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Bitch

A Revolutionary Guide to Sex, Evolution and the Female Animal

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Bitch

By: Lucy Cooke
Narrated by: Lucy Cooke
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About this listen

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The bitches in Bitch overturn outdated binary expectations of bodies, brains, biology and behaviour.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.

©2022 Lucy Cooke (P)2022 Penguin Audio Animals Biological Sciences Gender Studies Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Social Sciences Natural History Thought-Provoking

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Critic reviews

"Beautifully written, very funny and deeply important - Lucy Cooke blows two centuries of sexist myths right out of biology." (Professor Alice Roberts)

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I was driving to work with my mouth hanging open in shock, I cried, I learned a ridiculous amount of scientific feminist talking points, and I felt extremely proud of the female animals in this book proving the patriarchal narrative of our sex wrong.

Brilliantly explained science, funny too

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Fantastic!...Funny, educational and fascinating , Lucy blows away the last cobwebs of paternalistic brain washing to fully reveal the overwhelming evidence that all of us bought up around full spectrum women have always known. Animals and humanity are way more beautifully diverse than traditionally taught. A liberating book for all genders that will hopefully enable females to have even more control over their reproductive choices and evolve a healthier world of better leadership and chances for humankind.

Helping everyone create a more advanced humanity

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This remarkable book challenges outdated thinking that has been accepted without evidence-based studies. It highlights many inspirational scientists who have dedicated their lives to uncovering the true meaning of being female. I've learned so much from this book, much of which was missing from my Zoology degree, but is crucial for understanding how evolution really works. It's exciting to see more studies showing that being female is just as fascinating and important, if not more so, than being male. Being a woman in science is something to be proud of, especially with pioneers like Lucy Cooke leading the way in an increasingly diverse world that needs open-minded thinkers for our planet to thrive.

So eye opening and empowering

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What an absolutely incredible book with so many wonderful insights. The topics are varied and in-depth yet not so technical as to be not understood. A brilliant insight into nature and the natural world.

Bloody Wonderful

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This book is the most interesting, inspiring, clever and thought provoking book I’ve ever read. Genuinely life changing and enhancing. Just fascinating! A must read.

I loved this book

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This book is excellent and had me gasping in amazement about all the things I didn't know or had learnt incorrectly. It feels vital that this research becomes better known

Mind-blowingly important

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I'm too tired from child rearing and from maintaining my traditional female role to give this the 5 star review it deserves. Everyone should read this, doctors, biologists, naturalists - all of them. Once they've finished it, they should read it again, just so it sinks in.

Revelatory

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Had so much fun with this one, feel like I've learned so much and had some biases turned on it's head. I can understand that this isn't new to people who actually study zoology/ biology but for me who wasn't heard much about this since school it was perfect. I usually feel a bit left out when I read non fiction about something I don't have a great understanding for but this was great. This gave hope even when talking about stuff that isn't great.

Easy and fun to read even for a biology pleb

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Fascinating content, well written and an entertaining performance by the author. Will be recommending to friends and family.

Enlightening.

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ive listened to this 4 times now and take something new from it each time. Stunningly interesting in the way it daylights the so called cultural pollution of theh science of sexual evolution and gender which has until recently been dominated by studying the males only. Lovely chapter about menopausal animals and.a challenge to the normal narrative around the change and what its evolutionary role is. The book uncovers and challenges the deeply embedded cultural narrative around the passivity of the female in science( ie truth) led studies. read the book and never feel the same about the politics of sex in the animal and human kingdom. A must read.

Amazing book

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