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A review by sweekune
The Rise and Reign of the Mammals by Steve Brusatte
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
The Rise and Reign of the Mammals by Steve Brusatte
⭐ 5/5 ⭐
Audiobook narrated by Patrick Lawlor.
Several years ago I read another of Brusatte's books: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs. I adored this audiobook and even now use it to relax me into sleep as something both comforting and interesting. When I found out about The Rise and Reign of the Mammals I was very excited to step back in time with this author and learn about more prehistoric creatures.
- Brusatte begins the tale at the beginning, back when mammal ancestors split from the the reptile line then weaves his narrative through the ages and epochs and concludes in the present day. This format is very enjoyable, logical and allows the build up of modern mammal characteristics to make sense.
- The sheer amount of science, theory, speculation and fact woven through this book is incredible. The evidence is shared freely and ideas of where and why events and changes may have occurred are clearly noted as ideas rather than absolute facts. Also, if you enjoy niche topics and bizarre facts, this book has you covered. Never before would I have thought I would enjoy listening to a book that talks so much about the different tooth shapes and functions of prehistoric creatures but it was absolutely fascinating.
- The mammals and mammal ancestors described in this book are fantastic and incredible. Listening to this book made me think of anthologies of mythological beasts but with the added thrill that these beings actually did exist at some point in time. The thrill of imagining tremendous megafauna or bizarre whale ancestor or our palaeozoic vaguely reptilian ancestors whilst knowing they all were real and contributed to the existence of our branch of the tree of life was awe inspiring.
A fantastic and incredibly enjoyable book but especially for those with an interest in prehistoric life and natural history. This book is well worth your time.
⭐ 5/5 ⭐
Audiobook narrated by Patrick Lawlor.
Several years ago I read another of Brusatte's books: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs. I adored this audiobook and even now use it to relax me into sleep as something both comforting and interesting. When I found out about The Rise and Reign of the Mammals I was very excited to step back in time with this author and learn about more prehistoric creatures.
- Brusatte begins the tale at the beginning, back when mammal ancestors split from the the reptile line then weaves his narrative through the ages and epochs and concludes in the present day. This format is very enjoyable, logical and allows the build up of modern mammal characteristics to make sense.
- The sheer amount of science, theory, speculation and fact woven through this book is incredible. The evidence is shared freely and ideas of where and why events and changes may have occurred are clearly noted as ideas rather than absolute facts. Also, if you enjoy niche topics and bizarre facts, this book has you covered. Never before would I have thought I would enjoy listening to a book that talks so much about the different tooth shapes and functions of prehistoric creatures but it was absolutely fascinating.
- The mammals and mammal ancestors described in this book are fantastic and incredible. Listening to this book made me think of anthologies of mythological beasts but with the added thrill that these beings actually did exist at some point in time. The thrill of imagining tremendous megafauna or bizarre whale ancestor or our palaeozoic vaguely reptilian ancestors whilst knowing they all were real and contributed to the existence of our branch of the tree of life was awe inspiring.
A fantastic and incredibly enjoyable book but especially for those with an interest in prehistoric life and natural history. This book is well worth your time.