Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution

The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution
reviewed on + 107 more book reviews


Well, I made a mistake with this one... I had Richard Dawkins confused with Pete Dawkins, a West Point graduate and Rhodes scholar who was also a football star at the point, a huge success as a cadet, and a decorated war hero. I thought whatever he had to say would be worth hearing.

With Richard Dawkins, not so much. His magnum opus on evolution seems to be pretty much a fool's errand: if you already believe in evolution, he's preaching to the choir; if you are sold on creationism or intelligent design, you're probably going to ignore him whatever he says.

I do believe in evolution, so really don't need to listen to 14 cd's to be convinced that I'm descended from a rutasbaga. He shares narration with Lalla Ward, who is a lot easier to listen to than Dawkins himself who sounds sort of prissy and pedantic.

The material was way over my head; I'm a college grad with an above average IQ, but I don't think anyone without and advanced scientific degree is going to get much out of this. My eyes started to glaze over seven tracks into the first cd, and that's where I stopped. I'm 75, and don't have enough time left to wade through this; too many things out there I want to read or listen to.