How Zoologists Organize Things

October 15, 2020
This book, divided into four stages, presents a visual history of humans' pursuit to organize and explain animal diversity. Bestiaries and encyclopedias were prevalent through the twelfth century, connecting animal diversity to a Christian world view. The eighteenth century began a move toward a more objective classification, emphasizing similarities and differences between species based on shared characteristics. Nineteenth century classification focused on changes over time, introducing the theory of natural selection and a greater understanding of the age of Earth. Since 1900, an explosion of information has led to numerous specialized disciplines contributing to our understanding of animal complexity, including the role of genes, chromosomes, and genomes. Though there is minimal text here, what there is provides an overview of each stage of scientific understanding and discusses key scientists and their contributions. Small black and white illustrations and full-color plates from historical manuscripts reinforce concepts described. Although excellent, the images could have used more description to help readers reconcile theory. Nonetheless, this book is highly recommended for general readers wanting a visual introduction to the classification of living species.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)