Three girls go to war & find true friendship.
Ethel runs away from a violent father, a man so fierce he beat her
Details: Born to parents who were enthusiastic naturalists, & linked through his wider family to a clutch of accomplished scientists, Richard Dawkins was bound to have biology in his genes. But what were the influences that shaped his life & intellectual development? & who inspired him to become the pioneering scientist & public thinker now famous (and infamous to some) around the world? In An Appetite for Wonder we join him on a personal journey back to an enchanting childhood in colonial Africa. There the exotic natural world was his constant companion. Boarding school in England at the age of eight, &, later, public school at Oundle introduce Dawkins, & the reader, to strange rules & eccentric schoolmasters, vividly described with both humorous affection & some reservation. An initial fervent attachment to Church of England religion soon gives way to disaffection &, later, teenage rebellion. Early signs of a preference for music, poetry & reading over practical matters become apparent as he recalls the opportunities that entered his small world. Oxford, however, is the catalyst to his life. Vigorous debate in the dynamic Zoology Department unleashes his innate intellectual curiosity, & inspirational mentors together with his own creative thinking ignite the spark that results in his radical new vision of Darwinism, The Selfish Gene. Ideal for: Fans of Richard Dawkins & people with a keen interest in he's work, science & his life. Dawkins was voted the world's top thinker in " Prospect" magazine's poll. This hardback measures: 24.2 x 16 x 3.2cm. Pages:308