Royal Society Science Book Prize Winner
A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth
by Henry Gee
Summary
A compact history of life across 4.6 billion years, written for general readers who want the whole story without a textbook. Gee, a paleontologist and senior editor at Nature, condenses the saga from the first self replicating molecules through the rise and likely fall of our own species into twelve brisk chapters. The book emphasizes contingency and extinction, treating humanity as one chapter in a much longer drama rather than its destination.
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Historical Context & Significance
Gee, a longtime editor at "Nature," was praised for condensing the entire history of the biosphere into a punchy, provocative narrative.