The Drunken Monkey - by Robert Dudley (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Alcoholism, as opposed to the safe consumption of alcohol, remains a major public health issue. In this accessible book, Robert Dudley presents an intriguing evolutionary interpretation to explain the persistence of alcohol-related problems. Providing a deep-time, interdisciplinary perspective on today's patterns of alcohol consumption and abuse, Dudley traces the link between the fruit-eating behavior of arboreal primates and the evolution of the sensory skills required to identify ripe and fermented fruits that contain sugar and low levels of alcohol. In addition to introducing this new theory of the relationship of humans to alcohol, the book discusses the supporting research, implications of the hypothesis, and the medical and social impacts of alcoholism.

The Drunken Monkey is designed for interested readers, scholars, and students in comparative and evolutionary biology, biological anthropology, medicine, and public health.

Review Quotes

"A great example of the use of evolutionary theory and principles to illuminate causality in human behavior. . . . The first half of the book elaborating the ecology of flowering plants and frugivores is worth the price of admission alone, and this book will be a great addition to undergraduate or graduate evolutionary ecology course reading lists."-- "American Journal of Human Biology"

"Clear and engaging."-- "The Quarterly Review of Biology"

"Fascinating."-- "The Australian"

"Moving forward with his research into the subject, Dudley's book is but a mere preview to his ongoing work in the field, which will help better develop his working hypothesis. Hoping to bring in an evolutionary perspective, and the behavior seen in our close relatives, Dudley continues to search for closer empirical evidence that may help in future addiction treatment for clinicians of the debilitating disease."-- "Science Times"

"Persuasive and engaging."-- "Library Journal"

"The well-organized, highly informative, and lucidly detailed work is an example of excellent scientific writing."-- "CHOICE"

"Well constructed and clearly written."-- "Nature"

About the Author

Robert Dudley is Professor of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and Research Associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. His research on the evolutionary origins of alcohol consumption has appeared in numerous journals.