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No Turning Back: The Life and Death of Animal Species
Discusses the reasons why specific species have become extinct, providing additional coverage of species that have been rendered extinct more recently and species that have been saved from extinction.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2004
15 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Richard Ellis
29 books57 followersRichard Ellis is a celebrated authority on marine biology and America’s foremost marine life artist whose work has been exhibited worldwide. His nine books include The Search for the Giant Squid (a Publishers Weekly 1998 Best Book of the Year), Great White Shark, Encyclopedia of the Sea, Men and Whales, Monsters of the Sea, Deep Atlantic The Book of Whales, and Imagining Atlantis.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 4, 2012
Disclaimer: Recieved a copy via netgalley.
I first learned about the Tasmanian Tiger (or Wolf) when I read The Guinness book of Animals. It sounds very cool. Wolf-like but with markings resembling a tiger, it is a marsupial. I got to the end of the entry and read those heart-breaking words –“believed extinct”. Oh, the hope in that word believed. You have no idea how long I lived in denial land after reading that. I still, in my weaker moments, liked to believe that a lost colony of them will be found (I told you, denial land. You know the place where Jude Law turns into a marriageable man and proposes to me. Now tell, which one is more likely? The survival of the Tasmanian Tiger or Law no longer being a philandering nurse tupper?) Even today, when I go to the Natural History Museum in DC, I still get a small thrill from looking at the specimen on display. The only time I ever feel some like it is when I go to the National Zoo and catch site of the Maned Wolf. I’m the crazy chick who says, “Look, you can see their ears!”
Ellis’ book, written and first published in 2004, deals with extinction, extinction that has occurred and that might occur. In short, this means it is not happy reading, though it is written for the non-scientist. Yet, despite the heaviness of its subject matter, it should be required reading for those who inhabit the earth.
Ellis does look at the most famous extinctions – dinosaurs and dodoes. He takes a close look at the “debate” surrounding the extinction of the super-sized reptiles. He doesn’t seem to take a side and presents the information in such a way that any non-scientist person (like idiot me) can follow it. Honestly, if I had Ellis talking to me about dinosaurs, I would’ve found them far more interesting.
The bulk of the book, however, is on the extinctions that have been hastened or totally caused by humans. The dodo does get mentioned, but the focus is on lesser known animals. He deals with birds, mammals, and, of course, ocean life. Not only does the reader hear the stories of the well-known condors but also of the lesser well known, like the Saiga (a deer with a large nose) or Chiru. More importantly, Ellis looks at the various factors that contribute to the extinction or the species being threatened. He goes beyond the “no hunting! No Chinese medicine!” chants. For instance, I knew about rhino horn being used in Asia for supposed medicinal benefits [Ellis points out that there is actually a foundation for this story, and points out that it is only rhino horn that has the benefit and that Advil would work better], but I didn’t know that some rhino horn (primary white and black) were in demand as the hilts for weapons, in particular in the Middle East. And it isn’t just using horns and animals as food and art supplies, it is also diseases that can harm animals, such as West Nile and its effects on Whooping Cranes.
Being Green is in today, but in many ways we don’t fully realize the impact that we have beyond the obvious ones. It is important to read this book because every child has that animal, that one real animal that sparks their interest in the species – be it tiger, lion, or bear. Wouldn’t it be horrible, if after having that interest sparked, the child discovered that the animal had been killed for medicine, art, or stupidity?
I first learned about the Tasmanian Tiger (or Wolf) when I read The Guinness book of Animals. It sounds very cool. Wolf-like but with markings resembling a tiger, it is a marsupial. I got to the end of the entry and read those heart-breaking words –“believed extinct”. Oh, the hope in that word believed. You have no idea how long I lived in denial land after reading that. I still, in my weaker moments, liked to believe that a lost colony of them will be found (I told you, denial land. You know the place where Jude Law turns into a marriageable man and proposes to me. Now tell, which one is more likely? The survival of the Tasmanian Tiger or Law no longer being a philandering nurse tupper?) Even today, when I go to the Natural History Museum in DC, I still get a small thrill from looking at the specimen on display. The only time I ever feel some like it is when I go to the National Zoo and catch site of the Maned Wolf. I’m the crazy chick who says, “Look, you can see their ears!”
Ellis’ book, written and first published in 2004, deals with extinction, extinction that has occurred and that might occur. In short, this means it is not happy reading, though it is written for the non-scientist. Yet, despite the heaviness of its subject matter, it should be required reading for those who inhabit the earth.
Ellis does look at the most famous extinctions – dinosaurs and dodoes. He takes a close look at the “debate” surrounding the extinction of the super-sized reptiles. He doesn’t seem to take a side and presents the information in such a way that any non-scientist person (like idiot me) can follow it. Honestly, if I had Ellis talking to me about dinosaurs, I would’ve found them far more interesting.
