THE RISE AND REIGN OF THE MAMMALS A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us

Listeners may not take in much on a first listening and may want to keep the pdf or an illustrated copy of this book nearby. But the ear alone is enough to somewhat profit from this sweeping history of evolution, which spans millions of years and the extinction of countless animals and plants. The detail is fascinating, and Patrick Lawlor is a forceful narrator who never lets the pace slacken. For those interested in fossil hunting, this is a first-rate story with plenty to offer. For the late listener and the insomniac, the very scope of the narrative stretches and soothes the imagination, carries one's thoughts away from the here and now and the everyday, and opens a vision of time and space that will unburden one's mind in minutes. D.A.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2022]