Big Meg: The Story of the Largest and Most Mysterious Predator that Ever Lived by Tim Flannery

Big Meg: The Story of the Largest and Most Mysterious Predator that Ever Lived Reviews

• 
  Wanda Pedersen

  Free Range Reading
  
  I have developed many odd interests over the last 60 years. Paleontology has been a long lasting love. My father used to tell me that I knew the names of “all the dinosaurs" by the time I was three (an exaggeration I'm sure). In the last decade or so, I've also become fascinated with fossil fishes. Attendance at a lecture/slide show by the artist Ray Troll sparked my interest (check out his website for fabulous fin art).
  
  Anyone who has read Peter Benchley's
  Jaws will understand the lure of the gigantic prehistoric shark Megalodon. Shark fossils are particularly scanty, as their skeletons are mostly cartilaginous rather than bone and cartilage doesn't preserve well in the fossil record. However it is amazing what scientists have been able to piece together from what there is available: range maps, possible birthing localities, diets, possible habits and causes of extinction (although the last two items seem rather more speculative).
  
  The ocean is a mysterious place to most of us and its predators are a source of fascination. There is good reason that there are many shark gods envisioned by the people of Oceania. Our current world has an impoverished ocean, with sharks and other fish, whales, even corals and other small creatures in decline. Nevertheless, there are those who would like to believe that the Megalodon still lurks in the depths. I suppose anything is possible, but it seems to me that there just aren't enough food species left to maintain a sustainable population of this enormous shark. But I think it is natural, in a world where so many species teeter on the edge of extinction, to hope that this awesome predator is still out there.
  
  I've read other books by Tim Flannery which I also found enjoyable. He provides accurate information (although paleontology is a science prone to revision as new specimens are studied) and he writes in a clear, accessible style. I get the impression that he truly loves sharing his knowledge. If you are particularly interested in fossil sharks, I would also recommend
  Resurrecting the Shark: A Scientific Obsession and the Mavericks Who Solved the Mystery of a 270-Million-Year-Old Fossil. If fossil fishes in general are your jam,
  The Rise of Fishes: 500 Million Years of Evolution might suit you. If you are intrigued by the connection between fish and land animals,
  Your Inner Fish: a Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body is a great choice.
  
• 
  Nick Borrelli

  Fun and insightful book about a creature from prehistory that has been lost but not forgotten. I really enjoyed much of the history lesson regarding the time when dinosaurs ruled the earth. Definitely recommend this to anyone who loves topics like this, it was very well written and the interplay between the author and his daughter lent a personal touch that elevated the book that much more.
• 
  Marianne

  4.5★s
  Big Meg is a non-fiction book by Australian palaeontologist, explorer, conservationist, and climate change writer, Tim Flannery, and his daughter, scientist and writer, Emma Flannery. The Megalodon tooth that seventeen-year-old Tim finds after a flood initiates a life-long fascination with the world’s largest-ever predator.
  
  But, being a shark, the only fossil finds are teeth and some vertebra with growth bands that offer some idea of growth rate and age; there are no bones, so scientists can only speculate on its physical form and shape.
  
  What is known about Megalodon is that it had a lifespan of up to 100 years, was probably warm-blooded, born at up to two metres long (probably aided by voracious intrauterine cannibalism of siblings) and a fast growth rate to an adult length of fifteen to possibly twenty metres.
  
  Their diet is known, to some extent, from their tooth marks on the fossilised bones of their prey. Comparison to other sharks indicates that they’re not descended from, or ancestors of, the great whites, a comparison that will see readers knowing more than they ever thought possible about sharks without getting bored. One of those many sharks mentioned, still living in our times, is the cookie-cutter shark: from the description of how they feed, definitely one to avoid!!
  
  The large birth size and rapid growth rate are possibly what allowed the Megalodon to become a gigantic super-predator, preying on other large predators, likely including other Megalodon. Members of the lineage thrived for fifty million years, and Megalodon was around for 20 million years, then, in the space of about two million years, were extinct: a mystery.
  
  Scientists employ many sophisticated techniques to try to pin down the when of that extinction, hoping thereby to discover the why, but not all are useful. Theories on the why include the Earth’s cooling possibly affection food availability, the reduction in nursery grounds, sea level changes affecting migration routes, and I creased competition from other predators.
  