The bulk of the book, however, is on the extinctions that have been hastened or totally caused by humans. The dodo does get mentioned, but the focus is on lesser known animals. He deals with birds, mammals, and, of course, ocean life. Not only does the reader hear the stories of the well-known condors but also of the lesser well known, like the Saiga (a deer with a large nose) or Chiru. More importantly, Ellis looks at the various factors that contribute to the extinction or the species being threatened. He goes beyond the “no hunting! No Chinese medicine!” chants. For instance, I knew about rhino horn being used in Asia for supposed medicinal benefits [Ellis points out that there is actually a foundation for this story, and points out that it is only rhino horn that has the benefit and that Advil would work better], but I didn’t know that some rhino horn (primary white and black) were in demand as the hilts for weapons, in particular in the Middle East. And it isn’t just using horns and animals as food and art supplies, it is also diseases that can harm animals, such as West Nile and its effects on Whooping Cranes.
Being Green is in today, but in many ways we don’t fully realize the impact that we have beyond the obvious ones. It is important to read this book because every child has that animal, that one real animal that sparks their interest in the species – be it tiger, lion, or bear. Wouldn’t it be horrible, if after having that interest sparked, the child discovered that the animal had been killed for medicine, art, or stupidity?
September 23, 2023
A Write to Review
Note: I received this copy from Open Road via Netgalley
This book delves into the intriguing world of extinct animal species, shedding light on the life and death of countless creatures that once roamed the Earth. From the ancient trilobites that dominated the oceans for millions of years to the demise of dinosaurs due to a catastrophic meteorite impact, the book explores the fascinating history of extinct species.
The narrative spans from the great flying and marine reptiles to the megafauna of North America, such as mastodons, mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, and cave bears, all of which have vanished. The book also delves into the tragic story of the passenger pigeons, once numbering in the billions over North America, until the very last one perished in 1914.
Moreover, readers will discover creatures that met their demise more recently and others that were on the brink of extinction but were brought back from the brink. The book even introduces animals that were previously unknown until recent times, offering a glimmer of hope amid the somber backdrop of extinction.
Ellis looks at the various factors that have contributed and still are to the extinction or the species being threatened. The majority of this book deals with extinction that has occurred in the past and what might transpire (or inevitably will at the rate we are going) in the future. Ellis is able to masterfully bring science to the everyday individual. While some parts are still dry Ellis mixes in a variety of interesting anecdotes and facts from modern things.
One of the key points people should take from this book is just how much of an impact humans have had on bringing forth the extinction of species and moving the process along.
Note: I received this copy from Open Road via Netgalley
This book delves into the intriguing world of extinct animal species, shedding light on the life and death of countless creatures that once roamed the Earth. From the ancient trilobites that dominated the oceans for millions of years to the demise of dinosaurs due to a catastrophic meteorite impact, the book explores the fascinating history of extinct species.
The narrative spans from the great flying and marine reptiles to the megafauna of North America, such as mastodons, mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, and cave bears, all of which have vanished. The book also delves into the tragic story of the passenger pigeons, once numbering in the billions over North America, until the very last one perished in 1914.
Moreover, readers will discover creatures that met their demise more recently and others that were on the brink of extinction but were brought back from the brink. The book even introduces animals that were previously unknown until recent times, offering a glimmer of hope amid the somber backdrop of extinction.
Ellis looks at the various factors that have contributed and still are to the extinction or the species being threatened. The majority of this book deals with extinction that has occurred in the past and what might transpire (or inevitably will at the rate we are going) in the future. Ellis is able to masterfully bring science to the everyday individual. While some parts are still dry Ellis mixes in a variety of interesting anecdotes and facts from modern things.
One of the key points people should take from this book is just how much of an impact humans have had on bringing forth the extinction of species and moving the process along.
October 2, 2025
I really enjoyed this book and found the topic very interesting. I would like to read more like it.
June 8, 2021
Here's something I NEVER would envision myself doing with a natural history book - marking it as the dreaded DNF. Especially since I'm really averse to not finishing books in general, much less ones about favorite subjects.
I was vastly disappointed in this book, and I really hope the author's other books are better written, because they sound very appealing and I will probably pick up at least one of the others at some time.
The first part of this book talks about extinction as a topic in and unto itself - what extinction means, what it is, with a whole range of definitions. This failed for me because the author was continuously citing other authors, to the point where I felt like I was reading a writing class assignment. I never got a clear handle on the author's own thoughts on the subject. There was also a lot of repetition about concepts. It read very oddly to me. When the author cited The Beak of the Finch, my brain went the route of "that book was SO much better than this, and I read it so many years ago, maybe I should drop this and pick up a copy of that instead . . . " Not really something you want your readers to be thinking while they're trying to make their way through your own writing.
The next section seems to be a round up of extinct and nearly extinct animals, with some information about the animal - there actually might be more to this section, but it's where I finally gave up. It was so incohesive - the information seemed so random and brief that I couldn't even see it as a magazine article.
