Hi from Australia

Helen Sos · Eligible to vote! Joined: 29 Mar 2005 Posts: 12 Gender:

Hello everyone.

I have just finished reading Collapse and wasn't ready to let it go just yet. I did a google search and ended up at booktalk - talk about serendipitous. I'm a stay-at-home mum with 3 kids and one of the things I miss through not being in the workplace is the day to day discussion of ideas, big and small. I've been reading some of your forums and enjoyed what I've seen and am looking forward to taking part.

Helen

Ken Hemingway · Intern Joined: 22 Dec 2004 Posts: 188 Gender:

Welcome, Helen!

Mr. Pessimistic · Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2005 11:01 am Post subject: Re: Hi from Australia

Welcome Helen! I look forward to reading your thoughts on Collapse...and many other topics!

Mr. P.

The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.

The pain in hell has two sides. The kind you can touch with your hand; the kind you can feel in your heart...Scorsese's "Mean Streets"

I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper

Chris OConnor · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:21 am Post subject: Re: Hi from Australia

Helen

Welcome to the community.

I hope you jump into the discussion on the Collapse forum!

Chris

Loricat · Graduate Student Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 446 Gender:

Helen,
I'm a little envious -- you can sit back and prepare scintilating commentary while the rest of us (well, actually, it's ME I'm worried about

) have to read and worry about the commentary at the same time!

Let's go!

Lori

"All beings are the owners of their deeds, the heirs to their deeds."

Helen Sos · Eligible to vote! Joined: 29 Mar 2005 Posts: 12 Gender:

Hi there.

I am a fairly new atheist. I was a Christian for many years, my husband and I used to go to church regularly, basically until we had children. Since being home with the kids I have taken the opportunity to read a lot more in the area of history and natural science and to really think about what I believe. I have come to the conclusion that I have spent a lot of time and energy trying to prop up a belief system that doesn't bear up under close scrutiny and it is something of a relief to declare myself an atheist.

I was a maths/physics teacher in my previous life but never studied biology. I am keen to do some reading in the area of evolution now and would be grateful for some suggestions. Would Richard Dawkins be a good place to start?

tarav · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2005 11:36 am Post subject: Re: any suggestions please?

I have a few book suggestions for you! Books that I recommend on evolution, in general are: Ever Since Darwin by S. Gould, Darwin's Dangerous Idea by D. Dennett, The Origin of Species by C. Darwin, and the selfish gene by R. Dawkins. I have not read all of Dawkins' books, but the ones I have read were great. Dawkins would be a good place to start. Books on human evolution I recommend are: The Third Chimpanzee by J. Diamond, The Red Queen by Matt Ridley, and The Descent of Man by C. Darwin. A book of great importance regarding the ethical implications of evolutionary theory and research as it pertains to our closest living relatives is Next of Kin by R. Fouts. Helen, feel free to drop me messages in my inbox about any of these books you might read, as I am happy to discuss them and able to, since I own copies of the ones I listed here. Also, some of them have been booktalk selections and you can post on them in their threads. I hope this helps! Enjoy your reading! I look forward to reading your posts!

Chris OConnor · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 7:26 am Post subject: Re: any suggestions please?

Helen

Tara has made some excellent suggestions, but I'll add a word of warning to a few. As you start down the path of learning about evolutionary biology I suggest you avoid reading Charles Darwin or Stephen Jay Gould. Both might overwhelm you at first. Darwin's books contain much more detail than is necessary to understand the basics of the theory. Gould is overly verbose and some find his writing style difficult to follow. My suggestion would be to stick with Richard Dawkins. Or better yet get the basics from the Internet and then move into some Dawkins books. With your background in science you should have no troubles.

Chris

Helen Sos · Eligible to vote! Joined: 29 Mar 2005 Posts: 12 Gender:

Thanks Tara and Chris. I have had a bit of trouble getting hold of The Selfish Gene but had success on Thursday. In the meantime I read River out of Eden which was great. Richard Dawkins makes the sciece fairly accessible for the non-biologist. I'm looking forward to The Selfish Gene which looks more detailed.

Helen


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