Your Ultimate Book Guide to the Animal Kingdom
Fun facts and fascinating histories for your brain
Our world is hyper human-centric, especially for those of us who spend most of our time in urban and suburban environments. But the world is teeming with fascinating animals of all kinds telling their own unique evolutionary and cultural histories.
It’s difficult to even scratch the surface to provide a comprehensive book list of the animal kingdom. But from this list, you’ll learn the deep history of dinosaurs, mammals, birds, and insects. Dive in and prepare to unveil a wealth of new information.
An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us
By Ed Yong | Published 2022 (Random House) | My full review
Prolific science writer Ed Yong published his highly anticipated, An Immense World, this past summer and it did not disappoint. This book is packed with a wealth of fun facts about animal senses. Did you know that most insects are deaf or that sea otters have some of the most sensitive paws in the animal kingdom? Yong takes the reader on a world-wide journey to science labs across the country who are researching niche aspects of animal senses. His great writing and expert investigative science abilities makes the book have both style and substance.
Endless Forms: The Secret World of Wasps
By Seirian Summer | Published 2022 (Harper) | My full review
One of the most interesting books I read in 2022, Endless Forms is a deep dive into the unknown world of wasps. Wasps – bee’s far less popular cousin – have a major PR problem that Summer is dedicated to fixing. Wasps are the premier example of evolution’s magical abilities to create endless forms of adaptations and kind. Some estimates suggest that there are nearly two million different wasp species, which would make them the most abundant and diverse type of animal on earth. This is a must read to open your mind to a whole new world.
The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us
By Steve Brusatte | Published 2022 (Mariner Books) | My full review
Brusatte is one of the most talented science writers today telling the stories of animals’ deep evolutionary histories. In his highly anticipated follow up book (see below on this list for his first book on dinosaurs), he tells the new story of mammals’ evolution, going beyond the trope of “dinosaurs died then mammals thrived.” Mammals have been thriving for hundreds of millions of years, in fact in The Rise and Reign of the Mammals you’ll learn exactly what this complex and interesting history is. He masterfully presents highly detailed research in an organized and accessible way that makes for a highly enjoyable read. This was also one of the most interesting books I read in 2022.
Spying on Whales: The Past, Present, and Future of Earth's Most Awesome Creatures
By Nick Pyenson | Published 2018 (Viking)
Whales, specifically blue whales, are the largest animals to ever live on the planet. Think about that: the largest ever animal in the history of the world is alive right now, swimming around. How did they get this way? In Spying on Whales, Pyenson tells both the detailed evolutionary history of these fantastic ocean-dwelling mammals, in addition to human’s history with them. If you’ve never dove into the evolutionary history of whales, this is a must read. It’s a captivating read.
The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think
By Jennifer Ackerman | Published 2020 (Penguin Press)
Birds are sometimes thought of simple animals, but in reality, birds are both enthralling and evolutionarily informative. They are quite unique in many respects compared to mammals, yet comprise of some species that are highly intelligent, rivaling great apes in specific capacities. In Bird Way, Ackerman details what we know about birds, organized across the topics of communication, work, play, love, and parenting. Interestingly, birds are often used as comparisons to understand human behavior in the areas of pair-bonding and mate selection. It’s a great overview read about birds and their behavior.
The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of the World
By Steve Brusatte | Published 2018 (Mariner Books)
Dinosaurs are deeply fascinating, in part because they no longer exist having gone out with dramatic flair. But the evolutionary science of dinosaurs is constantly evolving, and we’ve learned a lot in recent decades. In The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, Brusatte’s debut book details the enthralling new science of dinosaur’s rise and fall. It’s a must-read book on the topic, written in a highly engaging yet detailed manner. His follow up book on mammals is linked above in this post, which you should also read.
Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America
By Leila Philip | Published 2022 (Twelve Books) | My full review
This was one of the most surprising books I read in 2022. I didn’t really know what to expect when I began but I ended with so much new knowledge about the role of beavers in the American ecosystem, and the complex human history with beavers since Europeans first arrived on American shorelines. Part ecology, part history, part ethnography, it’s hard to categorize exactly where this book should go, which is often what makes books all the more enjoyable. Beaverland takes the reader on the writer’s journey over several years of immersive research. Add this to your TBR pile.
Platypus Matters: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Mammals
By Jack Ashby | Published 2022 (University of Chicago Press) | My full review
Australian animals are unique in their characteristics and diversity compared to the rest of the world. And the platypus, in particular, captivates onlookers for many reasons. The unique animals of Australia, such as the platypus and the kangaroo, are iconic symbols of evolution. Platypus Matters provides interesting and informative evolutionary insight to the uniqueness of Australian mammals, but Ashby offers more than just evolutionary insight. He offers historical analysis and, importantly, rebuttals many cultural misperceptions of Australian mammals. This was overall a highly informative book on Australian mammals and, in particular, about platypuses (Ashby’s favorite animal).
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One of my very favorite categories! 🦬🐹🐙🐧