a book

The Selfish Gene

Name: The Selfish Gene
Rating: 5 (26 reviews)
Author: Richard Dawkins
ISBN: 9780199291144

Richard Dawkins · 2006 · 384 pages

"The Selfish Gene is remarkable in several ways. First published in 1976, aimed at a general audience and written by a then little-known young lecturer in zoology at Oxford University, The Selfish Gene rapidly became highly influential. The important biological work of such figures as W. D. Hamilton and Robert Trivers was introduced to a wider public for the first time. But that was not all. Drawing together the threads of contemporary research in Neo-Darwinism into a powerful vision of the living world viewed through the eyes of genes as the units of selection, it was a significant contribution to biological thought. The full explanatory power of the gene's eye view was presented, in fine non-technical prose, for the first time in one short volume, bringing novel insights to those working in the field and inspiring whole new areas of research. Yet even that is not all. It has been widely acclaimed too for its literary qualities. Here is a book that set a new standard in science writing for the wider public, a modern masterpiece that fresh generations of aspiring young scientists would seek to emulate."--BOOK JACKET.

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Bookshop

recommended by 26 people

sourced from public statements

Andrej Karpathy
“I was very impacted by "The Selfish Gene". I thought that was a really good book, it helped me understand altruism as an example and where it comes from. And just realizing that the selection and the levels of genes was a huge insight for me at the time and it cleared up a lot of things for me.”
Elon Musk
“Most people don't realize that the origin of the word meme is the, I believe, 1976 book by Richard Dawkins "The Selfish Gene" in which he coined the word "meme". Ideas propagate like genes, based on the survival of the fittest paradigm. Only the strongest memes survive.”
Charlie Munger
“I had to read the Selfish Gene twice before I fully understood it and there were things I believed all my life that weren't so and I think it's just wonderful when you have those experiences.”↗
Tai Lopez
“Mind blowing book. “The Selfish Gene” by Richard Dawkins. But warning you, it’s too true for most people to handle...”↗
Nick Szabo
“Three crucial books on our origins & our natures:”↗
Sanjay Bakshi
“@philoinvestor @SridharanAnand There are many books on this but the ones I like the most are quite old. Selfish gene and blind watchmaker. Both by Dawkins.”↗
Peter Singer
“A highly readable theory about how we came to be as we are. Dawkins is always stimulating and full of ideas, even if he needs to be read in a questioning frame of mind.”↗
Phil Libin
“Had a profound influence on me pretty early on.”↗
Bob Metcalfe
“It just seemed to explain everything.”↗
Christopher Hitchens
Paul Graham
Jordan Peterson
Ev Williams
Ankur Warikoo
Mark Manson
David Deutsch
Brian Armstrong
Mr. Money Mustache
Peter Adeney
Matt Ridley
Russell Brand
P. D. Mangan
Brian Greene
Daniel Dennett
Vlatko Vedral
Joseph Henrich