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mantaman0a's review against another edition
3.0
This was thankfully readable. Unlike other pop-science readers who try too hard to be funny, Matt Simon thankfully keeps the cringe to the minimum, though there is still the occasional, meaningless, try-hard line that doesn't belong. A light, manageable read.
jozi_girl's review against another edition
4.0
3 ½ fun stars
I love watching QI (thanks YouTube) and regularly listen to a podcast called “Tell Me Something I don’t Know” so it’s obvious that I am a bit of a trivia junkie.
This book is filled with animals doing evil, weird, and necessary things to one another, all in the name of procreation and survival.
There are too many wonderous creatures to mention but there are 2 that stand out.
The Hag Fish that basically choke predators by enveloping them with snot
The indestructible Water Bear that can withstand decades without water, outer space, extreme heat/cold or radiation and STILL thrive. We can thank our lucky stars spiders are not as resilient.
The only reason why I am not giving this a full 4 stars is because about 1/3 of the content I already knew compliments of [b:Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation|91842|Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation|Olivia Judson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1171236134s/91842.jpg|370638] And QI.
The humour was at times a little juvenile for my taste, but I think it makes the science feel a lot more accessible to people who would normally shy away from this type of book.
This is a great book to dip in and out of at random and would make the perfect gift for a know-it-all.
I love watching QI (thanks YouTube) and regularly listen to a podcast called “Tell Me Something I don’t Know” so it’s obvious that I am a bit of a trivia junkie.
This book is filled with animals doing evil, weird, and necessary things to one another, all in the name of procreation and survival.
There are too many wonderous creatures to mention but there are 2 that stand out.
The Hag Fish that basically choke predators by enveloping them with snot
The indestructible Water Bear that can withstand decades without water, outer space, extreme heat/cold or radiation and STILL thrive. We can thank our lucky stars spiders are not as resilient.
The only reason why I am not giving this a full 4 stars is because about 1/3 of the content I already knew compliments of [b:Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation|91842|Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation|Olivia Judson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1171236134s/91842.jpg|370638] And QI.
The humour was at times a little juvenile for my taste, but I think it makes the science feel a lot more accessible to people who would normally shy away from this type of book.
This is a great book to dip in and out of at random and would make the perfect gift for a know-it-all.
seivarden's review against another edition
5.0
Every single animal in this book >>>>>>>>>>> the entirety of the human race
Also, the more details I find out about Laika, the more I want to curl into a ball and cry. The saddest animal that ever lived.
Also, the more details I find out about Laika, the more I want to curl into a ball and cry. The saddest animal that ever lived.
loicavivaz's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed learning about some bizarre animals.
However, the author's particular sense of snark was a little darker and raunchier than my usual preference, and the strong anti-religious bias grew a bit tiring after a while. I respect his worldview more than he respects mine.
However, the author's particular sense of snark was a little darker and raunchier than my usual preference, and the strong anti-religious bias grew a bit tiring after a while. I respect his worldview more than he respects mine.
wtfisher's review against another edition
3.0
This is a great review of gross and mind-blowing creatures, I'd highly recommend it for middle school science nerds. As a book for adults, it's a little bit lacking. Simon's tone is okay for a magazine article, but over the course of a book it has the same whiff as an SNL skit that runs too long. The subject matter is also a little shallow, I would have appreciated more detailed explanations of how these creatures strategies work, especially the brainwashing ones. The book is also a little threadbare without color illustrations or photographs.
magpiesv's review against another edition
4.0
I desperately want a middle grade version of this because I can think of so many kids who'd love it whose parents would want to throttle me!
Funny and bizarre and brief and pretty damn gross. Fascinating look at the evolutionary arms race. Just don't read it while eating.
Funny and bizarre and brief and pretty damn gross. Fascinating look at the evolutionary arms race. Just don't read it while eating.