A Taste for the Beautiful - by Michael J Ryan (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From one of the world's leading authorities on animal behavior, the astonishing story of how the brain drives the evolution of beauty in animals and humans

In A Taste for the Beautiful, Michael Ryan, one of the world's leading authorities on animal behavior, tells the remarkable story of how he and other scientists have taken up where Darwin left off, transforming our understanding of sexual selection and shedding new light on animal and human behavior. Drawing on cutting-edge science, Ryan explores key questions: Why do animals perceive certain traits as beautiful and others not? Do animals have an inherent sexual aesthetic and, if so, where is it rooted? Ryan argues that the answers lie in the brain--particularly of females, who act as biological puppeteers, spurring the development of beautiful traits in males. Vividly written and filled with fascinating stories, A Taste for the Beautiful will change how you think about beauty and attraction in the animal world and beyond.

Review Quotes

"Delightful and enlightening."--Natural History

"A hugely enjoyable book written with authority, easy charm and a great deal of wit. . . . This is science communication as it should be done: authoritative but never dull, engaging but never dumbed down. . . . [A] beautiful book."--Times Higher Education

"How Darwin would have loved a book such as this."--BBC Wildlife

"Ryan charms readers with his account of attraction in the animal kingdom, including humans."--Scientific American

"Ryan offers much to enjoy in his provocative book."--Publishers Weekly

"Replete with entertaining stories of the sexual marketplace that we and the rest of the animal world inhabit."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Michael J. Ryan is the Clark Hubbs Regents Professor in Zoology at the University of Texas and a Senior Research Associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.