  The abundance of Megalodon tooth fossils, weighing up to 1.4kg, can be attributed to the fact that many sharks completely replace their dentition every few weeks. Humans put those plentiful fossils to numerous uses: as jewellery, protection against evils, as hunting charms and as tools. In the 17th Century, the Megalodon tooth was believed to detect poison, to turn the evil eye.
  
  Flannery describes the people who chase these fossils and the lengths to which they will go, diving in dangerous conditions, losing their lives. He describes how poachers frustrate researchers; how movies and TV have changed attitudes to sharks; how deterrents are of questionable efficacy.
  
  Chapter 10: Shark Eats Man describes the many encounters that humans have with sharks and quantifies the risk: “The risk of death from attack by any shark is very small – around 1 in 3.7 million. That is minute when compared with the risk of being shot and killed in the USA (which in 2020 was about 16 in 100,000) or being killed in a car accident.” But it also warns that even in the Amazon River, when there are already many potential dangers, attack from a bull shark can occur 4200km inland. Chapter 11: Man Eats Shark comments on shark nets and the particular cruelty that goes into making shark fin soup.
  
  The authors’ extensive academic credentials certainly lend weight to whatever conclusions they draw about this enigmatic creature. There are four colour plates to enhance the text, a handy index and four pages of comprehensive references. Flannery has a talent for taking a potentially dry topic and keeping it interesting and sometimes gob-smacking, informative, entertaining and even amusing.
  This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Text Publishing.
  
• 
  Max

  I have read several books by Tim Flannery, and I always enjoy them. This was no exception. Well written, properly researched, this book is a collection of stories and information on the extinct Megalodon shark. There are also chapters on today's sharks, the possibilities of "big Meg" still existing today, and on personal stories from the authors. Definitely recommended for fossil lovers, ocean enjoyers, shark people, biologists, scientists.. anyone, really. I read an advanced reader's copy, I hope the final version will have some photos as well, that would really make the book perfect.
  
  Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC to read & review. These are my honest opinions.
• 
  Sara

  I don't rate nonfiction.
  
  A really interesting look at the, now extinct, apex predator of the oceans - the megalodon. I'd say, although I'm a former geology student, I was never that invested in learning about megaldons however I found this engaging and easy to follow. A good introduction to the topic, Tim Flannery clearly knows his stuff and tells it with a great dollop of enthusiasm.
• 
  K.

  Trigger warnings: blood, gore, shark attack, animal death
  
  Me: a trash human who freaking LOVES shark movies/books and dinosaur movies/books
  This book: is about the megalodon
  Me: *heart eyes*
  
  Could I have happily gone my entire life not knowing about goblin sharks and their teeth being on ligaments or cookie cutter sharks and their horrifying chomping habits? YUP. Did I have a delightful time learning about megalodons and their history? ABSOLUTELY.
  
  A fast paced short read that I devoured (ha) in two sittings.
• 
  Elentarri

  Rating: 3.75 stars
  
  Sharks have cartilage, instead of bone, which doesn't fossilize very well. So almost everything we know about the giant, prehistoric shark, Megalodon, comes from the plethora of over-sized, fossilized teeth lying around. Thus, we have this rather slim volume. Just over half the book is dedicated to what scientists can determine and extrapolate from fossils about the evolution, life-style (growth, behaviour, mating, gestation, birth, feeding), ecological place, and extinction of the Megalodon. The latter, rambling, half of the book feels a bit like filler (some of which is interesting, some of which is not), and deals with things like ancient human trade in (and use of) fossil shark teeth, the use of Megalodon teeth as Medieval poison detector and deodorant (I don't think this one worked very well!), the fact that the extinct Megalodon still manages to kill an average of two people per year, the dozens of places where one can find fossil shark teeth, the effect man has on sharks, and the effect that sharks have on man (physical and psychological). There are a few photos (mostly of teeth), but this book really could have done with a whole many more illustrations. The book is engaging, easy to read, and, on the whole, very interesting.
  
