Pulitzer Prize General Non Fiction Winner

The Ants

by Bert Hölldobler & E.O. Wilson

Summary

An exhaustive scientific synthesis of myrmecology covering the anatomy, communication, social organization, and evolutionary history of the world's ants. Drawing on decades of fieldwork and laboratory research, Hölldobler and Wilson explain how chemical signaling and caste structure produce some of the most successful societies on Earth. Lavishly illustrated and densely technical, it remains a landmark reference in evolutionary biology and entomology.

Historical Context & Significance

This is the only time a purely "biological reference" book won the prize. It weighs over 7 pounds and contains nearly every fact known about ants at the time.