Following up on my earlier post, I wanted to relay one more piece of book news. I’ve been getting some emails over the past couple months inquiring about my book, Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea. I wrote it as a companion volume to the 2001 PBS television series, Evolution. Like the series, the book surveys the history and cutting edge of evolutionary biology, from the origin of new species to mass extinctions, from the rise of complex life to the emergence of humans. It also looks at ongoing evolutionary races, whether the competitors are hosts and parasites or members of the opposite sex. It puts evolution in a historical context, showing how Darwin’s theory emerged out of the science of his time and how social and political tensions have produced hostility to the notion of evolution today. (More details about the book can be found here.)
The book continued to sell long after the series aired, but recently some people emailed me to complain that they can’t find a new copy to buy. The original (heavily illustrated) version indeed went out of print a few months ago, partly due to the cost of all those pictures. But I’m happy to report that HarperCollins will be republishing Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea in fall 2006 with a new introduction in which I’ll discuss some of the new scientific and political developments that have occurred over the past four years. I’m glad my publisher has made this decision, because I think the book is more relevant than ever. Now I just have to find some time to write the introduction.
I’ll post more information next year when the book is available. In the meantime, back to the science…
Originally published November 18, 2005. Copyright 2005 Carl Zimmer.