Bull

In Bull , zoologist Lucy Cooke embarks on a bold and revelatory journey to explore what it truly means to be male in the animal kingdom. For too long 'survival of the fittest' has been taken at face value, male success defined in terms of strength, size, virility, fighting other males and dominance over females. But countering this stubbornly one-dimensional view, and drawing on ground-breaking field research, Cooke reveals a far more nuanced picture, challenging the hyper-masculine stereotypes that have long dominated our understanding. Through captivating stories, Cooke opens our eyes to an astonishing variety of male success strategies: meet the gay vultures and devoted wolf dads, happily ‘cuckolded’ silverback gorillas and cross-dressing ruffs, brotherhoods of bisexual monkeys and mummies' boy bonobos, clown fish that queue decades to mate and slinky ‘sneaky fucker’ elephant seals that dodge the fight entirely to win females. Full of colour and deeply important, Cooke shines a light on the full spectrum of masculinity to show it's not always size or strength that matters for male success, but connection, cooperation, and collaboration. Praise for Lucy Cooke's previous book, Bitch ' From the heir to Attenborough. 5*' - Telegraph 'Brilliant ... Cooke is a superb science writer' TLS ' Bitch is a blast. I read it, my jaw sagging in astonishment' Observer ' A bold and gripping takedown of the sexist mythology baked into biology' Guardian 'Colourful, committed and deeply informed.' Sunday Times 'Gloriously original' Daily Mirror A 'sparkling attack on scientific sexism' Nature © Lucy Cooke 2027 (P) Penguin Audio 2027