The Red Queen

Matt Ridley's popular science book asks why humans reproduce sexually and what that means for human nature. Its title refers to the Red Queen of Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass, who must run constantly just to remain where she is. Ridley defends the theory that sex persists despite its costs mainly because mixing genes in every generation helps offspring keep pace with parasites that are always changing. He then follows the argument into human behavior: whether people are naturally polygamous, whether men and women differ mentally, and whether ideas of beauty are arbitrary. Toward the end he argues that human intelligence is largely a product of sexual selection, much like the peacock's tail. It was shortlisted for the Rhone-Poulenc Prize.

In a podcast interview, AngelList co-founder Naval Ravikant said he very highly recommends it among books on evolution and science.