I really enjoyed them.
I can't compare them to The Selfish Gene, as I haven't read it. The Greatest Show on Earth sets out the evidence for evolution. It does use a lot of analogies, but also contains a lot of information.

The Ancestor's Tale is a walk back through time looking at the common ancestors of humans and all surviving species in the world. Different species tell 'tales' which explain aspects of evolution or scientific methods, such as logarithmic graph plotting or how phylogenies are worked out.It also contains a lot of natural history.

I thought both were excellent.
( The Awful Puppy Bakery is still bored, Sun 27 Jun 2010, 12:18, 2 replies)

I think
I'll loan those out of the library before I attempt to read them then. =)
(Jon_LTD Treat the world like a head!, Sun 27 Jun 2010, 22:38, closed)

I'm reading the Selfish Gene 30th anniversary edition at the moment
Dawkins is a git, with good reasons to be smug. I've also read Unweaving the rainbow and a couple of others. These books should be studied in all schools.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 10:36, closed)

Oh yes,
That's the edition I've attempted to read as well. I struggled enough with the foreword's and the preface. I do agree that he is quite smug and so self-sure it's unbelievable. However, everything he practices and teaches are pretty much cut & dry accepted theories, with a mountain of evidence.
As said earlier, I will try and read his book, I guess I have to be in the right frame of mind. I tend to go through "intellectual" stages where I try my hardest to educate myself, and other times I just read anything which is easy to read. I it's me being unable to read his book as opposed to his book being genuinely crap. Wish me luck.
(Jon_LTD Treat the world like a head!, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 11:01, closed)

You really don't need the luck. Its an easy read.
I read about a page and half a day just before I fall asleep at night. I then have a massive binge on the weekends. I'll finish it this week, and skim through the extra notes at the back. If you like a bit of interlectual popular science, try some of Jared Diamond.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 11:08, closed)