Rating: 
Summary: A very enjoyable, instructive, and thought provoking book
Review: 38 years ago, my father loaded our family into the truck and we headed for a Saturday outing out west of Delta, Utah -- into the House range and Swasey's peak to hunt trilobites. Last month we did essentially the same trip -- much had changed, but we still wrested quite a few of the little creatures from the dark Wheeler shale above the U-DIG-UM trilobite pit. I realized, from the questions from my children, that I really did not know much about trilobites and so I decided to purchase this book to remedy the situation. I was not disappointed. I consider it an excellent read and despite what some other reviewer's have written, I very much appreciated the personal stories that Mr. Fortey included. I read quite a bit of the book during lulls in a software conference I attended, and I could not keep myself from laughing out loud several times (I'm sure people pointed and stared and wondered what that [fool] was reading -- but I had a lot of fun). I also learned a great deal about trilobites -- enough to answer any question my children are ever likely to ask me and a bunch more. Thanks for the lessons on Trilobites (and on Life ) Mr. Fortey!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: A very readable book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Palaeolife. The style is easy to follow and it is packed with priceless snippets of information.
Rating: 
Summary: The Quintessential Fossil
Review: Although I fancy myself as fairly informed about science, seeing this book presented reminded me that I knew zip about the most recognizable fossil. Sure, we see a picture of one and say "yeah, that's a trilobite." But I knew more about anomalocarus and the glyptodon than I did about trilobites. This book provides a charming history of that ubiquitous little shield-shaped denizen of early life, but Fortey doles out the science in palatable chunks, interspersed with an inside view of the life of a scientist. The whole first chapter is more a treatise on English literature, as he sneaks up on his topic. Besides relating his decades splitting shales around the world, the author pays homage to the great palentologists of other eras. Given our present sophistication, it is remarkable how much some early scientists figured out. Additional lessons in evolution and plate tectonics round out a very pleasant, comprehensive science lesson. I never would have guessed that I would have involuntarily have memorized Cambrian, Ordivician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian in that order simply by discussions of that little beastie. Too bad though - the book ends just like Hamlet, all the trilobites dead :)
Rating:
Summary: The Quintessential Fossil
Review: Although I fancy myself as fairly informed about science, seeing this book presented reminded me that I knew zip about the most recognizable fossil. Sure, we see a picture of one and say "yeah, that's a trilobite." But I knew more about anomalocarus and the glyptodon than I did about trilobites. This book provides a charming history of that ubiquitous little shield-shaped denizen of early life, but Fortey doles out the science in palatable chunks, interspersed with an inside view of the life of a scientist. The whole first chapter is more a treatise on English literature, as he sneaks up on his topic. Besides relating his decades splitting shales around the world, the author pays homage to the great palentologists of other eras. Given our present sophistication, it is remarkable how much some early scientists figured out. Additional lessons in evolution and plate tectonics round out a very pleasant, comprehensive science lesson. I never would have guessed that I would have involuntarily have memorized Cambrian, Ordivician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian in that order simply by discussions of that little beastie. Too bad though - the book ends just like Hamlet, all the trilobites dead :)
Rating:
Summary: one cool book about trilobites
Review: as being a young person with almost no knowledge in this field , i feel that this book helped me in understanding these magnificent creatures. the book goes step by step , beginning with trilobite morphology and basic body features , then goes further into their ontogeny (the growth stages of an individual trilobite), and at the end - their evolution as a group through the geological periods , until their unfortunate extinction. this is a "must" book for everyone who is interested in trilobites , beginner or expert.
Rating:
Summary: I Know What the Glabella is Now
Review: Before I read this book, it wasn't even clear to me that "trilobite" literally meant "three lobes." This lovely species (or set of species?) had a simple and long-lasting body type that reveals the nature of the planet over geological time. Fortey's excitement about the subject is contagious: I can now name not only the glabella (the head sac containing the brain and stomach), but I also can explain why the trilobite's eyes are unique and how they work. This book is terrific for anyone interested in understanding more about how the planet formed and species evolved, and I'm sure a teenager with a scientific bent would enjoy the straightforward tone and lack of pretension. Trilobite! has spurred me to read more about science, including Fortey's overview of all of existence, called "Life."
Rating:
Summary: Fortey is formidable!
