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cinchona's review against another edition
2.0
Disclaimer: I'm only about a third of the way through, I'll update this review as I go. So far:
This book is physically WEIGHTY. At first, I was pleased about this--if it's a good read give me more of it!--but as I went I grew more and more disappointed.
No, the length isn't really important, except that I feel a fine editor could have cut this into a 4-star book with ease. Quammen tells a compelling narrative of interesting, oft-overlooked biologists such as Alfred Wallace, whose story alone was worth the read.
The personal narratives and conversations are hit and miss. I didn't love the author waxing poetic about viewing a pile of giant tortoises with his native guide, but I absolutely adored his conversations with a scientist studying tenrecs. That editor could give Quammen the benefit of the doubt: leave all these colorful digressions in. However, I would humbly suggest that this story need not be punctuated with:
- a solid page of Latin names of island creatures, which the author himself bids me to forget immediately
- the titles of twenty papers on island biogeography that are on the author's desk
- a half-page about a slightly mistranslated English sign in Indonesia
I can't even imagine how those survived the editing process. But they are just symptomatic of the larger problem: decadence. Wherever Quammen could proffer 2 or 3 or 5 examples...he puts 20. A short explanation of the different locations of giant tortoise species becomes a chapter, a showy rug analogy drags on for paragraphs. Editor!
The author is great, GREAT, when in the middle of a chapter on some historical biologist, cutting through the bushy undergrowth to a brilliant scientific discovery. He does a good job summarizing scientific topics in an understandable way. He is pretty decent at throwing in relevant digressions from his personal experience to enrich the story. In fact overall I think the author did everything that an author should be expected to do.
The editor, though, needs to sack up and get out the machete.
This book is physically WEIGHTY. At first, I was pleased about this--if it's a good read give me more of it!--but as I went I grew more and more disappointed.
No, the length isn't really important, except that I feel a fine editor could have cut this into a 4-star book with ease. Quammen tells a compelling narrative of interesting, oft-overlooked biologists such as Alfred Wallace, whose story alone was worth the read.
The personal narratives and conversations are hit and miss. I didn't love the author waxing poetic about viewing a pile of giant tortoises with his native guide, but I absolutely adored his conversations with a scientist studying tenrecs. That editor could give Quammen the benefit of the doubt: leave all these colorful digressions in. However, I would humbly suggest that this story need not be punctuated with:
- a solid page of Latin names of island creatures, which the author himself bids me to forget immediately
- the titles of twenty papers on island biogeography that are on the author's desk
- a half-page about a slightly mistranslated English sign in Indonesia
I can't even imagine how those survived the editing process. But they are just symptomatic of the larger problem: decadence. Wherever Quammen could proffer 2 or 3 or 5 examples...he puts 20. A short explanation of the different locations of giant tortoise species becomes a chapter, a showy rug analogy drags on for paragraphs. Editor!
The author is great, GREAT, when in the middle of a chapter on some historical biologist, cutting through the bushy undergrowth to a brilliant scientific discovery. He does a good job summarizing scientific topics in an understandable way. He is pretty decent at throwing in relevant digressions from his personal experience to enrich the story. In fact overall I think the author did everything that an author should be expected to do.
The editor, though, needs to sack up and get out the machete.
aquint's review against another edition
5.0
Extremely dense book but the writing made it an enjoyable read, although the subject is of course depressing. It's sad to see what we have done to other species and the earth. I wish people would give more thought to how the choices they make affect so much.
wallabystew's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
jlgg's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.75
claireviolet's review against another edition
5.0
“The song of the dodo, if it had one, is forever unknowable because no human from whom we have testimony ever took the trouble to sit in the Mauritian forest and listen.”
every time i think of this quote i cry. by far the most powerful book i read for my undergrad wildlife coursework.
every time i think of this quote i cry. by far the most powerful book i read for my undergrad wildlife coursework.
donasbooks's review against another edition
5.0
If I had not been listening to an audiobook as a complement to my read, I don't think I would have made it through. THE SONG OF THE DODO is a deeply depressing book, and so foreboding I needed days to stop ruminating. It isn't what Quammen says in this book that scared me. He goes on page after page, after section, after historical era describing the eradication of animal species, sometimes whole ecosystems. All the while, looms the shadow of society, springing up unobstructed-- thriving. But Quammen never places blame or points a finger, as though to say-- this is not a question of morality. It's more practical than that.
He walks the reader along and describes an Earth we would inherit if such obliteration of ecodiversity continues unchecked. But something else he leaves unsaid-- an answer for this problem. He sees his place as to describe-- not prescribe. Quammen doesn't want to save us from ourselves.
Rating:
He walks the reader along and describes an Earth we would inherit if such obliteration of ecodiversity continues unchecked. But something else he leaves unsaid-- an answer for this problem. He sees his place as to describe-- not prescribe. Quammen doesn't want to save us from ourselves.
Rating:
rainynook's review against another edition
4.0
A bit long, but a classic read for those interested in conservation, natural history, exotic & some extinct species, and why they became that way, as well as some human history (Aboriginal people & their horrific treatment in Tasmania & Australia, for example). Very interesting to read about Alfred Lord Wallace (who is considered, along with Charles Darwin, the co-discoverer of natural selection.) I was glad I read the whole thing, but it doesn't have a straight narrative, and does jump around among subjects.