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Good Reads  Evolutionary Biology  Evolution

The Wolf Within The Astonishing Evolution Man's Best Friend

Popular Science Nature Writing
By: Bryan Sykes(Author)
290 pages, b/w photos, b/w illustrations
NHBS
The Wolf Within traces the genetic descent of dogs from wolves and the radiation of today's many breeds – a bit uneven in places, it is a fascinating book overall.
The Wolf Within
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  • The Wolf Within ISBN: 9780008244453 Paperback Nov 2019 In stock
    £7.50 £9.99
    #240428
  • The Wolf Within ISBN: 9780008244415 Hardback Oct 2018 Out of Print #239588
Selected version: £7.50
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About this book

The evolution of dogs and the forces that drove its amazing transformation from a fierce wild carnivore, the wolf, to the astonishing range of comparatively docile domesticated dogs that we know today.

How is it that Homo sapiens formed such a special relationship with what, on the face of it, is a most unlikely ally? It is more than just a story of domestication but an astonishing example of the co-evolution of two species, man and wolf, to each others' mutual benefit. This co-evolution was a vital step in helping Homo sapiens overcome competition from other human species and to expand in numbers from relative obscurity on the margins towards the overwhelming numerical superiority and influence that we enjoy today.

The Wolf Within draws on the rich scientific detail of the genomes, both dog and human, that has accumulated over the past two decades. In each case we see a clear pattern of the origins of both species, resolving questions that have puzzled scientists for centuries. Sykes explores the breadth of this 'special relationship' between man and dog.

We know that dogs descend from wolves. We know that their domesticated descendants form close bonds with ourselves and there are a multitude of theories to account for our compatible social organisations. But to a geneticist, this is nowhere near powerful enough to explain this most peculiar situation.

Many theories explore what it was that propelled Homo sapiens from the position of a scarce, medium-sized primate to the position of complete domination that we enjoy today. The ability to control fire, the evolution of language and the invention of agriculture are three prominent examples. Sykes crucially adds a fourth: our transformation of the wolf into the multi-purpose helpmate that is the dog. We owe our dominance and our survival to the dog.

Customer Reviews (2)

  • Captivating, though slightly uneven in places
    By Leon (NHBS Catalogue Editor) 28 Feb 2019 Written for Paperback


    DNA recovered from archaeological remains, so-called ancient DNA, has caused a revolution in our understanding of human evolution (see my review of Who We Are and How We Got Here). In my review of The First Domestication, I wondered what analyses of ancient DNA would reveal about the domestication of dogs from wolves. I have not had to wait long to find out. Geneticist Bryan Sykes here tells that story, and how man’s best friend subsequently radiated into today’s riot of breeds.

    Sykes starts off with an interesting revelation: unlike most authors of dog books, he is actually not much of a dog person. Researching and writing this book has helped him overcome some childhood fears and appreciate them more, however. Although he initially casts the forebears of humans and wolves as mortal enemies, he is quick to put his cards on the table: our shared history is not one of humans subjugating wolves, but that of coevolution and mutual cooperation.

    In that sense, his thinking is in line with Pierotti & Fogg’s ideas (see my review of The First Domestication). He also highlights Pat Shipman’s thesis of our domestication of dogs being a factor in driving Neanderthals extinct (see The Invaders). And, though not mentioning names, it is clear whom he refers to when he mentions that he does not think much of the idea of wolves self-domesticating by scavenging on human refuse (this is spearheaded by the Coppingers, see their Dogs and What Is a Dog?).

    So what does ancient DNA reveal? Well, unfortunately it has not yet shed much light on which of the above scenarios is more likely. But it has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the wolf is the dog’s ancestor, and is the only one (Darwin himself wondered if other canids such as jackals might have been involved). And evidence so far is pointing to Eastern Europe between 32,000 to 19,000 years ago as the cradle of this process.

    Interestingly, it seems that the ancestors of Native Americans migrated into the Americas from Asia together with these transitional wolf-dogs in tow, rather than domesticating American wolves. Although Sykes alludes to the ancient DNA work having yielded many other fascinating insights, he does not go into them here. Instead, the book continues with (informed and clearly sign-posted) speculation about human-wolf cooperation based on archaeology and indigenous stories, before moving on to the emergence of modern breeds, the rise of pedigree breeding and studbooks at the end of the 1800s, the risks of inbreeding in pedigree dogs, and the sequencing of the dog genome, which was published in 2005.

    This is interspersed with chapters explaining the technical details, such as the basics of DNA, how it can be analysed to provide information about relatedness, as well as the genetic details of sexual reproduction (how genetic variation is produced by chromosomes exchanging chunks of DNA when sperm and eggs are formed, i.e. homologous recombination during meiosis, or the relevance of mutations in germ-line versus somatic cells). And, as is appropriate given the topic, there is a short chapter on the legendary work of Dmitri Belyaev who showed how rapidly foxes can be domesticated (see Dugatkin & Trut's fascinating book How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog)).

    Up to this point I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Sure, I would have liked to read more about what ancient DNA has revealed, but transitioning into the topic of the genetics of modern breeds is also relevant to the book’s narrative of how the dog ended up as man’s best friend. Sykes’s writing is thoroughly enjoyable and he paces the book nicely, spreading it out over 22 short chapters and 185 pages.

    But then the book radically changes gears. Chapter 23 sprawls out over 60 pages and contains transcripts of numerous interviews Sykes’s wife had with dog owners, highlighting how strong the bond between humans and dogs is. As someone who has grown up around dogs, I found many of the stories both recognisable and amusing, but I also found the transition between this chapter and the rest of the book rather jarring. Personally, I would have selected a number of these interviews and sprinkled them as vignettes throughout the book.

    There were a few other places where I raised my eyebrows. Sykes’s observation that the wolf is virtually absent from cave paintings is interesting. But his argument that “it is as if the taboo our ancestors felt about creating a human image also extended to the wolf” is not very convincing to me. Detractors could easily jump on this observation to argue that a more parsimonious explanation is that there was no wolf-human cooperation the way Sykes envisions. Similarly, he brings up the (in)famous story of the trophic cascades that resulted from wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park, a story that went viral with the George Monbiot-narrated YouTube clip. This is a hotly contested story that many consider an oversimplification (see also my review of Effective Conservation Science), with some pointing out that other animals are likely to be important contributors (e.g. beavers, see my review of Eager).

    All this makes for a slightly uneven book – some chapters seem to have been placed rather haphazardly and the chapter with interviews feels superfluous. Overall though, these flaws are outweighed by the fascinating topic. And when Sykes is on form, he is really captivating. I especially appreciated how he righted many misconceptions around genetics and topics such as cloning. For dog people and those interested in evolution or domestication this is recommended reading.
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  • I absolutely love this book!!
    By Danielle 5 Jan 2020 Written for Paperback
    This book was so amazing, I have no background in genetics but Bryan made it so interesting and understandable. I love the personality with the interviews also. I will be recommending this book for my friends and family to read, and I will be reading again!
    SO good.
    4 of 4 found this helpful - Was this helpful to you? Yes No
Popular Science Nature Writing
By: Bryan Sykes(Author)
290 pages, b/w photos, b/w illustrations
NHBS
The Wolf Within traces the genetic descent of dogs from wolves and the radiation of today's many breeds – a bit uneven in places, it is a fascinating book overall.
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