Helen Fisher
Anthropologist Helen Fisher is the author of Why We Love, Anatomy of Love, and The First Sex. Here she chooses six favorite books that illuminate the traits that all humans share.
Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman by Marjorie Shostak (Harvard University Press, $18). Chronicles the world of a mid-20th-century !Kung Bushmen woman living in a hunting-gathering band in southern Africa, much as our ancestors did millenniums ago. Yet Nisa’s childhood crushes, teen romances, and marriages, philanderings, and divorces are no different from those of many young women (and men) in industrial societies.
The Mating Mind: How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature by Geoffrey F. Miller (Anchor, $15). Proposes that many human attributes, including our facility for language, our intelligence, curiosity, and sense of morality—even our urge to sing, dance, draw, and joke—evolved “by moonlight” as our forebears strove to impress and win preferred mating partners.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Hidden Life of Dogs by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas (Pocket, $13). Depicts love at first sight, compassion, and profound attachment between two huskies named Misha and Marie. With this book I came to realize how much humanity shares with many mammalian cousins.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (Bantam, $6). A page-turner and a pivotal book for understanding human cruelty.
As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl by John Colapinto (Perennial, $14). Toppled centuries of beliefs about the malleability of “maleness” and “femaleness.”
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How should Keir Starmer right the Labour ship?
Today's Big Question Rightward shift on immigration and welfare not the answer to 'haemorrhaging of hope, trust and electoral support'
-
What are the Abraham Accords and why are they under threat?
The Explainer The 2020 agreements would be 'undermined' if Israel annexes West Bank, UAE warns
-
Pickle-juice drinks that pack a punch
The Week Recommends Use leftover brine to make fresh lemonade and tangy margaritas
-
Keith McNally's 6 favorite books that have ambitious characters
Feature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more
-
Garrett Graff's 6 favorite books that shine new light on World War II
Feature The author recommends works by James D. Hornfischer, Craig L. Symonds, and more
-
Helen Schulman's 6 favorite collections of short stories
Feature The award-winning author recommends works by Raymond Carver, James Baldwin, and more
-
Beatriz Williams' 6 timeless books about history and human relationships
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by Jane Austen, Zora Neale Hurston, and more
-
Aysegul Savas' 6 favorite books for readers who love immersive settings
Feature The Paris-based Turkish author recommends works by Hiromi Kawakami, Virginia Woolf, and more
-
Geoff Dyer's 6 favorite books about the realities of war
Feature The award-winning author recommends works by Ernie Pyle, Michael Herr, and more
-
Laura Lippman's 6 favorite books for those who crave a high-stakes adventure
Feature The Grand Master recommends works by E.L. Konigsburg, Charles Portis, and more
-
Thomas Mallon's 6 favorite books from the 80's and early 90's
Feature The author recommends works by James Merrill, Calvin Trillin, and more