Stephen Jay Gould (1941-2002) wrote more than twenty books and received the National Book Award, the National
Book Critics Circle Award, and a MacArthur Fellowship. He taught at Harvard University for more than thirty years.
Summary
new edition of the beautifully illustrated depiction of the dramatic story of survival and extinction. The
Book of Life uses an exemplary fusion of art and science to tell the story of life on earth. The text, under the
editorship of Stephen Jay Gould, provides a thorough understanding of the latest research and is accompanied by
paintings prepared especially for this book. Never before has our planet's evolution been so clearly, so ingeniously
explained.History is marked by disaster. The Book of Lifeexplains how mammals, having survived at least one of
these disasters--the impact of a massive comet--luckily inherited the earth. Next came the rise of modern humans,
who would shape the world as no creature has. As this fascinating history unfolds, gorgeous illustrations allow
us to observe climate changes, tectonic plate movement, the spread of plant life, and the death of the dinosaurs.
We discover the chains of animal survival, the causes and consequences of adaptation, and finally the environmental
impact of human life. Color illustrations throughout.
