A Guinea Pig's History Of Biology - Pick Of The Week

The Age

Saturday July 14, 2007

Steven Carroll

A Guinea Pig's History of Biology

Jim Endersby

William Heinemann, $65

THERE ARE A FEW good reasons to feel sceptical about this book - especially the tired, possessive, gimicky title and the well-worn path of "uncovering" the crucial role of a seemingly insignificant player in the grand narrative of a given discipline. In this case, the big story is the history of biology. The crucial "bit" player is the said guinea pig of the title, one of the "tools" biologists use to solve the mysteries of life on earth. The tale begins in 1820 when Lord Morton crossed his chestnut-brown mare with an Arabian stallion and came up with a quagga-like creature (the mare having been previously mated with a quagga - extinct 1883). How? Solving mysteries such as these (as well as Darwin's experiments with passionflowers) takes the reader to the very heart of biology. Despite my initial reservations, this highly readable study of some pretty tricky material really got me in. And it's not just the sweep of the tale, it's the simple, effective style of the teller.

© 2007 The Age

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