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jklbookdragon's review against another edition
2.0
There are definitely some interesting ideas in this book. If you like those ideas presented with a lot of philosophy and poetry, it's likely the book for you, but it's not the book for me. I also found it grated how often Eiseley used "man" to mean "person" or "mankind," although his use of the terms "savage" or "primitive" was much more unpleasant.
The Immense Journey: 2.5 stars. The most fascinating essay was a reaction to the Piltdown hoax, written shortly after it was revealed to be a fraud. My paleontology background is mostly from the '80s and '90s, and while the other information in this collection was interesting, it did really seem dated... and I expect is much more so to someone who is current on research in the field.
The Firmament of Time: 1.5 stars.
The Unexpected Universe: 1 star.
Uncollected Prose: 2.5 stars. The unexpected and curious entries here were from the time he spent as a hobo.
Chronology: 3 stars. Yup, I found the timeline of Eiseley's life to be more interesting than what he wrote. Apologies to those who love this book.
The Immense Journey: 2.5 stars. The most fascinating essay was a reaction to the Piltdown hoax, written shortly after it was revealed to be a fraud. My paleontology background is mostly from the '80s and '90s, and while the other information in this collection was interesting, it did really seem dated... and I expect is much more so to someone who is current on research in the field.
The Firmament of Time: 1.5 stars.
The Unexpected Universe: 1 star.
Uncollected Prose: 2.5 stars. The unexpected and curious entries here were from the time he spent as a hobo.
Chronology: 3 stars. Yup, I found the timeline of Eiseley's life to be more interesting than what he wrote. Apologies to those who love this book.
northeastbookworm's review
5.0
Back in the 60's, before Carl Sagan, there was Loren Eiseley. It is nice to have his work back in print. His essays are worth the time and effort. You come away with a sense of man's place in the cosmos that haunts us all.
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