I received arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Who knew that Zoologists had so many criteria when organizing and naming animals. This book has a history all the way to present-day and the pictures help explain a lot too.

Interesting coffee table book of zoology

I loved this book. I was expecting a somewhat detailed look at animal classification with some explanatory artwork. Instead I was treated to an amazing collection of art with some description of the classification process. The descriptions were succinct and very clear. They introduced me to many biologists I had never heard of, and reintroduced me to many I was already familiar with. But the art was just outstanding. I finished this book rather quickly because I fell into the “just one more page” trap. I couldn't put the book down. I read and reviewed a PDF galley and I loved the pictures. As a print book, I can only imagine how beautiful the art would be. I strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in biology.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.

What a beautiful and inspiring book!

It is said that a man has an urge to organize everything, and without a doubt it apply to the world of the animals. Author traces the way this need was fulfilled throughout the history, from the Bible and medieval bestiaries to modern infographics. It is truly fascinating journey, showing how our ancestors viewed natural world and how growing scientific knowledge influenced this view. It is mostly a picture book for adults, but every part and every graphic is accompanied by short description helping to understand the origin of each particular work. Great gift for everybody who is into biology, nature writing and science history.

Thanks to the publisher, Quarto Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.

A beautiful book that shows just how much work Zoologists, from past to present, put into organizing the world around us. A great resource for the armchair (or professional) Zoologist!

This is an utterly beautiful book. The illustrations and the images are wonderfully done. I initially read through it electronically but have since ordered the physical book. Packed full of interesting information this is a beautiful coffee table be to pick up every now and again.

Very interesting look into how animals, plants and things are categorised, the different techniques and types of organisation. Enjoyed it.

A really interesting look at how scientific classification has 'evolved' throughout history. It dived into how we, as humans, have changed our interpretation of how we classify and see things. It is a very pretty, aesthetic book with lots of images to keep things from getting too dry. It has so many pretty and interesting drawings it would make a great reference book or coffee table book. Certainly a science-minded person will appreciate this the most, but any intellectual would enjoy a pass through this book. I think teachers especially should grab a copy. Very interesting and fun to look at,

This is a really interesting book with amazing illustrations I could browse through it for hours. Definitely one for the coffee table. So much of the history of classification is included and mans' obsession with organising and recording. It is a rich reference source for artists and full of inspiration. It is a book that would make a wonderful gift for animal and science lovers and also for artists. This is the type of book that would have absorbed me for hours as a child. Definitely a book I would love to own in hard copy.

This book is a love letter to the complexities of the life forms on Earth and the attempts of humans to organize and categorize them. It is an undertaking of noticing similarities and differences, appreciating nuance, and illustrating it in a way to pass the knowledge on and on. The images in this book are inspiring - I want to take up a pencil and sketch my favorite beasts, large and tiny. Would be a great addition to a collection in need of visual explorations of scientific classifications. It is also provides a wealth of visual information!