The Ancestor’s Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution
by Richard Dawkins
The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution by Richard Dawkins holds a highly rated rating of 4.13 out of 5, based on 16.8K reader ratings. First published in 2004. The book spans 688 pages.
About The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution
The renowned biologist and thinker Richard Dawkins presents his most expansive work yet: a comprehensive look at evolution, ranging from the latest developments in the field to his own provocative views. Loosely based on the form of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Dawkins's Tale takes us modern humans back through four billion years of life on our planet. As the pilgrimage progresses, we join with other organisms at the forty "rendezvous points" where we find a common ancestor. The band of pilgrims swells into a vast crowd as we join first with other primates, then with other mammals, and so on back to the first primordial organism.Dawkins's brilliant, inventive approach allows us to view the connections between ourselves and all other life in a bracingly novel way. It also lets him shed bright new light on the most compelling aspects of evolutionary history and theory: sexual selection, speciation, convergent evolution, extinction, genetics, plate tectonics, geographical dispersal, and more. The Ancestor's Tale is at once a far-reaching survey of the latest, best thinking on biology and a fascinating history of life on Earth. Here Dawkins shows us how remarkable we are, how astonishing our history, and how intimate our relationship with the rest of the living world.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Richard Dawkins |
| Published | 2004 |
| Pages | 688 |
| Kindle Price | $17.99 |
| Genres | Science, Non-Fiction, History, Philosophy |
| Average Rating | 4.13 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 16,775 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution?
The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution is categorized as Science, Non-Fiction, History, Philosophy. Its primary genre classification is Philosophy.
Is The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution worth reading?
Based on 16.8K reader ratings, The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution has an average score of 4.13 out of 5.00, which is considered "Highly Rated."
How many pages is The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution?
The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution has 688 pages. It is a longer read suited for dedicated readers.
Who wrote The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution?
The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution was written by Richard Dawkins. It was first published in 2004.
What is the ISBN for The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution?
The ISBN-13 for The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution is 9780618619160.0.
How much does The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution cost on Kindle?
The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution is available on Kindle for $17.99. Pricing may vary by region and promotional offers.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