Review: Fortey's writing talent is capable and captivating. Whether describing the cliffs of Cornwall or his journeys in search of fossils, he keeps your attention in thrall. He is even able to lead us into the realm of arcane terminology. In an early section in this book we are carefully introduced to the physical structure of long-extinct creatures. With graceful descriptions, he demonstrates how to painlessly add eight new words to our personal lexicons. He has much to tell us and he relates his story and his science with evocative skill. The exclamation mark of the title certainly reflects his enthusiasm for the topic. With his ability to communicate that zeal, it becomes infectious. Trilobites, he continually reminds us, lasted far longer than the dinosaurs - nearly 300 million years, compared to the saurians' 120 million. Their persistence, Fortey explains, is due to their adaptability. They were so efficient at finding and filling ecological niches they are sometimes referred to as "the beetles of the Paleozoic". Fortey shows how various species inhabited deep oceans, shallow seas or glided through the mid-depths of the seas. The only niche left uninvaded, Fortey ponders ruefully, was fresh water streams and lakes. Had they done so, he muses, they might have persisted to modern times. Whether that step might have precluded our evolution, Fortey sets aside for others to consider. We learn the anatomy of these lost arthropods, how the structure of the legs was discovered, how they grow from minuscule diatomic forms to more than lobster-sized. The most engaging aspect of trilobites was the variety and form of the eyes. Unlike the squishy, liquid-filled sensitive orbs we carry, trilobites "learned" enough chemistry to form eyes of calcite crystals. These are arranged in a wide variety of patterns and structures, reflecting the animals' diversity. Some lacked them altogether, having never developed vision, or losing it as successive generations migrated to the stygian depths. Fortey has traveled the globe in search of these mysterious creatures. From misty Newfoundland through snake infested Queensland to an Arabian site infested with scorpions. He insists the risks are ignored when a new fossil emerges from the rocks. You feel that every new find should have a champagne celebration to accompany it. Fortey, however, is content with beer - sometimes just a bit of cool water suffices. Every page of this book dispels the mistaken image of the unfeeling, austere, white-coated academic. His contribution to the science is inestimable - he's named 150 species. Yet those accomplishments pale against his love for the science and the creatures he studies. In explaining the diversity of his treasured trilobites, Fortey takes us through the mechanics of plate tectonics. Geology is the science that birthed paleontology, and the two sciences have been intimately entwined for generations. In explaining why different types of trilobites evolved, Fortey traces the movements of continents over the millennia. East Coast Newfoundlanders may be pleased to read how their part of the island was once joined to the European continent to later merge with the western segment. The key to discovering this phenomenon was, of course, trilobite species differences. This kind of information Fortey offers within a framework of why these lost life forms are important for an understanding of who we are in nature. A fine addition to any bookshelf. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating:
Summary: Fortey is formidable!
Review: Fortey's writing talent is capable and captivating. Whether describing the cliffs of Cornwall or his journeys in search of fossils, he keeps your attention in thrall. He is even able to lead us into the realm of arcane terminology. In an early section in this book we are carefully introduced to the physical structure of long-extinct creatures. With graceful descriptions, he demonstrates how to painlessly add eight new words to our personal lexicons. He has much to tell us and he relates his story and his science with evocative skill. The exclamation mark of the title certainly reflects his enthusiasm for the topic. With his ability to communicate that zeal, it becomes infectious. Trilobites, he continually reminds us, lasted far longer than the dinosaurs - nearly 300 million years, compared to the saurians' 120 million. Their persistence, Fortey explains, is due to their adaptability. They were so efficient at finding and filling ecological niches they are sometimes referred to as "the beetles of the Paleozoic". Fortey shows how various species inhabited deep oceans, shallow seas or glided through the mid-depths of the seas. The only niche left uninvaded, Fortey ponders ruefully, was fresh water streams and lakes. Had they done so, he muses, they might have persisted to modern times. Whether that step might have precluded our evolution, Fortey sets aside for others to consider. We learn the anatomy of these lost arthropods, how the structure of the legs was discovered, how they grow from minuscule diatomic forms to more than lobster-sized. The most engaging aspect of trilobites was the variety and form of the eyes. Unlike the squishy, liquid-filled sensitive orbs we carry, trilobites "learned" enough chemistry to form eyes of calcite crystals. These are arranged in a wide variety of patterns and structures, reflecting the animals' diversity. Some lacked them altogether, having never developed vision, or losing it as successive generations migrated to the stygian depths. Fortey has traveled the globe in search of these mysterious creatures. From misty Newfoundland through snake infested Queensland to an Arabian site infested with scorpions. He insists the risks are ignored when a new fossil emerges from the rocks. You feel that every new find should have a champagne celebration to accompany it. Fortey, however, is content with beer - sometimes just a bit of cool water suffices. Every page of this book dispels the mistaken image of the unfeeling, austere, white-coated academic. His contribution to the science is inestimable - he's named 150 species. Yet those accomplishments pale against his love for the science and the creatures he studies. In explaining the diversity of his treasured trilobites, Fortey takes us through the mechanics of plate tectonics. Geology is the science that birthed paleontology, and the two sciences have been intimately entwined for generations. In explaining why different types of trilobites evolved, Fortey traces the movements of continents over the millennia. East Coast Newfoundlanders may be pleased to read how their part of the island was once joined to the European continent to later merge with the western segment. The key to discovering this phenomenon was, of course, trilobite species differences. This kind of information Fortey offers within a framework of why these lost life forms are important for an understanding of who we are in nature. A fine addition to any bookshelf. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating:
Summary: a super read!!!!!
Review: honestly.... i never thought that there were so many species of trilobites..... Fortey's writing style is charming.... the author is definitely passionate about these prehistoric creatures.... and is well reflected here....
Rating:
Summary: Starts slow but is well worth the time
Review: I almost returned this book to the library after the disappointing first chapter. That would have been a mistake. Fortey's prose tend to ramble (the book just uses too many words to say what it has to say) but the content makes the prose (which, in fairness, often were entertaining) well worth wading through. I had the advantage of a keen ambient interest in the critters going into the book but Fortey's command of the key discoveries and their implications is outstanding and his passion for trilobites is contagious. The book could use about twice the figures, but has included over 25 including some very instructive ones. On the whole a worthwhile read.
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