On: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?

[llamaimperative]

What similar books are there to The Selfish Gene? I read it not too long ago and found it astonishing.

People are generally enthralled by Sapiens which is just a very mediocre extension + shallow interpretation of Dawkins’ thesis.

[etiam → llamaimperative]

Probably too similar, but do follow up with "The Extended Phenotype" if you haven't already.

[mikhailfranco → etiam]

Dawkins is not an original researcher. He is wonderful at synthesizing research and writing eloquent popular books.

The importance of The Selfish Gene is to write a correct summary of the neo-Darwinian project. In the future (perhaps even now), it will be more famous for the coining of meme (in an appendix IIRC).

However, The Extended Phenotype is a remarkably original exposition of important (then) contemporary frontiers of Darwinism. It is a powerful idea, powerfully described.

It is certainly his most important original contribution to the literature. And a beautiful book. True and convincing. It will change your view of the world. There is no higher praise.

[llamaimperative → etiam]

I have been meaning to come back to this since reading Selfish Gene, but haven't gotten to it! I suppose I should :)

[NortySpock → llamaimperative]

"The God Virus: How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture" by Darrel Ray follows in the footsteps of The Selfish Gene to certain logical conclusions about clusters of related memes/concepts (specifically: how religion(s) formed and evolved as clusters of overlapping concepts)