As I’m commencing fieldwork in Ethiopia in a few short months, I’ve decided to start a project to read what I am calling the “Great Books of Biology and Behavioral Biology” (or G3B Project). Simply put, I’m going to read all the books that a modern biologist (who focuses on animal behavior) should have read by the time they finish their Ph.D. and post reviews and comments on various sections and chapters during my fieldwork. Of course, I’ll begin with Darwin and go through the Modern Synthesis but after that who knows? I am officially requesting suggestions from behavioral ecologists, primatologists, animal behaviorist, behavioral endocrinologists, and the like to recommend what belongs in our ‘canon’ and in my oversized trunk to be carried in to the Simien Mountains.
I’ll post a reading list in a few weeks (after prelims are over, of course).
Hmm… I definitely think you should have Primate Societies and Primates in Perspectives on the list, if you haven’t already made your way through them. Juvenile Primates is also one that I think should be on the list, but I may be a little more fixated on juveniles than most (I did my masters research on juvies, and originally wanted to study them for my dissertation). There’s a book called The Endocrinology of Social Relationships that I’m hoping to work my way through (thus far, all I have done is skim through a couple chapters looking for specific things). I also think Randy Nelson’s Behavioral Endocrinology textbook is a must-read (I might also be biased there, because he is on my committee, but he and his book are pretty awesome). I’m pretty sure my advisor would also add Krebs and Davies books to the list as well…. I’ll let you know if I think of anything else…
Good write up. Keep going on with your study. The juveniles need you. Perhaps their mothers are low ranked, and the stress for themselves to survive in the group is too high, so it make sense to them to just abandon the infants, because its easier…
Rachelle
I also have to say, I’m impressed with your goals for fieldwork reading… my reading list for the field will be composed largely of fun reading
I want to avoid “textbooks” as they are cumbersome and contain a lot of generic information. I’m thinking more of the ‘big theory’ books. For example, I’ve just finished “Evolution and a Theory of Games” by John Maynard Smith. Books that are more like this is what I’m looking for (especially ones post Modern Synthesis).
How about Gould’s “Structure of Evolutionary Theory”? It’s on my list of books I should read but never have time for.
Is that only a hardcover? I would love to read that book, as SJG was one of my favorite authors in college (his essay collections are a delight). I’ve always disagreed with his (slightly politically influenced) view of evolution (not to say I disagree with his politics). However, I base most of my judgements about his theoretical work on “The Spandrels of San Marco and the Panglossian Paradigm”, so it would be nice to read a more fleshed out version. I only worry that it will be too heavy (1464 pages and hardcover) to bring to Ethiopia.
Yeah, I think it is only in hardback. Ontogeny and Phylogeny is paperback, though!
Have you looked into getting a kindle? They might have some of the more popular titles (stuff by Goodall or Hrdy, for instance), which would leave you some room in your pack for Gould!
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