| Title | : | When the Earth Was Green: Plants, Animals, and Evolution's Greatest Romance |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1250288991 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781250288998 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 304 |
| Publication | : | Expected publication February 25, 2025 |
A gorgeously composed narrative nonfiction book about the longstanding relationship between prehistoric plants and life on Earth.
Immaculately framed by ancient stone, the leaves look as if they were pressed between the gray pages of a great geological diary. If we were to see the plant alive, we would simply pass it by, but the fossil is a whisper from a time more than 55 million years ago, when alligators dwelled within the Arctic Circle and gigantic dragonflies buzzed through the air. This little plant is an entry-point into this lost world. Past, present, and future, this ancient specimen has roots in all of them.
We often retell the history of life on Earth as a series of great moments in which fascinating animal life springs forth, all the while forgetting the plants that made these moments possible. But we can’t understand our own history without them. Or, our future. Dinosaurs, saber-toothed cats, and all mammals would be nothing without the efforts of their leafy counterparts. Even humans would likely not exist had plants not taken root to sow the land for our amphibious ancestors.
Using the same scientifically-informed narrative technique that readers loved in the award-winning The Last Days of the Dinosaurs, in When the Earth Was Green, Riley Black brings readers back in time to prehistoric seas, swamps, forests, and savannas where critical moments in plant evolution unfolded. Each chapter stars plants and animals alike, underscoring how the interactions between species have helped shape the world we call home. As the chapters move upwards in time, Black guides readers along the burgeoning trunk of the Tree of Life, stopping to appreciate branches of an evolutionary story that links the world we know with one we can only just perceive now through the silent stone, from ancient roots to the present.
When the Earth Was Green: Plants, Animals, and Evolution's Greatest Romance Reviews
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I do love books that describe the earth that once was. This book travels back millions of years ago and describes numerous creatures and how vegetation had impacted them and via Versa. This book provided a lot of information that I was not aware of. It is well written and worth a read!
I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. -
Yet again, Riley Black has written a book that is simultaneously engaging and informative. "When the Earth was Green" is a worldwide view of plants (and animals) evolution throughout time. Black's novel takes us on a journey, complete with textbook quality information, starting with the first land-going plant hundreds of millions of years ago. From there, she takes us on a tour of plants and the evolution of those critical to the development of plants we see every day. Sprinkled throughout her novel are fun fictional stories told from the viewpoints of those time-appropriate plants and animals that help the reader to feel as if they are actually there. Each chapter is short, and frankly, ! wish some of the information provided in the Appendices at the novel's conclusion were incorporated into each chapter, rather than added as an afterthought. However, short chapters do not indicate poor quality - rather, Black condenses so much information into a story-like section that provides you with enough information to pique your curiosity but not enough to overwhelm or bore you. My only critique of the book is that pictures of the many plants and animals referenced were not included (I know, I know-it's not a picture book), so I found myself Googling ancient plants and animals multiple times in every chapter.
Overall, "When the Earth was Green" is a solid 3.75 star book thanks in part to the conversational tone, textbook quality information and overall ease to read.
I received this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks to Riley Black, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the early copy. -
This book presents a unique narrative on how Earth's greenery has influenced life on the planet. The author transports us back millions of years and, through each chapter, reveals the impact of vegetation on the existence of all animals, including humans. I found the book captivating and an excellent read. I would recommend this book to all readers.
