Comments on: Song of the Dodo Review http://www.ocellated.com/2006/06/17/song-of-the-dodo-review/ A blog on nature, science, religion, and just about anything else I want to post on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:18:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Ryan http://www.ocellated.com/2006/06/17/song-of-the-dodo-review/#comment-9862 Ryan Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:57:12 +0000 http://www.ocellated.com/2006/06/17/song-of-the-dodo-review/#comment-9862 I enjoyed many aspects of the book. One was learning about a subject matter to which I was completely ignorant. However, I was a little put off by the ethics of Quammen's historical biases. I too found that much of the large Darwin bashing sections were far to unsubstantiated for the attention and page length that Quammen gave them. Also, 700 pages is a lot to swallow. Ryan I enjoyed many aspects of the book. One was learning about a subject matter to which I was completely ignorant. However, I was a little put off by the ethics of Quammen’s historical biases. I too found that much of the large Darwin bashing sections were far to unsubstantiated for the attention and page length that Quammen gave them. Also, 700 pages is a lot to swallow.

Ryan

]]> By: Jay http://www.ocellated.com/2006/06/17/song-of-the-dodo-review/#comment-856 Jay Tue, 20 Jun 2006 03:16:16 +0000 http://www.ocellated.com/2006/06/17/song-of-the-dodo-review/#comment-856 I'm sorry to hear that. Tastes in literature are an admittedly subjective thing. I viewed his apologies more as recognizing that people bore of lists of species names, but still needing to talk about them for his concepts. Perhaps I've just become too used to reading <em>Genus species</em> names? Still, I'm glad you're finding the information interesting. I’m sorry to hear that. Tastes in literature are an admittedly subjective thing. I viewed his apologies more as recognizing that people bore of lists of species names, but still needing to talk about them for his concepts. Perhaps I’ve just become too used to reading Genus species names?

Still, I’m glad you’re finding the information interesting.

]]> By: j.edwards http://www.ocellated.com/2006/06/17/song-of-the-dodo-review/#comment-853 j.edwards Mon, 19 Jun 2006 20:02:55 +0000 http://www.ocellated.com/2006/06/17/song-of-the-dodo-review/#comment-853 I picked up a copy of the book after your inital mention of it and am about halfway through it now, and I've definitely got to disagree with you about his writing style. I find the subject matter interesting, which is why I keep reading it, but I find his writing absolutely infuriating. In particular his tendency to list off species uselessly as if to show off his erudition (and then apologize at the end -- if he knew it was useless for the typical reader, why'd he do it), and the condescending way he tends to end sections (either by asking if the reader's managed to keep up or by drawing an analogy so obscure that it's less useful than his original explanation). Maybe he's just not for me. I picked up a copy of the book after your inital mention of it and am about halfway through it now, and I’ve definitely got to disagree with you about his writing style. I find the subject matter interesting, which is why I keep reading it, but I find his writing absolutely infuriating. In particular his tendency to list off species uselessly as if to show off his erudition (and then apologize at the end — if he knew it was useless for the typical reader, why’d he do it), and the condescending way he tends to end sections (either by asking if the reader’s managed to keep up or by drawing an analogy so obscure that it’s less useful than his original explanation). Maybe he’s just not for me.

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