![]() ![]() It’s no easy task to write compellingly of the sort of minute details that absorb those who study, say, the same tiny foot bone for years on end. In Fossil Men, Pattison weaves the multiple intrigues of science, politics, and personalities into a masterly structured tale. And to my amazement, he explains in clear and compelling prose how scientists build family trees of ancient species. He breezes through the biomechanics of how chimps clamber and humans walk. He describes the intricacies of the human wrist and foot with the skill of a poet. In this, he is every bit as good as the best scientist-writers. This is a function of Pattison’s uncanny ability to write evocatively about science. Despite ample opportunity, Fossil Men never devolves into gonzo journalism. The story lines border on the insane: There are civil wars, gunfights, at least one grenade rolling around the feet of the scientists as they drive into the desert and, sadly, a violent death. In places, Fossil Men seems more reality television show than a work of popular science, as we follow an outrageous cast of White’s supporting characters. Often vulgar, but charming and funny, he commands an army of loyal friends against tides of intellectual enemies. Obsessed with the tiniest bumps on ancient bones, and peeved at anyone who interprets those bumps differently, he’s ruthless in his quest to find new fossils, no matter what war zone or swarm of poisonous pests might be in the way. ![]() ![]() He’s portrayed as a brilliant antihero, Indiana Jones meets Tony Soprano. ![]()
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