Summary

"An Appetite for Wonder" is the first volume of Richard Dawkins's autobiography, chronicling his life from his early childhood in colonial Africa to his emergence as a prominent evolutionary biologist and public intellectual. Dawkins vividly recounts his formative years, beginning with his privileged upbringing in British East Africa, where his parents instilled in him a love for nature and a fascination with the world around him. He fondly recalls his early education, first at Eagle School in Rhodesia and later at Chafyn Grove in England, where he developed a passion for reading and a penchant for mischief.

The book details Dawkins's intellectual development, tracing his growing interest in science and his eventual decision to study zoology at Oxford University. He describes his transformative experiences as an undergraduate, including his encounters with influential mentors such as Niko Tinbergen and his immersion in the vibrant intellectual atmosphere of the Zoology Department. Dawkins also delves into his personal life, sharing anecdotes about his family, friends, and romantic relationships, offering a candid and often humorous glimpse into his inner world.

As Dawkins progresses in his scientific career, he becomes increasingly captivated by the power of Darwinian evolution to explain the complexities of life. He recounts his early research on animal behavior, exploring topics such as pecking behavior in chicks and decision-making in flies. These experiences lay the groundwork for his groundbreaking ideas about the gene as the fundamental unit of selection, which would later form the basis of his seminal work, "The Selfish Gene."

The autobiography culminates with the publication of "The Selfish Gene" in 1976, a watershed moment that would catapult Dawkins to international fame and spark a revolution in evolutionary biology. He reflects on the challenges and triumphs of bringing his radical ideas to the world, setting the stage for the next chapter in his remarkable intellectual journey.