Reviews
"Schopf combines his often entertaining personal story with an introduction to the discipline of paleobiology, with asides on the chemical makeup of life. . . . A good introduction to the history of a science on the cutting edge."-- Kirkus Reviews, "What were your very earliest ancestors like? I do not mean your great-great-great-grandparents. I mean the earliest life on the planet. In principle we all have a unique lineage of ancestors that runs all the way back to the origin of life. What was life like then--and is the supposed life on Mars our cousin? These are the problems palaeontologist Bill Schopf faces. . . . It has been a while since I read a book with so much good sense, put over in so amicable a style. If I ever were to discover my great-great-great grandparents I hope they turn out to be as wise as Schopf." --Laurence Hurst, New Scientist, "An exceptional description of the field that is accessible to any educated lay reader." -- Library Journal (starred review), "A book that bears out [Schopf's] assertion that science is enormously good fun!" -- Scientific American, In the well-written Cradle of Life , Schopf tells his own story of how Earth's early microbial biosphere was discovered., "An extraordinary account of a monumentally complex subject presented in simple and understandable terms, and in an eminently readable style."-- Steve Voynick, Rock and Gem, "Schopf's subject, the origin of life, is fascinating, and as significant as any question that has ever been asked in academia. His explanation of the science behind his conclusions is clear, his approach is well organized. . . . This is a marvelous, magnificent, scientific adventure."-- John R. Alden, Cleveland Plain Dealer, In the well-written Cradle of Life , Schopf tells his own story of how Earth's early microbial biosphere was discovered. -- Stefan Bengtson, Nature, "Schopf's subject, the origin of life, is fascinating, and as significant as any question that has ever been asked in academia. His explanation of the science behind his conclusions is clear, his approach is well organized. . . . This is a marvelous, magnificent, scientific adventure." --John R. Alden, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Schopf's subject, the origin of life, is fascinating, and as significant as any question that has ever been asked in academia. His explanation of the science behind his conclusions is clear, his approach is well organized. . . . This is a marvelous, magnificent, scientific adventure., "In the well-written Cradle of Life , Schopf tells his own story of how Earth's early microbial biosphere was discovered."-- Stefan Bengtson, Nature, What were your very earliest ancestors like? I do not mean your great-great-great-grandparents. I mean the earliest life on the planet. In principle we all have a unique lineage of ancestors that runs all the way back to the origin of life. What was life like then--and is the supposed life on Mars our cousin? These are the problems palaeontologist Bill Schopf faces. . . . It has been a while since I read a book with so much good sense, put over in so amicable a style. If I ever were to discover my great-great-great grandparents I hope they turn out to be as wise as Schopf. -- Laurence Hurst, New Scientist, "A book that bears out [Schopf's] assertion that science is enormously good fun!"-- Scientific American, "What were your very earliest ancestors like? I do not mean your great-great-great-grandparents. I mean the earliest life on the planet. In principle we all have a unique lineage of ancestors that runs all the way back to the origin of life. What was life like then--and is the supposed life on Mars our cousin? These are the problems palaeontologist Bill Schopf faces. . . . It has been a while since I read a book with so much good sense, put over in so amicable a style. If I ever were to discover my great-great-great grandparents I hope they turn out to be as wise as Schopf."-- Laurence Hurst, New Scientist, "A good introduction to a quickly evolving topic. . . . Schopf also offers a number of insider nuggets." -- Choice, An extraordinary account of a monumentally complex subject presented in simple and understandable terms, and in an eminently readable style., "A good introduction to a quickly evolving topic. . . . Schopf also offers a number of insider nuggets."-- Choice, " Cradle of Life provides the best current popular overview of the first 85% of life's history on Earth, and that is history worth reading."-- Robert M. Hazen, Physics Today, Schopf's subject, the origin of life, is fascinating, and as significant as any question that has ever been asked in academia. His explanation of the science behind his conclusions is clear, his approach is well organized. . . . This is a marvelous, magnificent, scientific adventure. -- John R. Alden, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Schopf combines his often entertaining personal story with an introduction to the discipline of paleobiology, with asides on the chemical makeup of life. . . . A good introduction to the history of a science on the cutting edge. -- Kirkus Reviews, An exceptional description of the field that is accessible to any educated lay reader. -- Library Journal, A good introduction to a quickly evolving topic. . . . Schopf also offers a number of insider nuggets. -- Choice, A good introduction to a quickly evolving topic. . . . Schopf also offers a number of insider nuggets., Cradle of Lifeprovides the best current popular overview of the first 85% of life's history on Earth, and that is history worth reading. -- Robert M. Hazen, Physics Today, "A very clear introduction to the first living things. . . . Schopf . . . adopts an unusually informal first-person style for this rangy exploration of how Pre-cambrian fossils came to light and what they've taught us." -- Publishers Weekly, Cradle of Lifeprovides the best current popular overview of the first 85% of life's history on Earth, and that is history worth reading., "An extraordinary account of a monumentally complex subject presented in simple and understandable terms, and in an eminently readable style." --Steve Voynick, Rock and Gem, Schopf combines his often entertaining personal story with an introduction to the discipline of paleobiology, with asides on the chemical makeup of life. . . . A good introduction to the history of a science on the cutting edge., Cradle of Life provides the best current popular overview of the first 85% of life's history on Earth, and that is history worth reading., "In the well-written Cradle of Life , Schopf tells his own story of how Earth's early microbial biosphere was discovered." --Stefan Bengtson, Nature, Cradle of Life provides the best current popular overview of the first 85% of life's history on Earth, and that is history worth reading. -- Robert M. Hazen, Physics Today, "An exceptional description of the field that is accessible to any educated lay reader."-- Library Journal (starred review), A very clear introduction to the first living things. . . . Schopf . . . adopts an unusually informal first-person style for this rangy exploration of how Pre-cambrian fossils came to light and what they've taught us., A very clear introduction to the first living things. . . . Schopf . . . adopts an unusually informal first-person style for this rangy exploration of how Pre-cambrian fossils came to light and what they've taught us. -- Publishers Weekly, "Schopf combines his often entertaining personal story with an introduction to the discipline of paleobiology, with asides on the chemical makeup of life. . . . A good introduction to the history of a science on the cutting edge." -- Kirkus Reviews, "A very clear introduction to the first living things. . . . Schopf . . . adopts an unusually informal first-person style for this rangy exploration of how Pre-cambrian fossils came to light and what they've taught us."-- Publishers Weekly, What were your very earliest ancestors like? I do not mean your great-great-great-grandparents. I mean the earliest life on the planet. In principle we all have a unique lineage of ancestors that runs all the way back to the origin of life. What was life like then--and is the supposed life on Mars our cousin? These are the problems palaeontologist Bill Schopf faces. . . . It has been a while since I read a book with so much good sense, put over in so amicable a style. If I ever were to discover my great-great-great grandparents I hope they turn out to be as wise as Schopf., " Cradle of Life provides the best current popular overview of the first 85% of life's history on Earth, and that is history worth reading." --Robert M. Hazen, Physics Today, In the well-writtenCradle of Life, Schopf tells his own story of how Earth's early microbial biosphere was discovered. -- Stefan Bengtson, Nature, An extraordinary account of a monumentally complex subject presented in simple and understandable terms, and in an eminently readable style. -- Steve Voynick, Rock and Gem, A book that bears out [Schopf's] assertion that science is enormously good fun! -- Scientific American, In the well-writtenCradle of Life, Schopf tells his own story of how Earth's early microbial biosphere was discovered.
