Biologists and laypeople alike have repeatedly claimed victory over life. A thousand years ago we thought we knew almost everything; a hundred ... read full description
reviews
Apr 26, 2009
Melody
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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
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Jun 23, 2011
Cassandra
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What really hooked me on this book was the topic. I have always felt (and am glad to not be alone in this regard) that the world wherein the very small reside is far under represented in scientific literature. Considering the vast number of Bacteria and Archaea that exist it always astounds me how little coverage they get in Biology textbooks and the like. I absolutely adored Dunns descriptions of Leeuwenhoeks unique and ecstatic feelings of observing things in the realm of the very small and I
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Nov 14, 2010
Susan
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For the most part I really enjoyed this. Dunn's focus was: the more you look at the life that surrounds us, the more you'll find. My background is in biology, but I never really thought about the whole spectrum of life as a whole this way before, as my focus in school and professionally has necessarily always been a relatively narrow range of life. It was kind of mind boggling. My only real issue was that I found his excessive footnotes pretty annoying: either the information should have bee
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Oct 20, 2009
Joel
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Every Living Thing tells the story of the push to understand more about the quantity and diversity of life in the universe. It is simultaneously humorous and fascinating with gossipy histories of science giants (Linnaeus comes off a cowardly, manipulative genius) and accounts of forms of life like beetles (and the mites that live on them) who masquerade as army ants in the rain forests of Central America. It's a quick read that just might inspire one to get a microscope and explore.
Jan 16, 2012
Adrienne
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So enjoyable to learn a bit about the naming of animals, insects and plants. But then, how can we be so grandiose and tentative a the same time? Grandiose in that we think we've named everything, tentative in thinking about the scope of life. The reverse would be more appropriate; we have named a few things, and the scope of life is grander than we conceive.
Jul 27, 2011
this book is elegantly written, and presents the stories of discovery that take shocking, revolutionary turns on what life is and how it exists, and the smarty-pants scientists who get kicked around when they stick to their guns. i'm not normally interested in cellular life--more plants and animals, but these are important dramatic stories in biology.
Apr 21, 2009
Maureen
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The portraits of the scientists and their particular obsessions were fascinating.
Nov 14, 2010
Andrea
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This book is a readable retracing of the classification of life from the Enlightenment to the present. The author does not attempt to be exhaustive, but focuses on crucial characters and controversies that have led to major revisions in the way we view the world. Dunn makes a compelling case that how we classify and organize living organisms is crucial to understanding our attitude toward our environment and our place in the universe. Enjoyable, understandable for the average educated reader.
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Sep 15, 2009
Jaime
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Wonderful book - very interesting and accessible. Dunn has an obvious passion for his work and a really beautiful way of expressing it.
Mar 12, 2009
Liz
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This was a great book. There are all kinds of bits of biology history and information interwoven throughout the book-- yet its told in such a story-telling manner, that I kept wanting to read and never put it down. Also, it's a wonderful perspective on what science research is, and how its so much more than just a bunch of facts that we memorize in high school or college. I think its a must-read book for anyone considering pursing the sciences post high school. Though also a very good read f
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Jun 18, 2011
Marty
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It is one of the most fun and interesting nonfiction books I have ever read. IT gives you the feel of how science really advances. It seems both more controversial and more alive than I have ever perceived before.
Nov 14, 2010
Scott
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NC State Prof. writes book just for me. Loved reading the backstories of scientists I teach about each year. Taxonomy is my favorite branch of biology so this was a real page turner for me.
Feb 17, 2010
Tom
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This is very good read, not super technical and very interesting. It's kind of a history of the important discoveries in biology and the scientists who made them over the past 50 years or so. Also a lot of interesting personal experiences and accounts of field work (searching for beetles that live only on the backs of ants in the Amazon). Overall, well written.
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