Bitch

What does it mean to be female?

By Lucy Cooke | Publisher: Transworld

About the book

'A dazzling, funny and elegantly angry demolition of our preconceptions about female behaviour and sex in the animal kingdom ... Bitch is a blast. I read it, my jaw sagging in astonishment, jotting down favourite parts to send to friends and reading out snippets gleefully...' Observer

'A book that is tearing down the stereotypes and the biases. Absolutely fascinating.' BBC R4 Woman's Hour

'From the heir to Attenborough. 5*' - Telegraph

'Glorious ... A bold and gripping takedown of the sexist mythology baked into biology ... Full of marvellous surprises. Guardian

'Colourful, committed and deeply informed.' Sunday Times

'Gloriously original' Daily Mirror

A 'sparkling attack on scientific sexism' Nature


'Humorous, absorbing, sometimes shocking (for a variety of reasons), and bound to be a conversation starter' BBC Wildlife

'Brilliant ... Cooke is a superb science writer' TLS

'Zoologist Lucy Cooke's hilarious and enlightening book reclaims evolutionary biology for females of all species.' New Statesman

'Introduces us to a marvelous zoetrope of animals.' The Atlantic

'[An] effervescent exposé ... [A] playful, enlightening tour of the vanguard of evolutionary biology.' Scientific American

Selected for the Telegraph's 'best books for summer 2022' and as one of the Guardian's '50 hottest new books for a great escape'.

_______________________________________________________________

What does it mean to be female? Mother, carer, the weaker sex? Think again.
In the last few decades a revolution has been brewing in zoology and evolutionary biology. Lucy Cooke introduces us to a riotous cast of animals, and the scientists studying them, that are redefining the female of the species.

Meet the female lemurs of Madagascar, our ancient primate cousins that dominate the males of their species physically and politically.

Or female albatross couples, hooking up together to raise their chicks in Hawaii.

Or the meerkat mothers of the Kalahari Desert - the most murderous mammals on the planet.

The bitches in BITCH overturn outdated binary expectations of bodies, brains, biology and behaviour. Lucy Cooke's brilliant new book will change how you think - about sex, sexual identity and sexuality in animals and also the very forces that shape evolution.
__________
Praise for Lucy's previous book THE UNEXPECTED TRUTH ABOUT ANIMALS
'Endlessly fascinating' - Bill Bryson
'I cannot remember when I enjoyed a non-fiction book so much' - Daily Express

'A joy from beginning to end' - Guardian
'Best science pick: deeply researched, sassily written' - Nature

Editions of Bitch

Paperback
ISBN 9781804990919
EBook
ISBN 9781473541504
AudioStreaming
ISBN 9781529190977

Read an Excerpt

'A dazzling, funny and elegantly angry demolition of our preconceptions about female behaviour and sex in the animal kingdom ... Bitch is a blast. I read it, my jaw sagging in astonishment, jotting down favourite parts to send to friends and reading out snippets gleefully...' Observer

'A book that is tearing down the stereotypes and the biases. Absolutely fascinating.' BBC R4 Woman's Hour

'From the heir to Attenborough. 5*' - Telegraph

'Glorious ... A bold and gripping takedown of the sexist mythology baked into biology ... Full of marvellous surprises. Guardian

'Colourful, committed and deeply informed.' Sunday Times

'Gloriously original' Daily Mirror

A 'sparkling attack on scientific sexism' Nature


'Humorous, absorbing, sometimes shocking (for a variety of reasons), and bound to be a conversation starter' BBC Wildlife

'Brilliant ... Cooke is a superb science writer' TLS

'Zoologist Lucy Cooke's hilarious and enlightening book reclaims evolutionary biology for females of all species.' New Statesman

'Introduces us to a marvelous zoetrope of animals.' The Atlantic

'[An] effervescent exposé ... [A] playful, enlightening tour of the vanguard of evolutionary biology.' Scientific American

Selected for the Telegraph's 'best books for summer 2022' and as one of the Guardian's '50 hottest new books for a great escape'.

_______________________________________________________________

What does it mean to be female? Mother, carer, the weaker sex? Think again.
In the last few decades a revolution has been brewing in zoology and evolutionary biology. Lucy Cooke introduces us to a riotous cast of animals, and the scientists studying them, that are redefining the female of the species.

Meet the female lemurs of Madagascar, our ancient primate cousins that dominate the males of their species physically and politically.

Or female albatross couples, hooking up together to raise their chicks in Hawaii.

Or the meerkat mothers of the Kalahari Desert - the most murderous mammals on the planet.

The bitches in BITCH overturn outdated binary expectations of bodies, brains, biology and behaviour. Lucy Cooke's brilliant new book will change how you think - about sex, sexual identity and sexuality in animals and also the very forces that shape evolution.
__________
Praise for Lucy's previous book THE UNEXPECTED TRUTH ABOUT ANIMALS
'Endlessly fascinating' - Bill Bryson
'I cannot remember when I enjoyed a non-fiction book so much' - Daily Express

'A joy from beginning to end' - Guardian
'Best science pick: deeply researched, sassily written' - Nature

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Bitch about?

'A dazzling, funny and elegantly angry demolition of our preconceptions about female behaviour and sex in the animal kingdom ... Bitch is a blast. I read it, my jaw sagging in astonishment, jotting down favourite parts to send to friends and reading out snippets gleefully...' Observer

'A book that is tearing down the stereotypes and the biases. Absolutely fascinating.' BBC R4 Woman's Hour

'From the heir to Attenborough. 5*' - Telegraph

'Glorious ... A bold and gripping takedown of the sexist mythology baked into biology ... Full of marvellous surprises. Guardian

'Colourful, committed and deeply informed.' Sunday Times

'Gloriously original' Daily Mirror

A 'sparkling attack on scientific sexism' Nature


'Humorous, absorbing, sometimes shocking (for a variety of reasons), and bound to be a conversation starter' BBC Wildlife

'Brilliant ... Cooke is a superb science writer' TLS

'Zoologist Lucy Cooke's hilarious and enlightening book reclaims evolutionary biology for females of all species.' New Statesman

'Introduces us to a marvelous zoetrope of animals.' The Atlantic

'[An] effervescent exposé ... [A] playful, enlightening tour of the vanguard of evolutionary biology.' Scientific American

Selected for the Telegraph's 'best books for summer 2022' and as one of the Guardian's '50 hottest new books for a great escape'.

_______________________________________________________________

What does it mean to be female? Mother, carer, the weaker sex? Think again.
In the last few decades a revolution has been brewing in zoology and evolutionary biology. Lucy Cooke introduces us to a riotous cast of animals, and the scientists studying them, that are redefining the female of the species.

Meet the female lemurs of Madagascar, our ancient primate cousins that dominate the males of their species physically and politically.

Or female albatross couples, hooking up together to raise their chicks in Hawaii.

Or the meerkat mothers of the Kalahari Desert - the most murderous mammals on the planet.

The bitches in BITCH overturn outdated binary expectations of bodies, brains, biology and behaviour. Lucy Cooke's brilliant new book will change how you think - about sex, sexual identity and sexuality in animals and also the very forces that shape evolution.
__________
Praise for Lucy's previous book THE UNEXPECTED TRUTH ABOUT ANIMALS
'Endlessly fascinating' - Bill Bryson
'I cannot remember when I enjoyed a non-fiction book so much' - Daily Express

'A joy from beginning to end' - Guardian
'Best science pick: deeply researched, sassily written' - Nature

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Bitch?

Lifestyle, Hobbies and Leisure > Nature and the natural world: general interest > Wildlife: general interest

Where can I read a sample of Bitch?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781804990919

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Bitch?

Lucy Cooke

Who is the Publisher of the book Bitch?

Transworld

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Bitch is available as paperback(ISBN 9781804990919) and ebook(ISBN 9781473541504) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9781529190977)

Where can I buy Bitch online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy Bitch from below

Where can I buy Bitch?