From his extended historical analysis of the journeys and insights of 19th-century biologist Alfred Russell Wallace to his field and laboratory interviews with many of the men and women who have followed in Wallace's intellectual wake, Quammen delightfully adds the human dimension to his discussion of science and natural history. Equally impressive are the character studies of the scientists who have been at the forefront of island biogeography. The Channel Islands off California and the Madagascan lemurs are captivatingly portrayed. The book is also a splendid example of natural history writing, for which Quammen traveled extensively. And we learn just how critical this field is in the face of massive habitat destruction. We learn how the discipline developed and how it has changed conservation biology. The scientific journalism is first-rate, with the extremely technical field of island biogeography made fully accessible. Quammen (Natural Acts) has successfully mixed genres in this highly impressive and thoroughly enjoyable work.
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