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jupiterjens666's review
5.0
Good prose, good jokes, fascinating story of the quest to expand our understanding of the natural world. Would read more by this author.
no1coelocanthfan's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
fallchicken's review
3.0
The first part of this book is an enjoyable history of finding and name living things. When it gets to contemporary history, the Me Journalism overwhelms the story. It's about who the author knows and his thoughts on becoming a father. I got pretty bored and irritated by the end.
cspiwak's review against another edition
5.0
Great book, starting with Linnaeus and the binomial system and working up to astrobiologists and even so-called nanobacteria. While some of the ideas seem to be on the fringes of science, that is all part of the author’s theme, that today’s crackpots may be tomorrow’s crackpots
satyridae's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, which looks at scientists through the ages, many of whom are more than a little bit dotty. Especially Linnaeus, of course. I learned a lot about archaea and nanobacteria (or maybe nanons, the jury's still out on the ultimate nomenclature), but mostly this book is about hubris, about the depth and breadth of our ignorance, and about those visionaries clutching guttering candles in the dark. Dunn is humorous without being snarky, respectful without being obsequious, and a damn fine writer. He points out with a certain degree of asperity how, in science, it seems true that whatever everyone knows for certain is sure to be proven false later. Highly recommended for anyone interested in life itself, in all its mysterious and magnificent forms, of which we may be the least interesting after all.
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