Animal antics

Altruism, selfishness, nepotism: such typically human characteristics
appear to exist in the animal world, too. Raghavendra Gadagkar’s Survival
Strategies is an elegantly written discussion of whether they really do, and
what could account for this kind of social behaviour in animals. The author
weaves in the most recent evolutionary explanations of the strategies animals
adopt for their survival. Irresistible and well illustrated. Published by
Harvard University Press, £14.50/$22, ISBN 0674170555.