  Another Recommended Book about a Prehistoric Shark:
  
  Resurrecting the Shark: A Scientific Obsession and the Mavericks Who Solved the Mystery of a 270-Million-Year-Old Fossil by Susan Ewing
  
  
• 
  Daniel Kukwa

  Let's call this 3.5 stars. It's a quick and easy read on a fascinating subject, but the author does go on a little too long about the joys of fossilized teeth...and as a result, some of the text feels repetitive. Still, as a one-stop-shop for the story of Megalodon, it does what it says on the tin.
• 
  Benjamin Stahl

  This is a wonderful book for both those obsessed with the long-extinct megalodon, or sharks in general. Myself, I belong much more to the latter category. The "Big Meg" never has interested me as much as certain sharks that still grace our planet (and hopefully will continue to do so for a long time to come, providing the majority of us humans are able to get our act together and stop destroying the oceans and rivers). By all means, the idea that such a gargantuan fish, obviously so capable of inflicting catastrophic damage to the largest of animals, ever roamed the seas is a hard one not to get excited about. But for me, as much as this book did deliver in its detailed account of what we know about the giant shark, and as much as I did find all of that very intriguing, Tim Flannery and his co-writing daughter also managed to scratch a deeper itch I had in selecting this book, by delving into many of the living shark species - including my favourite, the bull shark.
  
  On a personal note, I myself have been privately working on a book about bull sharks, accumulating and distilling all the academic literature I can find, newspaper reports, online articles, with a plan to also take my Dad's boat up the Parramatta River and connected tributaries later this year, in search of bull sharks with an underwater go-pro. Reading this book was both tantalising and somewhat chafing (is that the word?) as it does go into some of these topics I plan to cover with some depth. I better hurry the hell up.
  
  For shark lovers, or natural history buffs generally, this book is a joy to read. I could point out a few tiny flaws, such as the weirdly out-of-place jabs at the Catholic Church. Hell, I can't even read a book about sharks without being told my religion is corrupt and evil. But whatever. I'm not the writer, and said person needs to grind his axe somewhere.
• 
  Lish

  I’m pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this, I wish it was longer! I feel like going on a deep dive into every species mentioned in this book, they’re all so fascinating. As an introduction to the topic this book is perfect, it touches on all areas without passing judgement, presenting the known information leaving it up to the reader to make their own decisions or research further, I really like that
• 
  Jolene Dailey

  i am never putting my toes in the ocean now
• 
  Text Publishing

  The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of Big Meg: The Story of the Largest and Most Mysterious Predator that Ever Lived
  
  ‘Tim Flannery scores again, diving into the murky myth-filled waters surrounding the world's biggest predator, and surfacing with a breathless true story stuffed with astounding facts and personal experience.’
  Lucy Cooke, author of Bitch and The Unexpected Truth about Animals
  
  ‘Big Meg is big fun! It's packed to the gills with gobsmacking facts, insightful conjecture, and personal observation from two world-class scientists and explorers…a megaladon of delight for any shark-lover!’
  Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus
  
  ‘Riveting.’
  Age
  
  ‘The extraordinary story of a fascinating piece of natural history.’
  Qantas Magazine
  
  ‘[Big Meg] presents some gripping insights into the brilliant detective work carried out by a whole range of scientific experts…exemplary in the way it draws clear lines between speculation, fact and fiction in a way that any lover of good detective stories would appreciate. Above all, the authors’ passion for their subject matter is contagious. If you have little interest in fossils and sharks when you start this book, you are in danger of becoming an enthusiastic bore on the subject when you have finished it.’
  ArtsHub
  
  ‘Tim Flannery and Emma Flannery present an engaging, easy-to-read, holistic, and intelligent story of Big Meg…Insights from arts, history, anthropology, traditional and popular culture, archaeology, mythology and religion offer enjoyable, holistic understandings.’
  Good Reading (4 stars)
  
  ‘The Flannerys communicate the science with the fidelity of seasoned palaeontologists without losing the breathless wonder of a seven-year-old talking about sharks at the dinner table…A fascinating read.’
  Saturday Paper
  
  ‘A compelling history…Big Meg both entertains and informs.’
  Newtown Review of Books
• 
  Sembray

  Thanks to Penguin for sending me a proof copy in exchange for an honest review, which you can find below.
  
