The Diversity of Life: With a New Preface (Questions of Science)

Author Edward O. Wilson, Harvard professor emeritus and leading world authority on ants. He explains, in easy to understand language, how living organisms evolve over a months and years, via random small changes in their genes, which are advantageous (or not) to survival. This process is described from his study and careful observation of birds on remote islands in the Pacific over a period of years. May help in understanding how species may adapt to environmental change.

Being a long-time fan of E.O. Wilson, I really enjoyed this book. Without getting bogged down in technicalities, the author explains what biodiversity is, & why it matters that the earth's biological diversity is maintained. More species of plants & animals are going extinct at an alarming rate, which can & will upset the ecological balance of nature. Wilson shows many such examples, & lists types of environmental programs that could either slow down, or possibly stop, this disaster. Also mentioned are programs that some nations are implementing to help maintain a healthy environment.

I purchased this book to us in a college biology class, not only was it $20 cheaper than the book store but it had great resources within the book that other copies did not have. The particular book I was sent had chapter summaries in the back of the book, my friends that ordered this book from other sellers did not have summaries at the end. The summaries really helped me understand the dense material and helped me pass the class!

"The Diversity of Life", authored by Harvard Professor, E.O. Wilson, is essential reading for anyone seeking to learn about the intricate balance between the thousands if not millions of Earth's species. With enough scientific detail to demonstrate the astonishing relationships between our fellow creatures, and tenderly illustrated, this book will instill new reverence for life. Dr. Wilson who has received two Pulitzer prizes for his writings, has written many books since "The Diversity of Life" first was published. But at a recent book signing, Dr. Wilson told me that "Diversity" may still be his best.

Let's keep this short: if you don't know or need to be reminded why even the most mundane of living things on this earth is absolutely astonishing, read this book. The prose goes down easy, and frankly, the creation story Wilson tells is more fascinating than any of the others humans have come up with over the last several millennia. But like them, it has a potent potential to change how you look at the world around you.

Good.

This is an excellent book written by an actual scientist - not just a nature writer. Well thought out and provides incredible insight to different aspects of biodiversity.

Excellent book. I have read this before, and bought it as a gift for a friend. Rich descriptions of evolution and biodiversity. Lots of imagery and excellent narratives from the author's experience in the field.

I have always been a huge admirer of the work of E.O. Wilson, but up to now hadn't had any chance of reading any of his books, only scientific articles. Well, after going through three chapters I have to say that the book seems very promising: good prose, very well versed, and with descriptions which made me think of my own homeland (I come from Costa Rica, and the description of the coming of the rain in the amazon forest was like reliving the experience according to how I remember it).Amateurs as well as passionate biologists will rejoice from this book, which reminds us of why it is important to protect all the biodiversity that we have left.

Edward O. Wilson has an awesome breadth of view of biology, from global to local ecosystem to organism. He defines and develops the concept of biodiversity lucidly for lay-readers, always with his feet among examples of organisms, and he eloquently draws the readers attention to the real, present and threatened losses to our biodiversity. Yet, he conveys an optimistic possibility: we have the knowledge and the means to minimise these losses, if we can summon the will to do so. Douglas Brown

A+