A review by cynicusrex
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

5.0

Before reading The Selfish Gene, the term evolution was an abstraction. My understanding only went so far as "slow adaptation over unimaginably long periods of time." I thought that was all there was to it. Wrong. It is a beautiful, yet difficult, science. More intricate and far-reaching than I could have imagined. Dawkins explores subjects ranging from mantis' sexual cannibalism to war tactics. And the subtle 'up yours' to religion were delightful. It's quite the liberating read. But as I said, not always easy. An occasional triple-check was necessary, and I would certainly benefit from reading it again, and then some. The fact that it is not easy is not a bad thing though. The amalgamation of knowledge is the life's work of many scholars, so it's quite normal to not to get it instantly.