  4.5
  
  As someone who never really grew out of the mandatory childhood dinosaur phase, any book about an enormous prehistoric shark was always going to be right up my street. However, Big Meg was even better than I anticipated. As well as all of the expected details on probably the largest carnivore in Earth's history, this book also contains fascinating meditations on sharks and their roles in history. Both of the authors' experiences are added to discussions on topics as diverse as the collection and usage of fossil shark teeth, the roles played by sharks in a wide variety of ecosystems and even the often-problematic relationship between humans and sharks (Jaws certainly has a lot to answer for). The volume is fairly short but manages to cover an impressive amount of ground. Sections such as that on the status of Malta as a haven for Megalodon teeth definitely inspired me to carry out further research. In contrast, the sobering details on the decline of many modern species of sharks are moving and provide a powerful testament to the destruction wrought by humanity, a far more mindless and efficient killing machine than any villainous B-movie Megalodon. It is a testament to the skill of both writers that a book covering such a mysterious subject still manages to be so gripping, and Big Meg is certainly an essential read for anyone interested in biology or palaeontology, or those simply wanted to read about 20-metre long sharks (this author falls into both sides of that Venn diagram).
• 
  Dana

  I've loved Shark Week ever since it began. One of my few memories of my fraternal grandparents was going to their trailer on a lake for a week during summer vacation and watching Shark Week in the evenings. I was enthralled. But somehow it wasn't until my late 20's did I realize that sharks were my favorite animals (specifically whale sharks, but I do love all sharks).
  
  I really enjoyed this book for someone who doesn't real nonfiction regularly. The history of sharks was fascinating and I highly recommend reading near a computer to look up what these historic sharks looked like. It was super cool. There is a lot of scientific jargon that made my eyes glaze over a few times, but I pushed through and I feel like I learned a lot about sharks and where they came from.
  
  Recommended for any shark mega fan. I desperately want to go shark teeth hunting now!
• 
  Lillie

  "Despite having become extinct millions of years ago the megalodon still kills an average of two people a year."
  
  I loved this book so much! It drew me in and was so interesting, easy to read and well written. I don't normally go for non-fiction because they intimidate me and I feel many are hard to read if you know nothing, but this isn't like that at all.
  
  Sharks are one of my favourite animals and I already knew a bit about them, but Big Meg just expanded upon everything. It was told in such a conversational way that it was so easy to grasp and understand. It didn't only encompass megalodon's and their history, it also looked at different cultures beliefs of sharks and meg teeth, how sharks have interacted with humans and vise versa and how the media and pop culture (specifically books and films such as Jaws and The Meg) portrayed sharks and sparked fear.
  
  It also looks at Meg fever and the people who will do anything and everything to find more teeth and fossils of these creatures, or who works to prove they still exist.
  
  This is just such a great book, that does an amazing job of covering so many different themes. If you've been wanting to know more about sharks and megalodon's this is a must read.
  
  Thank you Text Publishing for the review copy of this book
• 
  Annarella

  I'm a dinofan and fascinated by everything related to megafauna. This was an informative and engrossing read that kept me reading and made me learn a lot.
  Well researched, well written
  Highly recommended.
  Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
• 
  Amber-Rose

  3.5⭐️
• 
  Meggie Ferguson

  paleontology is so neat & fruitful! and yet there is still so much we don’t (and maybe will never) know about this earth & its creatures! big love to my big megs🦈
• 
  Amy Moss

  got me hook line and sinker
  
  love the meg, love the sharks, love LEARNING !!!!!
• 
  Ronnie

  "The benefits of gigantism are many."

  
  Caveat for youngish readers taken in by the title or cover of this book (or their parents or loved ones who want to encourage interest in the subject): The first couple and final couple of chapters get close to what you hope this book will be just from reading the book jacket. Otherwise, it's a slog and should have more justly been subtitled "For the Love of Fossil Teeth!"
  
  It's undeniably impressive what can be deduced from a fossilized shark tooth, but as the authors repeatedly remind us, "At present, we must admit that we just don't know." Thus, much of the book comprises conjecture--educated guesses, sure, but still just guesses, and not all those are consistent. Meanwhile, because much is not actually known, the bulk of this book spends time repeating the relatively few facts that do seem solid, almost verbatim, before trailing off into generalized shark history that has nothing to do with the meg, such as how shark teeth have historically been used as tools, jewels, and deodorants, for example, along with famous non-meg-related shark encounters from the past (including the famous tragedy involving the USS Indianapolis, which the character Quint in "Jaws" tells way better). Along the way, the narrative devolves into describing (repeatedly) the beauty of the different colors of teeth found in different geographic locations--which, yes, might be exciting for some readers but it would seem only to a fairly specialized audience.
  
