Book of Life

The Book of Life uses an exemplary fusion of art and science to tell the story of life on earth. The text, under the editorship of Stephen Jay Gould, provides a thorough understanding of the latest research and is accompanied by paintings prepared especially for this book. Never before has our planet's evolution been so clearly, so ingeniously explained. History is marked by disaster. The Book of Lifeexplains how mammals, having survived at least one of these disasters—the impact of a massive comet—luckily inherited the earth. Next came the rise of modern humans, who would shape the world as no creature has. As this fascinating history unfolds, gorgeous illustrations allow us to observe climate changes, tectonic plate movement, the spread of plant life, and the death of the dinosaurs. We discover the chains of animal survival, the causes and consequences of adaptation, and finally the environmental impact of human life.

The most ambitious combination of art and science ever published tells the story of life on Earth over the course of 600 million years. The text is brilliantly illuminated by more than 300 paintings (200 in color), drawings, and computer-designed illustrations. A living path of our planet's history.

A new edition of the beautifully illustrated depiction of the dramatic story of survival and extinction.

Library Journal

It is hard to know just what to make of this book. On one hand, the inclusion of dozens of striking color paintings and an introductory essay by Stephen Jay Gould on the history of iconography in the life sciences suggest a coffee-table book on biological illustration. On the other hand, the bulk of the illustrations, along with the organization of the text, suggest a textbook or encyclopedia aimed at high school students and general readers. Each of the six chapters--beginning with the origin of life in the seas, continuing through the age of dinosaurs, and ending with the evolution of the primates and hominids--is written by an expert in the field and addresses the latest research. Unfortunately, there are no bibliographies pointing readers to primary sources. This book will probably see the most use in the reference collection of public and school libraries.-- Eric Hinsdale, Trinity Univ. Lib., San Antonio

With his controversial opinions and larger-than-life personality, Stephen Jay Gould did for evolutionary biology what Carl Sagan did for astronomy. The Harvard paleontologist's ideas lit a spark within the scientific community, but his bestselling works also managed to engage the wider public. Through his readable and provocative works, Gould garnered acclaim as an author who could write intelligently -- and intelligibly -- about some of his field s most arcane issues and questions.