"The Mean Genes message is optimistic . . . a self-help book for the merely average human being." (The Washington Post Book World)

"An unusual cross between a social Darwinist monograph and a self-help manual." (The New Yorker)

Why do we want-and do-so many things that are bad for us? In Mean Genes Terry Burnham and Jay Phelan argue that we need to stop looking to Sigmund Freud for answers and start looking to Charles Darwin. Mean Genes reveals that our struggles for self-improvement are, in fact, battles against our own genes-genes that helped our distant ancestors flourish, but are selfish and out of place in the modern world. Using this evolutionary lens, Mean Genes brilliantly examines the issues that most affect our lives-body image, money, addiction, violence, and relationships, friendship, love, and fidelity-and offers steps to help us lead more satisfying lives.

特里·伯纳姆，哈佛大学商学院访问学者，1997年获哈佛大学商业经济学博士学位，1997年起一直担任哈佛大学肯尼迪政府学院的经济学教授，直到后来进入哈佛大学商学院。伯纳姆创立的生物科技公司Progenics公司在研发治疗癌症和艾滋病的药品方面具有广阔前景。特里对非洲的野生黑猩猩有深入的研究。

杰伊·费伦，博士，加州大学洛杉矶分校生物学教授，1995年获哈佛大学生物学博士学位。之前，费伦在加州大学洛杉矶分校获学士学位，在耶鲁大学获硕士学位。主要研究领域是进化遗传学和老龄问题。