Bitch

 Tell me a story... about the not-so-docile female 

Bitch: On the Female of the Species by Lucy Cooke

Publication date: June 14, 2022

Date read: July 30, 2022

Since Charles Darwin, evolutionary biologists have been convinced that the males of the animal kingdom are the interesting ones. Males are dominating and promiscuous, responsible for any variance in the species. In this book, zoologist Lucy Cooke shows us that nature actually tells a different story. 

The audiobook was narrated by the author. 

Right from the start, I knew I was going to like this book. Cooke’s introduction discussing gender versus sex in non-human animals was very knowledgeable and shows that she’s cognizant of the importance of establishing this from the start. It was with the times and smart, while at the same time not dumbing anything down to the audience, which I always appreciate. 

I do wish that she had not started her book with the sections on genetics. Is it important information? Of course. But it is very science heavy, and I worry that it might alienate the readers who aren’t as comfortable with the material. But anyone who powers through will, I think, really enjoy the rest of the book, once it gets into behaviors rather than genetics. The chapters on trait selection and promiscuity are much more interesting. 

Cooke really knows what she’s talking about with the science, but also has a sense of humor that I really enjoyed. (Chapter 4 is titled “Fifty Ways to Eat Your Lover”.) 

I do have a science and genetics background, so I might not be the best judge of the audience for this book, but I do think that it has greater appeal than to just hardcore science nerds. Interest in science, especially wild animals, is a must, but previous scientific knowledge on the subject isn’t. I think that as long as the topic interests you, the book will be an enjoyable read. 

Overall, I thought this book was very well-written and researched. Readers with a biology or genetics background should definitely like this book, but I think the appeal is broad. It’s also not just a book for women. Despite disproving that nature is always a male-dominated place, she isn’t anti-male. Just anti-outdated assumptions and poorly-executed experiments. I’m glad I got a chance to read this book.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.