  Outside the first chapter, which describes Flannery discovering his first megalodon tooth fossil while he was still in high school back in 1973, the most enjoyable chapter is the twelfth and final one, "The Imaginary Meg," which calls bullshit on the the Discovery Channel's meg "mockumentary" and other bogus shows of similar ilk. Most of what's in between those installments is a lot of fossil talk and an equally lot of repetition. When you read on page 14 for the THIRD time (not counting the cover and the title page) that the meg was the largest predator that ever lived, it makes you wonder how this book is the product of "renowned" science writers, as the book jacket attests. (And the same statement is going to be repeated at least three more times in subsequent pages.)
  
  Which brings up another curious point: The cover and title page clearly show the authors as Tim Flannery AND his daughter, Emma Flannery, but it's written throughout in first person, from Tim's perspective, so it's not clear at any point where Emma contributes. The only direct mention of her is in that final chapter, where it's noted that she was scared by the movie "Jaws" when she first saw it age 6.
  
  First line:
  "When I was sixteen I found something that changed my life."
• 
  Mark

  Big Meg
  Author: Tim Flannery & Emma Flannery
  Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
  Publishing Date: 2023
  Pgs: 216
  =======================================
  REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
  Genre:
  Science
  Paleontology
  Non-Fiction
  
  
  Why this book:
  Megs.
  _________________________________________
  Favorite Scene:
  Woolloomooloo, Australia, 1830s, possibly apocryphal: a man swimming naked, in a top hat, while smoking a cigar told onlookers that he regularly swam there and didn't fear sharks.
  
  Favorite Quote:
  The advice given to the author by his mentor. “You have to have the will to fail.” That’s good stuff.
  
  Favorite Concept:
  The sweating fossilized shark teeth of Malta: Maltese shark teeth fossils were exported all over Europe in the Dark and Middle Ages, up into the Renaissance at least, before it became illegal in modern times. The teeth came to be used as a test for poison, by dipping it into food or drink and if it changed colors or sweated, the offered repast was considered poisoned. This era was where the ritual of the host or date tasting the wine before the guests drink, to show that it wasn’t poisoned and was good to drink. It was never about approving the vintage. It is about proving that you aren’t trying to poison your dinner companion. Weird place to learn that, in a book about prehistoric gigantic sharks, but there you go.
  
  Hmm Moments:
  The idea that with the redepositing of megalodon teeth leading to the fossils around it being from other eras and thus not being a reliable way to date megalodon teeth and extinction and the idea that Coca Cola cans have been found in situ with megalodon redeposited teeth is hilarious. The idea of a future paleo archaeologist finding said tooth and Coke cans and deciding that this means that the meg and Coke coexisted is funny.
  
  WTF Moments/RUFKM Moments:
  Intrauterine cannibalism. Damn. Sharks. Damn.
  
  The way the Greenland Shark hunts and kills seals. Woof!
  
  Logic Gaps:
  Claiming that the Meg and the Great White aren’t close relatives, even though the later is used as a model for the first in science and entertainment, disputing the scientists and enthusiasts who run with the idea, and then coming back around in the same paragraph and saying that they could resemble one another is circuitous. And then, noticing that the cover of the book has a Meg looking like a Great White in direct comparison. That paragraph should’ve probably stood a little bit closer to the editor’s red pen. Both ideas have their place and could’ve been better stated without the grating opposition in such close proximity.
  _________________________________________
  Pacing:
  Well paced.
• 
  Anne Morgan

  "Big Meg" is an engaging and well-written nonfiction book about megalodons- what we know, what we can presume, and what we can only guess. Flannery includes personal stories about how he became interested in this extinct shark, along with stories of other fossil hunters and some of their incredible finds. I was impressed by how well Flannery put 'Big Meg' into context, describing what is known about the world they lived in and the animals they would have interacted with, as well as explaining how that world changed and why those places today might or might not preserve the fossil teeth- and the incredible range of colors those teeth might appear to be! I read a digital ARC, which didn't have any images, but I'm definitely inspired to see the final version for images of what those fossils look like.
  
