The Evolution of Beauty

Starred review from March 6, 2017
Prum, a professor of ornithology at Yale, provocatively questions whether virtually all biologists have misunderstood a core concept first proposed by Charles Darwin. As Prum explains, the vast majority of evolutionary biologists consider sexual selection, in which females choose males with whom to mate, to be a type of natural selection. Male ornamentation, such as peacock tail feathers, arises as a means to advertise health and virility. Using his own research on tropical birds as a base, Prum follows Darwin in positing that such ornamentation has no such signaling value and arises instead for its aesthetic value—a value determined solely by the females of a species. Presenting persuasive supporting data while clearly articulating much about the scientific process, Prum maintains that a correct reading of sexual selection indicates that it is a potent mechanism for females to develop sexual autonomy. By controlling various aspects of male behavior through mate choice, Prum argues that females of many species have reduced the incidence of rape while increasing male sociality. He also offers hypotheses for the evolution of the female orgasm and homosexuality while embedding the concept of feminism solidly within a biological framework. Prum crosses many boundaries while provoking readers to consider Darwin’s ignored idea as a new paradigm.

March 15, 2017
A robust defense of Charles Darwin's aesthetic theory of evolution.Prum (Ornithology/Yale Univ.), the head curator of vertebrate zoology at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, argues that natural selection is not the only evolutionary mechanism at work in nature. Beauty and desire in nature are also dynamic forces, and those features in males that females prefer in choosing mates evolve rapidly. In a nutshell, each species evolves its own standard of beauty by which it chooses mates. After a brief discussion of the early and continued opposition to Darwin's aesthetic theory, the author illustrates the role of beauty in bird mating by taking readers to Borneo to observe the rituals of the Great Argus, a species of pheasant known as -one of the most aesthetically extreme animals on the planet,- and to Suriname, to see the displays of male manakins, which must meet the -very high standards- of potential female mates. In other chapters, Prum reveals the intricate machinery involved in female bowerbirds choosing their mates. Female ducks, it seems, may not have such autonomy. Readers may be in for a shock when Prum turns to duck sex, which can be violent, involving what humans would call gang rape, and the illustrations of record-setting duck penises are eye-opening. The author, who charmingly reveals his lifelong fascination with birds, does not base his argument solely on avian evolution, however. In later chapters, he explores the role of female mate choice in primate evolution, a challenging subject that he views as warranting further study. Throughout, the narrative is well-documented and wholly accessible, enriched by the author's warm personal touches. Prum writes that his goal was to present the -full, distinctive richness, complexity, and diversity of this aesthetic view of life.- He absolutely succeeds, though fierce debate will continue among evolutionary biologists.

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January 1, 2017

The MacArthur Fellow who proclaimed birds the descendants of dinosaurs counters the notion that Darwin's theory of natural selection fully explains which species thrive. Prum turns to Darwin's overlooked theory of sexual selection, which argues that choosing a mate for aesthetic reasons is its own key force in evolutionary change.

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April 1, 2017

In this thought-provoking exploration of sexual selection as an evolutionary force, Prum (ornithology, Yale Univ.) argues that Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection isn't the only thing driving evolution. Sexual selection is the idea that the female is responsible for more than modern-day scientists are comfortable admitting, by choosing mates based on attributes that are aesthetically pleasing rather than serving some sort of function to further the species. For example, in order to attract a mate, the male great argus pheasant builds an "arena" by clearing out sticks and leaves, waits for a female to approach, and then expands his feathers, which are covered in multicolored optical illusion spheres, and dances around. Prum argues in favor of Darwin's theory that this mating ritual, along with others, is the culmination of evolution through mate choice, that individuals have the capacity to choose mates with the ornaments they prefer. He expands this theory mostly through his ornithological studies but also casts the methodology onto humans as well, which is much easier to comprehend. Prum's prose is simple and enjoyable enough for the Darwinian-challenged to understand while based in enough scientific evidence to engage those who might disagree with the ideas presented. VERDICT An intriguing look at a forgotten--and ignored--piece of Darwinism. Casual readers and science buffs alike will surely appreciate this book. [Prepub Alert, 11/21/2016.]--Tyler Hixson, School Library Journal

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