The Walking Whales

First of all, [b:The Walking Whales: From Land to Water in Eight Million Years 21921389 The Walking Whales From Land to Water in Eight Million Years Johannes G M Thewissen https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397635915s/21921389.jpg 41168402] is a beautiful book. The book is well bound, the type is clear, and the paper is high quality. Also, there are numerous illustrations, some of which are very nice full-color renditions of the predecessors of modern whales.This book is not predigested pap. It goes into the details of the science. Thewissen lays out the specifics of whale evolution using the fossil, the chemical, and the biological (both cladistic and DNA) evidence. It is a fascinating story.Just as fascinating though is the story of the years of field work often in remote and sometimes dangerous locations. What do you do when you have made a major discovery in the field but haven't the funds to transport your finds back to the laboratory? What do you do when the police block you from a fossil site because there are murderous kidnappers in the hills? What happens when you have to negotiate with an elderly paranoid who owns key fossils? The stories of the people involved are intertwined with the story of the science and make this an interesting book indeed.