"Since humanity first wandered from its African birthplace over fifty millennia ago, it has radically altered the environment everywhere it has set...
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reviews
Nov 18, 2011
Valerie
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I read this around the same time I read Swift as a Shadow. Both books are about extinct animals including photos or drawings of the animals and short descriptions of the animals and why they went extinct.
The descriptions of the animals were a little more extensive, but I still wanted more information on each animal. I think I am going to have to find an individual book on each animal to be satisfied with the amount of information I want.
I liked the paintings in this book, b More...
The descriptions of the animals were a little more extensive, but I still wanted more information on each animal. I think I am going to have to find an individual book on each animal to be satisfied with the amount of information I want.
I liked the paintings in this book, b More...
Nov 30, 2009
Bec
rated it:
What I learned from this book is how little humans know about extinct animals. The book is decently well-written, and the author obviously worked to carefully research each animal, but often even the cause of extinction is unknown, much less anything about the animal's behavior or place in the ecosystem. Flannery often points out how naturists themselves often caused the final demise of a species, by killing so many animals for their collections, and how the exponential effects of the careless
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Nov 19, 2011
Anna
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This book showcases fantastic illustrations of extinct animals that really allow you to imagine these animals as they must have been alive, and mourn their disappearance. The writing focuses on the collection and demise of these extinct species, which was a bit dry at times – I would have enjoyed more detail of their natural history (where known). However, there were some interesting tidbits here and there. I particularly enjoyed extracts from old expedition journals (in which animals are unfort
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Dec 16, 2009
Sara
rated it: 
This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride, from the delights of the pygmy silky anteater who is "fond of resting by day in canopy of the silk-cotton tree, and the seedpods of the tree, which consist of a ball of soft, silvery fibers, are scarcely distinguishable from a tightly curled silky anteater" (awww) to the HORRORS of the heck of nasty Indus river dolphin (NO EYES, big teeth-- yes, that's right, NO EYES, none at all on the entire head) and the super heck of nas
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Oct 20, 2011
Rhys
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"I will go further and say all cats are wicked, though often useful. Who has not seen Satan in their sly faces?" -'True Grit', Charles Portis
Interesting fact gleaned from this book: there is only a single (known) instance of a single member of a species (a house cat)rendering a WHOLE species extinct. This is a depressing, though absorbing read, with more of Peter Schouten's luminous paintings. The only 'fault' I find with the book is that the author focused solely on re More...
Interesting fact gleaned from this book: there is only a single (known) instance of a single member of a species (a house cat)rendering a WHOLE species extinct. This is a depressing, though absorbing read, with more of Peter Schouten's luminous paintings. The only 'fault' I find with the book is that the author focused solely on re More...
Oct 10, 2010
Sally
rated it:
Such a beautiful idea and well executed. I learnt so much from this book about our environment, how little we have saved of knowledge and loved the wonderful illustrations.
Sep 24, 2008
Pauline
rated it:
The art work in "A Gap in Nature" is stunning. As you look at the pictures of the extinct animals and as you read the stories of how they became extinct it is hard not to get tears welling up in your eyes.
A wonderful informative book that gives you a look at what our earth is sorely missing mostly through the ignorance of mankind.
A wonderful informative book that gives you a look at what our earth is sorely missing mostly through the ignorance of mankind.
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Apr 07, 2009
Dani
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Beautiful illustrations and descriptions of the more recent and well-known extinct species.
Started: March 28, 2009
Finished: April 5, 2009
Started: March 28, 2009
Finished: April 5, 2009
Jan 07, 2010
Laurie
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Not really a book to read straight through, but this is a beautifully illustrated book of 103 different animals that have gone extinct sine 1492. Interesting, but most worth it for the illustrations.
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Jan 10, 2011
Sarah
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Amazing paintings complement short histories of recently extinct animals (1700s to today). Some Pacific Island birds had no fear of humans--they had never seen humans before!
May 12, 2008
Koe
rated it:
Great artwork and a nice summary of species that have gone extinct in recent times. Defiantly worth flipping through if only to take a look at the stunning art.
Dec 31, 2010
Claire
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I read this after it was mentioned in Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything. Really interesting read with some amazing illustrations.
Sep 11, 2008
Catherine
rated it:
Gorgeously illustrated, well-balanced, document of natural life and human history. Made me a bit wobbly and salty-eyed.
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