Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species is probably the best-known, least-read book. One of the most important achievements of the past millennium, it did for biology what Galileo did for astronomy: made it into a single science rather than a collection of unrelated facts. Important though Origin remains, its examples and intricate Victorian prose are now a century and a half old. They are ripe for renewal and reaffirmation. Writing as Darwin’s ghost, eminent geneticist Steve Jones updates this seminal work-and restates evolution’s case for the 21st century.

Jones is a writer of engaging wit and dazzling erudition and has been called the British Carl Sagan. Using modern examples-the AIDS virus, the puzzles of sexual selection, the physiology and psychology of pets, and the unparalleled genetic success of our own species-he shows the power and immediacy of Darwin’s great argument and makes us appreciate how it makes life make sense. Eye-opening and entertaining, filled with astonishing facts, amusing anecdotes, and the very latest research, Darwin’s Ghost is contemporary science writing at its very best.