School Library Journal
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Gr 8 Up—This is a thoughtful, engaging read of Western scientific thought that starts with an introduction to the Age of Enlightenment, tracing the momentum of those ideas over time. Across 12 chapters in this follow-up to Discovering Life's Story: Biology's Beginnings, readers are introduced to Carl Linnaeus and his System of Nature; Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon's biology studies; the development of evolutionary theory; Charles Darwin; Gregor Mendel; and more. End pages include a brief "Looking Ahead" essay, as well as an index, further reading, bibliography, and endnotes for the chapters. While some of this history of science includes familiar names and ideas, Hakim's writing style is a fresh approach, opting for an accessible tone. Each chapter opens with a casual introduction that sums up what is to come in a way that makes the content seem approachable and may serve as a useful review tool later. Throughout the book, Hakim also includes a variety of interesting sidebars boxes giving readers a glimpse into deeper or tangential connections or archival finds. In this modern history of Western science, Hakim takes a multidisciplinary approach, and connects the science to the social, political, and cultural environments in which these scientists are working. VERDICT An engaging volume for young readers to use for reference—or, maybe, as their next nonfiction read.—Jessica Schriver

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The second in a series about life sciences, this volume provides a comprehensive history of how the theory of evolution took root, grew, and flourished. In 12 chronological chapters spanning from the mid-1700s to the turn of the 20th century, the book highlights a panoply of revolutionary ideas, brave thinkers, and careful researchers responsible for our understanding of geologic time, genetic mutation, and natural selection. Some of the figures Hakim introduces will be familiar to any high school biology student, such as Charles Darwin, Carl Linnaeus, and Gregor Mendel. Others are lesser known, such as Mary Anning (an English fossil hunter who made pivotal discoveries during the Enlightenment), Jeanne Baret (a Frenchwoman who disguised herself as a man in order to collect plants from around the world), and Geneviève Thiroux d’Arconville (an 18th-century French scientist who researched putrefaction and decay). While the scientific ideas presented are big, the straightforward prose simplifies the concepts so that the work reads almost like a novel, and the author’s use of the present tense lends immediacy. The pleasing layout, with many photos, drawings, etchings, paintings, and textboxes, animates the text even further. Students seeking a good resource for a report on evolution and related matters will find a wealth of useful material here. A compelling and important history of a seminal idea. (further reading, source notes, bibliography, image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 13-18) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

The second volume of Hakim's impressive Discovering Life's Story series on the history of life sciences covers the developing understandings of science, especially evolution and natural selection, that arose in the eighteenth century. Beginning with a wide scope of the time period, as usual, Hakim covers a broad range of disciplines—history, sociology and cultural studies, biology, religion, and literature—and intricately weaves her sources together to create a narrative that is easy to understand and comprehensive. It has the depth of an academic work without the stuffy, difficult-to-follow narrative that often happens in college- or graduate-level texts. High-quality images with descriptions throughout accompany the well-laid-out discussion of the Age of Enlightenment and theories of evolution, focusing on such f igures as Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace, Charles Lyell, Carl Linnaeus, and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. She also covers discoveries about fossils, botany, and heredity. The quality of the book is not limited to just the explanation of the concepts; it's also an unusually well-sourced volume, with robust back matter, end notes, and suggested further reading. Written in an engaging manner and with a wealth of helpful context, this extremely informative volume in an exceptionally well-executed series is highly recommended for high-school libraries and classrooms as well as public and community college libraries.