This volume investigates the evolutionary origins, frequency, and functional causes of infanticide across both animal species and human societies. Glenn Hausfater and Sarah Blaffer Hrdy synthesize a broad range of empirical data to examine why this behavior persists in nature and history. By integrating perspectives from behavioral biology, anthropology, and demography, the authors construct a framework to explain the proximate and ultimate causes of such practices. The text serves as a comprehensive review of the scientific literature available at the time of its publication.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational, interdisciplinary text that bridges the gap between biological and social sciences. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored specifically for researchers and professionals in the fields of anthropology and behavioral biology.