In this magnificently illustrated book, Christopher Wills takes us on a series of adventures. From the underwater life of Indonesia's Lambeh Strait to a little valley in northern Israel, to an earthquake in the coral reef off the island of Yap and the dry valleys of western Mongolia, Wills demonstrates how ecology and evolution have interacted to yield the world we live in. Each chapter features a different location and brings out a different and important message.
With the author's own stunning photographs of the wildlife he discovered on his travels, he draws out the evolutionary stories behind the wildlife and shows how our understanding of the living world can be deepened by a Darwinian perspective. Wills demonstrates how looking at the world with evolutionary eyes leaves us with a renewed sense of wonder about life's astounding present-day diversity, along with an appreciation of our evolutionary history.
PART ONE: THE LIVING WORLD;
1. Shape-Shifters;
2. The Inner Workings of Evolution;
3. The Shifting Earth;
4. Speciation;
5. Rainforests, Diseases, and Speciation;
PART TWO:THE HUMAN STORY;
6. How Domesticated Animals Changed the World;
7. The Great Migration;
8. The San and the Hobbits
well written and well researched Birdwatch There is much to fascinate. THES Fascinating, well-written book. Outdoor Photography Wills' has written a glorious examination of Earth's lesser known biological fauna and flora. Dave Partridge, Real Travel A stellar new travel book...dense with fascinating knowledge and laugh-out-loud moments. the perfect gift for your globetrotting friends. Watermelon.com Probably this year's most important travel book. Giles Foden, Conde Nast Traveller