It takes a brave writer to tackle the truly Herculean task of describing The Variety of Life: The Meaning of Biodiversity with the astronomical numbers of organisms living today, let alone all those that have fallen by the wayside over the billions of years of life on Earth. No one is quite sure how many living species there are, but it is estimated to be somewhere between 10 and 100 million. Fortunately, since the days of the great Swedish naturalist Linnaeus, around 250 years ago, life has been grouped and classified into hierarchical schemes. As a result, it is possible to encompass this enormous variety of life by describing the relatively few groups into which it can be clustered. And, since the mid-19th century and the Darwin-Wallace theory of evolution by natural selection, classification has taken on an extra, evolutionary dimension.

Colin Tudge is a well-known British science writer, whose last book was Neanderthals, Bandits, and Farmers. With a training in whole animal biology and a self-proclaimed love for the natural-historical foray among our fellow creatures, he is well placed to attempt this survey. The first part (all of 90 pages) of this big book deals with the thorny problems of what Tudge rightly calls the craft and science of classification. Since the 1950s, the word cladistics has terrorised many traditional naturalists and biologists. But it is here to stay and Tudge provides a very welcome guide that will be invaluable to both lay people and students.

The bulk of the text, nearly 500 pages, forms part II and the descriptions of the main groups from the most primitive (alpha proteobacteria) prokaryotes to Eupatorium, a large group of 1800 or so species of plant, which includes the hemp agrimony, common in ditches...In between these two groups, at either end of the biological spectrum, lie all the more familiar bugs and beasts, including ourselves. Inevitably, given so many millions of organisms, difficult choices have to be made, some groups are only dealt with at phylum level (for example, brachiopods) while others are detailed down to family level (for example, primates). Some extinct groups, not surprisingly the dinosaurs, get a look in but not many overall. The short epilogue concerns conservation and is followed by a useful reference list of sources and an index. Altogether, the 600-odd pages are enlivened with a large number of excellent black and white drawings of individual organisms and diagrams illustrating evolutionary relationships. For all natural historians and anyone interested in biology the The Variety of Life is a must. --Douglas Palmer

In fiction this would be an epic!, 26 Mar 2004
An imposing book by a major science writer, Tudge rightly subtitles this work "a celebration." Although at first glance the book seems overwhelming, Tudge has broken down his feast of life into easily consumed portions. After an excellent overview of the history of classifying life, he allows the reader to choose among the many types of animals and plants. One can jump to insects, birds, fish or reptiles for more detailed evolutionary accounts and modern examples. Unable to resist, i skimmed over a few more esoteric examples to settle down to Primates and Hominids. This section provides a superb overview of current knowledge, distinguishing clearly what is known and what is supposed. This was familiar territory but delving in the other sections proved equally rewarding. However, this also suggests a warning that the book is not a "cover-to-cover" exercise.

Tudge opens with the problem facing many new students of biological sciences - how to deal with the immensity of information confronting them. There are, he notes, over two million species described already. No-one disputes the number is far below the actual total life contains - but what is the realistic total? Estimates range as high as 100 million - an almost inconceivable figure. He accepts the more likely total as around thirty million, recognizing that such numbers remain out of human ken. From this, he builds his case that classification systems are necessary. What's required is a classification method that anyone can grasp. He finds the solution in the idea proposed by German entomologist Willi Hennig - cladistics. This system arranges life by characteristics, avoiding confusing generalities and the arcane mysteries of genetics. As Tudge argues, cladistics has become fourth phase of classification systems, and the one likely to endure.

The "technical" sections of the book, covering the multitude of life forms each open with a descriptive essay followed by a "tree" of relationship among various species. This structure makes the book an excellent reference work and will keep it valuable for many years. The illustrations are designed to impart general information, not scientific detail. Neither are they simplistic as the supporting comment provides pointers to consider when viewing them. Tudge groups the text and graphics nicely, allowing visual and text comparison without constant page flipping.

As with any author confronting the immense cargo of information available in biology, Tudge was forced into a selective process in creating a bibliography. It's not an enviable task. The list appears sparse, a heavily pruned tree arranged by chapters. He indicates his preferred references, but only by using his sources will you discover whether more bountiful reading is listed in them. This lack in no way impairs the worth of this effort, however. There are countless book lists available. Anyone with an interest in life will treasure this volume.

Excellent as popular science and as a reference work, 23 Feb 2003
Soon after I bought this book, I studied systematics at college and was disappointed that in 5 or 6 weeks the teachers presented a highly flawed, inaccurate and uninteresting view of the field - even believing it to be a boring area of biology. Tudge makes it absolutely fascinating and if the reader perseveres with the first few chapters where he slowly and steadily build a fair technical understanding so that you will get past words like 'polyphyletic' without blinking. For me that is one mark of popular science - it is more than interesting - you learn something and afterwards could approach more technical books such as a few in the well ordered bibliography, with little fear. In short Tudge does something amazing; gives a portrait of every living thing on the planet. Viruses are excluded but in terms of cell based lifeforms it is a comprehensive overview. Even extinct creatures are included so that you will have a complete understanding of the separate dinosaur groups that gave rise to birds and which to mammals. The book is a tremendous achievement as accessible science and as an overview of all life.

