Bitch: On the Female of the Species

A zoologist’s “compelling and often hilarious” ( Science ) look at the queens of the animal kingdom

Somewhere in the ocean, an orca matriarch leads her pod to better hunting grounds. At the same time, a male clownfish, alone after the death of his mate, changes sex. All the while, humans battle over sex and gender: One side argues evolutionary biology dictates how we should be, and the other that it’s a patriarchal tool and shouldn’t matter at all.

In Bitch , zoologist Lucy Cooke rewrites the science of evolution and sex, showing how a band of pioneering, feminist biologists have uncovered the dizzying diversity created by evolution. In their work, Cooke finds a new understanding of what being female can mean and how evolution itself can work.

Never before in history has being female been so scrutinized. Rising to meet the moment, Bitch is a fierce, funny, and revolutionary scientific manifesto with a new perspective on the female animal that is much more inclusive, true to life, and fun.