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171 reviews for:
Woolly: The True Story of the Quest to Revive One of History's Most Iconic Extinct Creatures
Ben Mezrich
3.35 AVERAGE
171 reviews for:
Woolly: The True Story of the Quest to Revive One of History's Most Iconic Extinct Creatures
Ben Mezrich
3.35 AVERAGE
3.5 stars. Written in kind of an odd style, which is the reason for the lower rating, but a really interesting view into the life and work of the scientists who are at the cutting edge of genetic engineering, including a mind-blowing plan to save the vast swaths of permafrost in Siberia, the ethics of bringing back extinct species, editing the germ-line of species to eradicate disease, and of course, the possibility of a woolly mammoth reborn in my lifetime, in addition to the auk and the passenger pigeon (possibly as soon as 2022?!), among many others.
Meh. I could've bumped it a star or two if it didn't have such blatant misogyny, that was added in for -- what? colorful effect? I don't know, but it felt like stepping on Lego.
I did mostly enjoy this read. It wasn't heavily scientific and was really accessible, and the storytelling here was really fantastic. Lots of interesting information packed into this book, and it actually reads fairly quickly.
I am not a fan of this style- nonfiction narrative or whatever Mezrich calls it. It was like reading bad historical fiction. This is based on real-life people, but their stories have been fictionalized, and there is all this stuff about what it going on in their heads. It was told in a non-linear way, and jumped from character to character- oh, sorry- person to person. I found it very annoying. I listened to the audio book, which is narrated by the author, and this is not an area of relative strength for him- very awkward phrasing, and he seems surprised that a sentence continues on sometimes. If I had used a credit for it, I would be asking for my credit back. This is a fascinating topic- I think it would have been fine as a true non-fiction book, not this fictionalized dreck trying to pass itself off as a non-fiction book.
Some really interesting information, but the book felt disjointed. Almost gave up on it in the first half. The second half is better, though I am not sure what the future parts were in there for.
3.5 An easy to read narrative on genetics, reviving the woolly mammoth, and how that will save the planet. Best of luck to the Church team, and I look forward to the day mammoths roam the North.
Great quick overview of revive and restore’s mammoth project
Fun weekend read with great characters in Church and Brand. Looking forward to seeing how all this work plays out in my lifetime.
Fun weekend read with great characters in Church and Brand. Looking forward to seeing how all this work plays out in my lifetime.
The topic of this book is right up my street but the fashion in which it was written was definitely not. In an attempt to make the book more readable and appealing Ben Mezrich has really embellished the story and written as if making it into a pacey adventure novel or thriller. You could tell he was going for a movie feel. I think I would have preferred a denser more true to style non-fiction than this.
I don't think I'm going to keep reading this book, barely even nonfiction. I was very uncomfortable with the novelistic invented dialogue and scene setting, all of which is unnecessary if the source material is interesting.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced