John Maynard Smith books in order
British theoretical evolutionary biologist and geneticist
- Lived
- 1920–2004
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Books
- 7
John Maynard Smith published 7 novels, beginning with The Theory of Evolution (1958). The best-known is Games, Sex, and Evolution (1988).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with John Maynard Smith
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Games, Sex, and Evolution
John Maynard Smith's most-read book.
John Maynard Smith books in order of publication
The Theory of Evolution (1958)
Mathematical Ideas in Biology (1968)
Evolution and the Theory of Games (Dec 1982)
Games, Sex, and Evolution (1988)
The Major Transitions in Evolution (1995)
Evolutionary Genetics (1998)
The Origins of Life (2000)
About John Maynard Smith
John Maynard Smith was a British theoretical and mathematical evolutionary biologist and geneticist. Originally an aeronautical engineer during the Second World War, he took a second degree in genetics under the biologist J. B. S. Haldane. Maynard Smith was instrumental in the application of game theory to evolution with George R. Price, and theorised on other problems such as the evolution of sex and signalling theory.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
John Maynard Smith FAQ
- How many books has John Maynard Smith written?
- John Maynard Smith published 7 novels that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read John Maynard Smith's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Games, Sex, and Evolution.
- What is John Maynard Smith's last book?
- The Origins of Life (2000).
- What is John Maynard Smith's most famous book?
- Games, Sex, and Evolution (1988) is John Maynard Smith's most widely read book.
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.