SKU: 69785128925

Birds, Sex and Beauty by Matt Ridley (Hardcover)

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Birds, Sex and Beauty by Matt Ridley (Hardcover)In his new book, acclaimed science writer Matt Ridley looks to the peculiar mating rituals of birds to better understand the rich origins and ongoing significance of Darwin's sexual selection theory. Animals rarely treat sex as a simple or mutually beneficial transaction. Choosing a mate is often a transcendent event to be approached with reverence, suspicion, angst and quite a bit of violence. For Matt Ridley, nowhere is this more acute than in

In his new book, acclaimed science writer Matt Ridley looks to the peculiar mating rituals of birds to better understand the rich origins and ongoing significance of Darwin's sexual selection theory.

Animals rarely treat sex as a simple or mutually beneficial transaction. Choosing a mate is often a transcendent event to be approached with reverence, suspicion, angst and quite a bit of violence. For Matt Ridley, nowhere is this more acute than in birds.

From a freezing hide on the Pennine moors at dawn, Ridley closely studies the rare Black Grouse. He is there for the lek – an elaborate courtship ritual of squabbling and strutting males. They dance and sing for hours each day to attract a mate over several months. With most males leaving exhausted and unsuccessful, Ridley looks at how females make their choice to cast fresh light on how such rituals have evolved and why.

His pursuit follows five generations of biologists from Darwin and Wallace to the present day, uncovering how they have grappled with the implications of sexual selection as an eccentric, gonzo form of evolution. While most Victorian scientists found it impossible to believe female birds could select mates, Darwin was obsessed with the idea of sexual as well as natural selection.

Drawing on his own lifelong passion, Ridley eavesdrops on the elaborate displays of bird species around the world, from the complex art installations made by Bowerbirds in Australia to the bubbling calls of Curlews in the UK’s declining moorlands. In a wonderful blend of nature writing and elegant exploration of recent evolutionary theory, Birds, Sex and Beauty shows not only how mate choice has shaped the natural world, including humans, but how the song and plumage of birds can be thrillingly, breathtakingly beautiful.

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SKU: 69785128925

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Moranda
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Great quality!! Great price
Item Package Quantity: 2, Size: Queen
Bought these for my mom and omg i like them better than the ones I got on Amazon theyre super comfy and they bounce back up they dont flatten and im definitely buying some next for me definitely worth the place great price and the make seems real good quality
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Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2026
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Cuba, US
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These are very thick pillows.
Item Package Quantity: 2, Size: Queen
Exactly as advertised. They are very firm and very thick. They're too thick for me to be able to use as bed pillows. However, they seem to work pretty well as cushions in my papasan chair on top of its normal cushion also work very well as decorative pillows. I'm still giving them four stars because they're exactly as advertised and they seem well made. My only complaint is that they're just too thick. And that's definitely not the fault of the pillows or the pillow maker.
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Natrona Heights, US
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Lightweight, very smooth and comfortable comforter sheet set an a very attractive price
Color: Ivory, Size: Queen, Color: Ivory, Size: Queen
Such a well priced, attractive bed in a bag (comforter and sheet set) with the most lightweight comforter I have ever come across that is not a down comforter. This one is filled with 100% polyester with a 100% microfiber exterior. The sheets are called microfiber, which I am sometimes not a fan of as sometimes they feel too stretchy and hot. However, these feel good, and almost more like a smooth percale. It’s nice to the touch. Color is attractive in a clean ivory color. Going back to the comforter, I love the lightness of natural down, but somehow I have developed a sensitivity to the feathers which make me sneeze. This one can easily be thrown into the washer and dryer and feels equivalently light as my down comforters. It weighs in at slightly over a pound (though I could only carry it onto the scale) and I absolutely love the lightness of it. I did wash it in the washer and dried it in a dryer on normal heat. Came out with no wrinkles and very fluffy. Five stars!
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Lenta Bear
Cuba, US
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Nice Comforter, Thin Sheets
Color: Blue, Size: Queen, Color: Blue, Size: Queen
I bought this comforter set for my guest bedroom, and the price was great. It’s really pretty and fits the bed perfectly. It includes a comforter, a sheet set with pillowcases, and two pillow shams. It arrived vacuum-sealed, when I opened it, I was impressed by how soft it felt—just right for a comforter. It seems like it will be warm yet cooling at the same time, and I love its thickness. The only downside was the sheet set. While the comforter is fluffy and cozy, the sheets felt cheap—very thin—and I prefer them thicker. They’re labeled 100% polyester but are just too thin for my taste. If you’re not picky about sheets, this set would be perfect. They are soft, just not thick enough. Overall, I really like the comforter, but I’ll use my own sheets because of the thinness of the included ones. I would have given it five, but the sheets bring it down to four.
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Beautiful Sage Green Set That is Super Soft and Cozy!
Color: Sage Green, Size: Queen
​I am absolutely in love with this sage green bedding set. The queen comforter has a gorgeous pre washed crinkled texture that gives the whole bedroom a really cozy, aesthetic look without needing to be ironed. It is incredibly fluffy and has just the right amount of weight to it, making it perfect to use all year round. The brushed sheets that come with the bed in a bag are surprisingly soft against the skin, and everything fit my queen mattress perfectly right out of the box. ​The color is a beautiful, calming sage green that matches my room decor perfectly. I have already washed the sheets and comforter once, and they held up great in the machine without losing their softness or shrinking.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2026

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