Author, Biologist, University of Edinburgh

Selfish Genes to Social Beings

For all the “selfishness” of genes, they team up to survive. Is the history of life in fact a story of cooperation?

Books

I have always written books. My first was a textbook of plant population biology written when I was 26.

  • "A fantastic book!"

    Steve Brusatte about Selfish Genes to social beings: a cooperative history of life

  • "A tour de force of synthesis.”

    Steven Rose, about Selfish Genes to Social Beings: A cooperative history of life.

  • "fascinating"

    JR Goodman about ‘Selfish genes to social beings’ in Nature

  • “An awesome read. I loved your book!”

    Giles Coren, Times Radio about The Comedy of Error: how evolution made us laugh

  • "This book is funny.”

    James McConnachie, The Sunday Times about The Comedy of Error: Why evolution made us laugh

  • "A sumptuous experience...that will enlighten any meal”

    Richard Wrangham about Dinner with Darwin: Food, drink and evolution

  • "erudite, informative, and thoroughly entertaining"

    Bob Duffy, Washington Independent Review of Books, about Dinner with Darwin: Food, drink and evolution

  • "a marvellous read"

    Barbara Kiser, Nature, about Dinner with Darwin: Food, drink and evolution

  • “An inspiring tour through the sheer wonder of plant life"

    Peter Crane, Director, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, about Demons in Eden. The Paradox of plant diversity

  • "captivating and enlightening"

    Abigail Zuger, NY Times, about The Long an the short of it: the science of lifespan and aging

  • "erudite and eloquent"

    Jonathon Keats in New Scientist, about The Long and the short of it: The science of lifespan and aging

  • "a fabulous book"

    Jules Pretty in Times Higher Education, about An Orchard Invisible. A natural history of seeds.

  • "Do read this eye-opening book."

    Gail Vines, New Scientist, about An Orchard Invisible: A natural history of seeds.

  • "a little gem of science writing"

    Natural History Magazine, about An Orchard Invisible. A natural history of seeds.

  • "I will never look at seeds the same way again"

    The Australian, about An Orchard Invisible: A natural history of seeds