  I also liked how Flannery included a section on sharks today- the rarity of shark attacks on humans, how humans' attitudes towards sharks have changed and increasing conservation techniques with advanced science, and the damage humans have done to shark populations through hunting. His explanation of why people should leave fossil teeth and report them instead of taking them for private collections is really great. As someone who worked in an archaeology museum for ten years, I know that kind of education is both hugely important and hard to get across in a way that many people will accept. Talking about it at the end of the book, after the reader has just been wowed by everything science has learned from fossil teeth, I think emphasizes the importance without sounding like he's lecturing at you.
  
  What scientists have learned over the years about megalodons from very little remaining evidence is stunning, and Flannery has the latest information here in a way that the average person can understand. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in science, sharks, and (of course) megalodons.
  
  I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
• 
  Nicole

  
  I read Meg, The Trench & Goliath by Steve Alten when they first came out & ever since I've been obsessed with how a creature as large as the Megalodon could have existed. Jaws scared me silly but the meg was different for some reason, same but different, I needed to know more. Where & how did we find evidence? How could one have survived under so much pressure? Where did they fit in the ecosystem?
  Why were they so big?
  
  Through the evolution of sharks, discoveries of teeth & historical research, I found myself wishing to have seen these beasts in all their terrifying glory, preferably from afar, & wondering if we might ever discover a full-bodied fossil.
  
  Not many pictures, just a couple in print at the front but the descriptions of those teeth Tim Flannery has found or had opportunity to visit lit up my imagination.
  
  I got so many answers from this small but informative tome. I was fascinated by the stories & there was still more research about megatooth sharks to be found.
  
  I had no idea how many people obsess over these teeth, the history of their meaning, how many types there are.
  
  If you didn't have the bug before, Big Meg will set your eyes & fingers again to those sharp looking, strange coloured smooth edges on fossil beaches & barren wastes. I know I will.
  
  
  
  Thank you to Doubleday for my gifted early copy.
  
  
• 
  Elisa

  Despite all we now know about dinosaurs, the megalodon seems just as mysterious as ever. Their immense size seems hard to explain and makes them a fascinating subject. One would think that, given their relatively recent extinction, they’d be easier to study than other species but, considering their skeletons were most likely made of cartilage, scientists have been forced to research them mostly through their teeth. Tim Flannery has been obsessed with them all his life and has passed his enthusiasm to his daughter Emma. This volume represents their combined knowledge and years of research. In an effort to understand the megalodon better, they explore their surviving kin, sharks, and I loved this part because I’m fascinated by these creatures. Other chapters are devoted to the megalodon’s evolution, environment, food, and what is thought to be its extinction. They discuss all the findings that have allowed us to study them, even if there is much speculation, since there aren’t too many fossils available. The authors even explore the rumor that these creatures may still live now and explain how that would be impossible. Informative and entertaining.
  I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Grove Atlantic, Atlantic Monthly Press.
• 
  Mike Clay

  This book is a general science story of the largest predator that ever lived and is unusual in that it is cowritten by an Australian father/daughter . The book charts the evolution of the megalodon, a super-predator for about 20 million yrs (23-3.6 million yrs), although the precise extinction date is in the Pliocene (2.6-5.3). The authors open with the discovery of a shark tooth by the teenage author, and how he came to love the creature as the years passed. The first half mostly discusses megalodon, but then the authors branch out into other sharks, the world of shark teeth, ebay and medieval history as poison-detectors, the world of shark tooth diving "The Don of Megalodon" in murky South Carolina rivers, a survey of shark tooth collecting worldwide, and the history of man's relationship with sharks ("shark eats man" and "man eats shark"). I really enjoyed the book, which I expected to be dry and fact-filled, but rather the book is a fascinating history of the Miocene, and how diet, behavior, prey, etc can be extracted from simple teeth, which are sometimes found with prey or other creatures.
  This book would appeal to anyone who loves sharks and paleontology. I took a look at ebay and there is a fascinating world of shark teeth out there, but buyers beware!
• 
  Richard Blackmore

  While I understand why this book has been so well received and highly rated, as someone heavily invested (though not participating) in the field of paleontology I cannot with good conscience give this book any higher than two stars.
  
