Great and informative but with prior knowledge

This was an interesting and fun listen. I have been interested in evolution for most of my adult life, and while this book takes for granted that evolution is real (who, in their right minds, doesn't?), it does so with great inquiry. Many of the topics held within evolution are discussed here, such as the eye and if evolution was slow and gradual or fast and abrupt.

The book can seem to drag at points, more so if the reader (listener) does not have a firm grasp on many of the scientific terms (I didn't). Because I listened to this book commuting in 2 hour chunks, it was easy for my brain to tune out a lot of the scientific trains of thought. Not a good thing, if that's what you are expecting from this book.

All in all a decent listen and read. I would recommend this to anyone interested in evolution, but without the need to prove it's existence to themselves.

15 people found this helpful

Great book!

This was a great book. I think I understood maybe half of it, but that half was fascinating. I used to be a science teacher, but I've been retired for a while now, and I've let my subscriptions to science magazines lapse, and I have fallen behind. He lets us in on the newest theories about a number of scientific theories, and they are fascinating: How did life begin? How was DNA, photosynthesis, cells, sex invented? Will we ever be able to overcome old age and death? There are ten chapters on ten topics, and the information in each one is mind boggling. I kept thinking, "Gee, I wish I'd known this when I was still teaching." But actually, much of it hadn't been discovered then. This is really fresh stuff.

You will have to concentrate to understand this book. I don't commute anymore, so I usually play computer games while I listen to Audible books--games that don't require a lot of thought. But even solitaire was too complicated to play while listening to this book. I plan to listen to it again, but I'm going to get the Kindle version to read along with the audio version.

This book is difficult but very rewarding. I recommend it highly.

13 people found this helpful

An Extraordinary Experience !

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Certainly would recommend this to friends - and have - especially somewhat brainy friends, curious about the biggest questions - the nature of the universe, how life got started and become what we see around us.

What did you like best about this story?

The depth of explanation and the reasoning behind evolutionary explanations laid out clearly with frank discussion of uncertainties; Lane presents the evidence across all of the scientific disciplines - genomics, paleontology, numerous areas of biology and mathematical modelling - and his book appears not to have been possible much before today, based on the technical advances in genomics and molecular analysis. Apart from being a noted scientist in the area, Lane must have broad cultural interests to inject into his style much humor and stylistic commentary that provides entertaining respites from places where he has found it appropriate to do a deep dive (from the layman's perspective) to get to the heart of the science on a matter.

Have you listened to any of Graeme Malcolm’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, This is a very good one.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Stranger and more exciting than any Sci-Fi.

Any additional comments?

Those familiar with the Drake Equation - that which derives the probability of extra-terrestrial development of intelligent life from a handful of inputs, may want to revisit their calculations. Life on earth - from its start to where it is today seems a very odd mixture of remarkably fortuitous happenstance (the nature of just one type of sub-sea vent and its related chemistry, e.g.) and near or actual inevitabilities.

2 people found this helpful

technical but enlightening

The most technical of the many science/biology books I've read to date--not for those who hated biology class.

It was particularly good on the theories origins of life/DNA, photosynthesis, and eukaryotic cells. Not so great on consciousness (I think it's hard to make a case that that is one of the greatest "inventions" of evolution from the overall picture of life) and death (really a chapter about how we can avoid the degenerations/infirmations of old age--SPOILER: eat less).

I thought I had, at last, a science book that doesn't try to persuade us that evolution is true but, alas, in the final chapter the author made his pitch. It was a powerful one, though, so I'll excuse it.

Definitely moments where I started to drift off but, overall, this is a good read for those who love biology.

6 people found this helpful

Fascinating and infuriating

At times the book makes its points clearly and it is fascinating. but so much of the time it is unfocused, not content with describing natures greatest inventions, the author insists on giving equal weight to the history of thought surrounding each "invention". When he is focused, he can be witty and compelling, but you turn around for a moment, and he has put down his rifle and is wielding a blunderbus.
For large periods it is like listening to an orchestra in which every instrument is being played at exactly the same volume; it kind of makes sense, but with no modulation, no shape to it.

7 people found this helpful

provocative

on-the-edge science writing read by a decidedly non-scientist...ergo, i must read it again (then read it once or twice more) which i intend to do
this book is just too intriguing to put back on the shelf

Some kind of weird political stuff going on here

Got to the chapter on sex and he totally lost me. Not at all what I was expecting.

Great book !

Enjoyed this book a lot. Gave me a glimpse of how life may have originated, the good and bad part of having warm blood, and the advantages of sex and why we do not live forever. Highly recommended.

Too scholarly

In order to appreciate this book a master’s degree or above in microbiology in really necessary

Gifts of evolution & history at the cell level

I wish I could remember all the information in this book to use as discussion with friends. I loved science.