shrimp to one of the oldest species on earth, the termite - have been found to have advanced societies based on altruism, cooperation and the division of labour. These rare eusocial species form the prehistory to our human social patterns, even, according to Wilson, suggesting the possible biological benefits of homosexuality and elderly grandmothers.
Whether writing about midges who dance about like acrobats, schools of anchovies who protectively huddle to appear like a gigantic fish or well-organised flocks becoming potentially immortal, Genesis is a pathbreaking work of evolutionary theory filled with lyrical observations. It will make us rethink how we became who we are.
A magisterial history of social evolution... A lucid, concise overview of human evolution that focuses on the true source of our pre-eminence: the ability to work together
—— KirkusEngaging . . . Wilson inspires awe with narratives about evolution and animal societies.
—— NatureIn his characteristically clear, succinct and elegant prose, one of our grand masters of synthesis, E. O. Wilson, here explains no less than the origin of human society.
—— Richard Rhodes, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and author of 'The Making of the Atomic Bomb'Genesis is a beautifully clear account of a question that has lain unsolved at the core of biology ever since Darwin: how can natural selection produce individuals so altruistic that, rather than breeding themselves, they help others to do so? In elegant, simple language Edward O. Wilson distills a magisterial knowledge of animal diversity into an unambiguous argument that the solution is group selection. Rich in accounts of extraordinary societies, Genesis is the ideal introduction to a problem of enduring fascination.
—— Richard Wrangham, author of 'The Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution'Endlessly fascinating, Edward O. Wilson-in the tradition of Darwin-plumbs the depths of human evolution in a most readable fashion without sacrificing scholarly rigor.
—— Michael Ruse, author of 'A Meaning of Life'Compelling and witty
—— Prospect Books of the YearAn unflinchingly honest explanation of what has gone wrong in the west - and the east - since 1989
—— Financial TimesA bracing analysis of post-Cold War politics, upending cherished assumptions and forcing us to look afresh at the complex dialectic of liberalism and illiberalism
—— George SorosThis is a book about imitation by a couple of utterly inimitable authors. It is the most original explanation I've read of the self-destruction of the liberal West as universal utopia. Scathing yet fair
—— Peter Pomerantsev, author of Nothing Is True and Everything Is PossibleWitty, incisive, devastating: an unforgettable analysis of why the light of liberalism failed in Eastern Europe, and why resentment towards imitation of the West has fueled the furies of the populist revolt
—— Michael Ignatieff, President of Central European University, BudapestAn insightful study of demographic change in the US, UK, Canada, Europe and Australia
—— Munira Mirza , Daily TelegraphI loved it! It's such a wonderful title, and the book lives up to it.
—— Nigella LawsonA must read for anyone looking to start a company or develop a product. It provides four actionable steps to attract users and to ensure that they continue to come back.
—— Firas Kittaneh , EntrepreneurA compelling book from start to finish. Cohen-Hatton uses her own experiences as a firefighter to expose the psychology behind her decisions and emotions. A great read and accessible to all.
—— Phil Butler, University of CardiffA compelling and exciting read. A great insight into decision-making on the front line of firefighting . . . Immersive stories, tension and fantastic lessons to take away. I loved it!
—— Flt Lt (Rtd) Mandy Hickson, former RAF Tornado pilotOne of the UK's most senior firefighters share heart-in-the-mouth stories from her 18 years in the emergency services, taking us to the very heat of battle; from scenes of devastation and crisis, to the quieter moments when these unassuming heroes question both themselves and the decisions they are forced to make. As we all as being extraordinarily courageous, Cohen-Hatton has an impressive professional track record: her award winning research into decision-making in the emergency services has transformed policy at a global level.
—— The BooksellerA fascinating read
—— Dan Walker , BBC BreakfastThis book is incredible!
—— Louise Minchin , BBC BreakfastWOW! I just could not put it down! . . . It will enlighten people about the human aspects of firefighting, the challenges of decision-making under pressure and the way in which university research has helped to understand and improve the way leaders approach critical decisions. It’s certainly made me think about how I can use the principles discussed to help people in a variety of leadership positions.
—— Karen Holford, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff UniversityThis book will change the way you think. Forever.
—— CosmpolitanAs well as being a fire-fighter, she’s a fire-thinker, and that’s what makes this book stand out.
—— Daily MailAn inspiring, vivid account of the dangerous world of firefighting
—— Jane Shilling , Daily MailMesmerising…at times, bitingly funny… [The Shapeless Unease is] an engrossing portrait of the fragility of identity and coherency in the grip of insomnia. I hadn’t read Harvey before this, but her facility with language here captivated me and I’ll be seeking out her novels next.
—— Valerie O’Riordan , BookmunchUrgent and full of arresting images and insights.
—— Stephanie Cross , Lady[The Shapeless Unease] is littered with sharp insights expressed in exquisitely lucid prose but is as amorphous as its title suggests.
—— Keiron Pim , SpectatorIt’s a claustrophobic, enlightening, moving, existential treatise on sleep, insomnia and death. And it’s funny, too.
—— Sadie Jones , GuardianI wish I had saved The Shapeless Unease to read in isolation but Samantha Harvey’s book about insomnia, time, death and so many unknowable things is a blessing to have in lonely times. It is a profound and stunning book but funny, too.
—— Fatima Bhutto , Evening StandardA beautiful, jagged little book about insomnia and so many unknowable things: life and death, Buddhism, and how language alters our thinking. But I was most struck by its form and structure.
—— Fatima Bhutto , New Statesman[Samantha Harvey's] cerebral, startlingly clear account of somehow pulling through [from insomnia] carries an electric charge and meditates on not only the mystery of sleep but also writing, swimming and dreams.
—— Net-a-Porter[The Shapeless Unease] is beautifully crafted and its achievement makes itself more apparent on a second reading.
—— Richard Gwyn , Wales Art ReviewA masterpiece, so good I can hardly breathe. I'm completely floored by it.
—— Helen MacdonaldThis book seems appropriately messy-haired and wild-eyed... Anyone who has lain awake the night before a big test will recognize such manic flourishes. Harvey captures the 4 a.m. bloom of magical thinking; stories proliferate within stories... To read Harvey is to grow spoiled on gorgeous phrases.
—— Katy Waldman , New Yorker