An accessible, up-to-date overview of evolution, 11 Oct 2000
I have often been frustrated about the difficulty of getting hold of reliable information about the history of life on earth and the inter-relationships of living things. Now, my frustration is at an end. Colin Tudge has done the impossible, and synthesised the mountain of rapidly changing data about evolutionary history into a single, clearly written volume. The book is beautifully illustrated, and lucidly laid out, so that the reader can use it as a ready reference guide if he so wishes. But it can also be read at length, and the mine of information is rich indeed. The field of systematics is changing rapidly, but Tudge's book is unlikely to go out of date very quickly, as he is clear to indicate the areas where our current knowledge is most precarious. A must for all those interested in evolution.

In fiction this would be an epic!, 26 Mar 2004
An imposing book by a major science writer, Tudge rightly subtitles this work "a celebration." Although at first glance the book seems overwhelming, Tudge has broken down his feast of life into easily consumed portions. After an excellent overview of the history of classifying life, he allows the reader to choose among the many types of animals and plants. One can jump to insects, birds, fish or reptiles for more detailed evolutionary accounts and modern examples. Unable to resist, i skimmed over a few more esoteric examples to settle down to Primates and Hominids. This section provides a superb overview of current knowledge, distinguishing clearly what is known and what is supposed. This was familiar territory but delving in the other sections proved equally rewarding. However, this also suggests a warning that the book is not a "cover-to-cover" exercise.

Tudge opens with the problem facing many new students of biological sciences - how to deal with the immensity of information confronting them. There are, he notes, over two million species described already. No-one disputes the number is far below the actual total life contains - but what is the realistic total? Estimates range as high as 100 million - an almost inconceivable figure. He accepts the more likely total as around thirty million, recognizing that such numbers remain out of human ken. From this, he builds his case that classification systems are necessary. What's required is a classification method that anyone can grasp. He finds the solution in the idea proposed by German entomologist Willi Hennig - cladistics. This system arranges life by characteristics, avoiding confusing generalities and the arcane mysteries of genetics. As Tudge argues, cladistics has become fourth phase of classification systems, and the one likely to endure.

The "technical" sections of the book, covering the multitude of life forms each open with a descriptive essay followed by a "tree" of relationship among various species. This structure makes the book an excellent reference work and will keep it valuable for many years. The illustrations are designed to impart general information, not scientific detail. Neither are they simplistic as the supporting comment provides pointers to consider when viewing them. Tudge groups the text and graphics nicely, allowing visual and text comparison without constant page flipping.

As with any author confronting the immense cargo of information available in biology, Tudge was forced into a selective process in creating a bibliography. It's not an enviable task. The list appears sparse, a heavily pruned tree arranged by chapters. He indicates his preferred references, but only by using his sources will you discover whether more bountiful reading is listed in them. This lack in no way impairs the worth of this effort, however. There are countless book lists available. Anyone with an interest in life will treasure this volume.

Excellent as popular science and as a reference work, 23 Feb 2003
Soon after I bought this book, I studied systematics at college and was disappointed that in 5 or 6 weeks the teachers presented a highly flawed, inaccurate and uninteresting view of the field - even believing it to be a boring area of biology. Tudge makes it absolutely fascinating and if the reader perseveres with the first few chapters where he slowly and steadily build a fair technical understanding so that you will get past words like 'polyphyletic' without blinking. For me that is one mark of popular science - it is more than interesting - you learn something and afterwards could approach more technical books such as a few in the well ordered bibliography, with little fear. In short Tudge does something amazing; gives a portrait of every living thing on the planet. Viruses are excluded but in terms of cell based lifeforms it is a comprehensive overview. Even extinct creatures are included so that you will have a complete understanding of the separate dinosaur groups that gave rise to birds and which to mammals. The book is a tremendous achievement as accessible science and as an overview of all life.

An accessible, up-to-date overview of evolution, 11 Oct 2000
I have often been frustrated about the difficulty of getting hold of reliable information about the history of life on earth and the inter-relationships of living things. Now, my frustration is at an end. Colin Tudge has done the impossible, and synthesised the mountain of rapidly changing data about evolutionary history into a single, clearly written volume. The book is beautifully illustrated, and lucidly laid out, so that the reader can use it as a ready reference guide if he so wishes. But it can also be read at length, and the mine of information is rich indeed. The field of systematics is changing rapidly, but Tudge's book is unlikely to go out of date very quickly, as he is clear to indicate the areas where our current knowledge is most precarious. A must for all those interested in evolution.

Essential for the taxonomist, 23 Aug 2006
If you want to understand how to recognise a potential new species either from scratch or because you've spotted one in a group ascribed to another species, this book will tell you how from the botteom up - perhaps with an emphasis on plants and animals in particular. Highly suited to beginners with no taxonomic background, it guides the reader into the rituals and rules necessary - not just predicated upon the ivory towers of science, but on the practical need to understand and name species in the context of their use and in a conservation context. The book is holistic in that it brings together some history and anthropology of how people traditionally recognise species - this is not just a technical subject. Winston writes with skill, care and patient attention taking nothing for granted with lots of references. She encourages you warmly and whispers why this is important. She brings out her own experience. This is a wonderful book to buy for yourself or as a gift to a budding naturalist.