Wow! eBook
Togetherness: Symbiosis and the Hidden Story of Life's Greatest Collaborations
Author(s): Rowan Hooper (Author)
- Publisher: Knopf
- Publication Date: August 18, 2026
- Language: English
- Print length: 416 pages
- ISBN-10: 0593802667
- ISBN-13: 9780593802663
Book Description
“Absolutely enthralling. I was hooked from the first sentence.” —Bill Bryson, author of
A Short History of Nearly Everything and The BodyFrom evolution to capitalism, our belief in the “survival of the fittest” has shaped our view of the world. But we got it wrong—and our mistake has brought us to the brink.
In
Togetherness, evolutionary biologist Rowan Hooper shows us that all life on Earth hinges on collaboration. From the rich underbrush, to the murky ocean depths, to the human body itself, Hooper uncovers the poetry of life’s greatest collaborations. The female wasp venturing deep inside a fig to pollinate the fruit and lay her egg; the intricate relationship between corals and the algae that sustain them; the symbiotic gut microbes that influence our moods. These are just a few of the intimate negotiations that animate and connect all living things. But, as Hooper explains, they also provide a guide to a more sustainable future.Dazzlingly clever and suffused with awe,
Togetherness will change the way you see the world, our place in it, and our obligation to its hidden wonders.Editorial Reviews
Review
“I think this may be one of those rare books that’s a classic upon its publication. It calmly and comprehensively helps you see the world in a very new and hopeful way, and I think the insights apply to our social and political life. We were, all of us, built for contact.”
—Bill McKibben, author Here Comes the Sun “This book has both scientific chops and beautiful storytelling as it unpacks case after case of symbiosis in the natural world as well as what symbiosis is and does and why it matters. I wish this synthesis of so much knowledge had been available when I wrote my last book, but I’m glad it’s available now for me and for anyone who finds joy, meaning, and possibility in our new understandings of nature.” —Rebecca Solnit, author of The Beginning Comes After the End“A clarion call for cooperation, at a time when competition, chaos, and cruelty seem to rule the day. In the symbiotic relationships of lichens, orchids and fig wasps, Rowan Hooper provides an antidote for division and distrust. Written by one of our finest science communicators, this is a joyful book, of hope and wonder, which celebrates community as the true key to success in nature.” —Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs
“
Togetherness is the most important book I’ve read for years. Richly layered, thrilling, intellectually wide-ranging and so fascinating with evocative imagery and warm prose which brings the science and the world to vivid life and offers a crucial and urgent intervention on our mistaken and inadequate understanding of life and its entangled, enmeshed, webby, netty, symbiotic togetherness. A book that could solve the problem of ecological illiteracy in Western capitalist society and its catastrophic impacts. Utterly stunning and awe-inspiring. Everyone needs to read this book, now!” —Lucy Jones, author of Losing Eden“With
Togetherness, Rowan Hooper gives us a beautifully written, urgently needed rejoinder to the idea that we somehow exist outside of and beyond nature. The stories in Togetherness are fascinating and surprising—great reading as we confront the second half of the 2020s!” —Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, author of The Edge of Space-Time“Who would have thought that so much of life depends on mutual interaction between species? This fascinating story of Togetherness takes us through multiple forms of symbiosis in the natural world. From gut bacteria to fungi, algal bloom, deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and ourselves, Hooper brings co-operation and teamwork to the fore in an upbeat and friendly narrative, rich in history and biological knowledge. A super book.” —Janet Browne, author of Darwin: A Biography
“By weaving scientific evidence with personal experiences from around the world, Rowan Hooper takes us on an awe-inspiring journey that challenges long-held assumptions about individual competition as the single dominant force in nature. Recognising the interconnectedness among all organisms, including ourselves, is not a question of curiosity but survival. This book should herald the end of individualism: it is an exposé of our unbreakable connections with all life on Earth.”
—Professor Alexandre Antonelli, Director of Science, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew “Clever and compelling. From fascinating micro details to massive, big picture thinking, Togetherness reshapes our ideas about science, nature and ourselves. The revelations in this book made me re-think the world.” —Chris Packham, broadcaster and naturalist “Hooper fabulously infuses science with a kind of Zen Buddhist vibe as he considers the complexities of biological connections, the dissolving of boundaries, complex ecosystems, and our planet as a superorganism. . . . A celebration of the ubiquitous and wondrous partnerships of life found in the tiniest and grandest of collaborations.” —BooklistAbout the Author
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