  Tim Flannery is a popular scientist bordering on celebrity status, appearing on television and having written quite prolifically on subjects varying from climate change, to science in general, to the aboriginal peoples of Australia, to his native paleontology. And for me, that is a huge part of the problem. He writes OUTSIDE of his area of expertise.
  
  First of all, why did he write this book? Tim Flannery is a trained vertebrate paleontologist who specializes in MAMMALS. He practices mammology, which is a combined science that incorporates paleontological methods, including functional morphology with biological research practices to understand mammals as a zoological group.
  
  So why did he write a book about megalodon, a SHARK and prehistoric FISH? To the general reader it might not seem to be a problem, as Flannery has obviously done his homework. He provides useful analyses on how paleontologists search for fossils and how fossilization happens. Which is all great for the more general reader.
  
  He then covers a bit of the history of paleontology as a discipline, for some unknown reason? It is a bit random and very brief and stunted, leaving much to be desired, which again begs the question why bother.
  
  This review by no means serves to question Flannery's qualifications IN HIS FIELD. He is obviously an amiable and pleasant person and a very good writer. He obviously understand paleontology, as he should. But being passionate about COLLECTING shark teeth, and in this case MEG teeth, does NOT make you a qualified expert on them.
  
  He is adept at functional morphology, as any paleontologist working in the field will obviously be, and this allows him to make do with general statements about how the teeth work, how they fit in the jaw of the animal, and he briefly covers the history of sharks as an animal.
  
  But again, why write this book? Perhaps I am over thinking this? Flannery is by no means unique or an outlier in regard to this issue. Donald Prothero being an obvious example of someone who writes outside of his field. *Cough, cough*
  
  It is fairly obvious why someone would do this from an economic perspective, but again why not publish in your own darn field?!?! It just drives me crazy.
  
  So yes, by all means read this book as a piece of fluff. It works very well as a discussion of megalodon and how fossils began appearing in museum collections. It is a great advocate for museums as partners with universities. But as a book of paleontology, this fails miserably, jumping from one random subject to the next.
  
  If anyone is interested in acquiring and building knowledge as an amateur fossil lover, I would heavily recommend the Life of the Past series from Indiana University Press. These books are of varying rigor, ranging from introductory college level to more heavy graduate level material.
  
  I look forward to reading more of Tim Flannery's work in his own field.
• 
  David Corleto-Bales

  Tim Flannery and his daughter Emma delve into the natural history of the megalodon, the giant species of predatory shark that lived from 20 million to around 2.5 million years ago, known only by its fossil teeth. Ranging up to perhaps 60 feet long, the megalodon dwarfs the present day Great white sharks, but little is known about its habits. The Flannerys piece together what is known from studying the fossils of the creature, and a great deal of the book is devoted to fossil hunting for shark teeth, where they can be found, and how lucrative the business is for some. Megalodon teeth in ancient times were thought to be from other worlds that came to the Earth by meteor strike, or were used as decoration or as a possible poison-detector. As with all of his books, this one is highly interesting and eminently readable.
• 
  Tawney

  Megladon is the marine equivalent of Tyrannosaurus Rex, the biggest, baddest beast out there.
  Tim Flannery sets out to explain what is known, what is reasonable and what isn’t regarding this giant shark. There isn’t a lot that is definite due to the lack of physical evidence. Some assumptions are made using the ways modern sharks act. Flannery explains the hows and whys of this. Along the way there is plenty to be learned about a variety of sharks. The later part of the book deals with present day shark populations and conservation. If you find everything shark fascinating you will really enjoy this book. It is written for the general reader in a conversational style, but with plenty of research behind it.
  Thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for a digital advanced copy.
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  Tabby

  A wonderful book full of so many details of all sharks, including the Megalodon. The other shark details are necessary to learn more about how the Meg came to be and how they went extinct, and they did in fact go extinct. I loved learning about the megalodon and learned so much more about them. A lot of interesting facts were mentioned and I enjoyed the stories of Flannery’s personal expirerencs. He mentioned some areas where megalodon teeth are found and now I’m starting to plan trips to try and find my own megalodon tooth and have my own bit of excitement and wonder while holding the tooth. I also plan on visiting the museum in Florida that he mentions to see more teeth and learn more about them. A really intriguing read about the largest (known) shark that ever lived.