Evolution

From acclaimed science writer Matt Ridley, a new book that studies the peculiar mating behaviour of birds to better understand the origin of beauty and humanity itself.

The eagerly anticipated conclusion to Peter Godfrey-Smith’s three-part exploration of the origins of intelligence on Earth, which began with the bestselling Other Minds in 2018 and continued with Metazoa in 2020.

This is a tale of human obsession, one intrepid tuna, the dedicated fisherman who caught and set her free, the promises and limits of ocean science and the big truth of how our insatiable appetite for bluefin transformed a cottage industry into a global dilemma.

‘Share[s] the life-enhancing joys of the humble hen’ Sunday Times

‘Clocks our obsession with chicken-keeping … Brilliant’ New York Magazine

An immersive blend of chicken-keeping memoir and animal welfare reporting by a journalist who accidentally became obsessed with her flock.

A fully updated new edition of David Attenborough’s bestselling classic.

‘Combines the natural history of programmes such as David Attenborough’s Planet Earth with the planetary focus of Brian Cox’s Universe’ Guardian

A beautiful, full colour book to accompany the 5 part BBC TV series telling the most important story of all, the deep history of our own planet.

The past, present and future of the world's most popular and beloved pet, from a leading evolutionary biologist and great cat lover.

‘Engaging and wide-ranging … The Age of Cats is a readable and informed exploration of the wildcat that lurks within Fluffy’ Washington Post

A major new look at how Africa’s geological history, climate, geography and biology resulted in the wonderful diversity of life found there. It is also the story of how it was the crucible for the evolution most extraordinary species on Earth – Homo sapiens.

How have our emotions shaped the course of human history?

And how have our experience and understanding of emotions evolved with us?

A Waterstones Best Book of 2020

The theory of evolution by natural selection did not spring fully formed and unprecedented from the brain of Charles Darwin. Rather it has been examined and debated by philosophers the world over for thousands of years.

The follow-up to the BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week Other Minds

A Times and Sunday Times Book of the Year

A Waterstones Best Book of 2020

The scuba-diving philosopher explores the origins of animal consciousness.

Humans are the only mammals to walk on two, rather than four, legs. From an evolutionary perspective, this is an illogical development, as it slows us down. But here we are, suggesting there must have been something tremendous to gain from bipedalism.