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A review by cheerydragon
Bitch by Lucy Cooke
challenging
funny
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Lucy Cooke is busting sexist assumptions in evolutionary biology wide open - and taking you along for the ride!
From why animal vaginas are more than just an empty passage, to how female passivity is a total myth, Cooke deconstructs some of the scientific truisms that emerged from evolutionary biology's patriarchal history with great verve.
She states her case by hopping around various case studies exploring the lives of female animals, and the scientists studying them. Wales, hyenas, dolphins, grouse, meerkats, albatrosses, zebra fish, fruit flies and more all make an appearance.
While it's definitely accessible to people without a scientific background (me!), I did find the pacing a little inconsistent. Some chapters seemed to zip by, while others were more information-dense and slower going.
Also, I loved the chapters where Cooke explored how patriarchy and the study of biology intercept and clash, and wanted to see a little more of this - though of course the titular 'bitches' are, rightly, the true stars of the show.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone with an interest in evolution, feminism, or ideally both.
Minor spoiler warning: get ready for some truths about meerkats you might not be ready for.
From why animal vaginas are more than just an empty passage, to how female passivity is a total myth, Cooke deconstructs some of the scientific truisms that emerged from evolutionary biology's patriarchal history with great verve.
She states her case by hopping around various case studies exploring the lives of female animals, and the scientists studying them. Wales, hyenas, dolphins, grouse, meerkats, albatrosses, zebra fish, fruit flies and more all make an appearance.
While it's definitely accessible to people without a scientific background (me!), I did find the pacing a little inconsistent. Some chapters seemed to zip by, while others were more information-dense and slower going.
Also, I loved the chapters where Cooke explored how patriarchy and the study of biology intercept and clash, and wanted to see a little more of this - though of course the titular 'bitches' are, rightly, the true stars of the show.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone with an interest in evolution, feminism, or ideally both.
Minor spoiler warning: get ready for some truths about meerkats you might not be ready for.