How long does it take to read Survival of the Prettiest?
Nancy L. Etcoff
Survival of the Prettiest by Nancy L. Etcoff takes about 5 hours 58 minutes to read at 250 words a minute.
About 5 hours 58 minutes
A weekend read
First published 1999. 325 pages, about 89,375 words.
12 days at 30 minutes a day
Estimate based on 275 words per page.
At other speeds
| Slow, 150 words a minute | 9 hours 56 minutes |
| Average, 250 words a minute | 5 hours 58 minutes |
| Fast, 400 words a minute | 3 hours 43 minutes |
The page count is the median across 3 editions, so your copy may differ. How we calculate.
About the book
Beauty is not a myth. According to scientist and psychologist Nancy Etcoff, the pursuit of beauty is neither a cultural construction, an invention of Madison Avenue, nor a backlash against feminism. Survival of the Prettiest, the first in-depth scientific inquiry into the nature of human beauty, posits that beauty is an essential and ineradicable part of human nature, from what makes a face beautiful to the deepest questions about the human condition. Etcoff sheds light on every aspect of human beauty, including why we devour fashion magazines, check our waistlines, and gaze longingly at objects of desire. Informed by state-of-the-art theories of the human mind from cognitive science and evolutionary biology, Survival of the Prettiest tells us why gentlemen prefer blondes, why high heels have never gone out of style, why eyebrows are plucked and hair is coiffed. Etcoff also explains how sexual preference is guided by ancient rules that make us most attracted to those with whom we are most likely to reproduce. Research on why we find infant features irresistibly attractive, as well as controversial new work that suggests parents show more affection to attractive newborns, is part of a broad investigation that includes insights into how beauty influences our perceptions, attitudes, and behavior toward others.
Subjects: Beauty, Personal, Natural selection, Personal Beauty, Sexual attraction, Social aspects, Social aspects of Personal beauty
