Barry's Recommended Reading List

Richard Dawkins.

Anything and everything he has written on the science of evolution. "The Selfish Gene", "The Ancestor's Tale" etc. Take or leave his discussions of religion. On science, he is a superb popular writer.



Frans de Waal.

World leading primatologist, and listed in Time, 2007 as one of the "100 men and women whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world." Concerned with the origins of morality and regards religious morality as dependent on natural, evolved morality, rather than morality being dependent on religion. Example works, "Primates and Philosophers" & "The Bonobo and the Atheist".







Peter Singer.

World-renowned moral philosopher. Author of, among other titles, "One World Now: The Ethics of Globalization" and "The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism Is Changing Ideas About Living Ethically".



Steven Pinker.

Read "The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature", a thorough critique of the idea that human nature is infinitely malleable and is not a product of evolution.


Wolfgang Wambach

A relentless, non-stop action adventure to delight both children and adults. Fugitives Kenny and Adam are of different species, but they have one significant thing in common - neither can speak. The story keeps you gripped as it explores people's attitudes to non-human animals. It is delightfully illustrated in a somewhat retro style. Following their adventure leads you into the epilogues, with very clearly written summaries on two terms that repeatedly come up, in bold, in the story: the great apes, and evolution. What is known about all of us who are great apes, together with a nice set of photographs, and another section explaining the basics of evolution with further illustrations. There is a great need for books that introduce evolutionary science to young children, and I thoroughly recommend this one for any home and school library.





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