Bitch: On the Female of the Species

“Bitch” is a startling term with many meanings, evolving from an insulting female descriptor to one that now labels a female with grit and determination. Following past cultural mores portraying men in the role of the superior dominant figure and women the inferior passive submissive creature, this image is shattered by the myriad studies described in this amazingly absorbing reportage of sex, its physical structure, behavior, and environmental influence on its appearance.

Lucy Cooke, an English zoologist and talented writer, has surveyed the sexual characteristics of the animal kingdom, reporting on spiders, birds, reptiles, fish, hyenas, bonobos, whales, microscopic creatures, and so much more. With wit and clarity, she exposes the male egocentric bias supported by social acceptance that prevailed and continues to persist in scientific interpretation and reporting.

Being female has its own power, and while males may dance, fight, and pound their chests, it is ultimately the female that decides which sperm will succeed. Glance at the myriad ways that sex can be expressed when females can transition to the male and vice versa. The stories are compelling and fascinating, meaning the reader can only turn into a bitch of an enthusiast for the author and her talented description of evolutionary sex.