Oddly structured, poorly written, very disappointing. 2 stars because the topic is of such interest to me.
I was vastly disappointed in this book, and I really hope the author's other books are better written, because they sound very appealing and I will probably pick up at least one of the others at some time.
The first part of this book talks about extinction as a topic in and unto itself - what extinction means, what it is, with a whole range of definitions. This failed for me because the author was continuously citing other authors, to the point where I felt like I was reading a writing class assignment. I never got a clear handle on the author's own thoughts on the subject. There was also a lot of repetition about concepts. It read very oddly to me. When the author cited The Beak of the Finch, my brain went the route of "that book was SO much better than this, and I read it so many years ago, maybe I should drop this and pick up a copy of that instead . . . " Not really something you want your readers to be thinking while they're trying to make their way through your own writing.
The next section seems to be a round up of extinct and nearly extinct animals, with some information about the animal - there actually might be more to this section, but it's where I finally gave up. It was so incohesive - the information seemed so random and brief that I couldn't even see it as a magazine article.
Oddly structured, poorly written, very disappointing. 2 stars because the topic is of such interest to me.
April 27, 2020
3.5 Stars
I'm on the fence with this book. On one hand, I enjoyed the majority of it and found it informative and insightful. However, there were also sections of it that became quite dry and repetitive.
Overall, I would suggest unless you have a strong interest in the subject matter, this might not be the choice for you. I did like the author's ability to relate extinctions back to humans and the issues we cause currently to animal species.
I'm a big fan of Richard Ellis and his writing, and although this wasn't my favorite by him, it was still a well-researched book full of lots of new, interesting facts to entice my brain.
I'm on the fence with this book. On one hand, I enjoyed the majority of it and found it informative and insightful. However, there were also sections of it that became quite dry and repetitive.
Overall, I would suggest unless you have a strong interest in the subject matter, this might not be the choice for you. I did like the author's ability to relate extinctions back to humans and the issues we cause currently to animal species.
I'm a big fan of Richard Ellis and his writing, and although this wasn't my favorite by him, it was still a well-researched book full of lots of new, interesting facts to entice my brain.
June 3, 2022
While parts of this book were pretty interesting, in large part it read like a laundry list of animals I had never heard of (with a few I had heard of) and small amounts of information about each. I think it could have been dramatically improved by picking one ambassador species from each chapter and talking about them in depth.
February 22, 2010
The extinction of species is a phenomenon that hasn't received nearly as much attention by biologists and popularizers of biology as other aspects of the Earth's evolutionary history. Mass extinctions have begun to receive widespread attention and public consideration only since the 1980s, when the Alvarezes finally -- it is now thought -- nailed down the cause of the end of the Mesozoic and the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs, the great marine reptiles, and the pterosaurs once and for all, and it remains in the public eye because debate still rages around it. And the cause of the mother of all mass extinctions, the one that closed out the Permian Period and the Mesozoic Era of Earthly life, is debated even more fiercely -- but the public is, by and large, unaware of that debate or even the subject of it.
Which is a shame. It is because of the extinction of one or more species that other species, once crowded and harried into the shadows by them, have their chance to shine, to take their place in the Sun. If the non-avian dinosaurs had not become extinct, today's mammals would never have come into existence; Class Mammalia would have remained no more than an assembly of small, rat-like creatures scuttling about the feet of the great dinosaurs, or hiding out from them in their burrows, and we certainly would never have evolved. Mass extinctions clear the decks for brand-new suites of creatures to evolve which could never have done so if not for the removal, by whatever cause, of the creatures dominating their world before.
Very nearly ever species that has ever lived on Earth is now extinct, and every species now in existence, including Homo sapiens, will someday follow their extinct brethren into the darkness. Extinction is the chisel wielded by Nature as it sculpts new life from the living marble of the world, its premier tool for filling the world with new kinds of creatures. The more knowledge we have about extinction and how it works, the greater our understanding of the biological world will be. Richard Ellis here provides an excellent overview of extinctions of species down through time and how they have shaped the course of evolution. In No Turning Back you will meet creatures that have gone extinct far in Earth's past as well as recently, some that have barely come back from the brink, and a cast of evolutionary Methusalehs, some of which are tens of millions of years old, which have forced us to revise all our assumptions about how species evolve, why, eventually, all of them become extinct, and why the evolution of Earth's life has taken the course it has.
Which is a shame. It is because of the extinction of one or more species that other species, once crowded and harried into the shadows by them, have their chance to shine, to take their place in the Sun. If the non-avian dinosaurs had not become extinct, today's mammals would never have come into existence; Class Mammalia would have remained no more than an assembly of small, rat-like creatures scuttling about the feet of the great dinosaurs, or hiding out from them in their burrows, and we certainly would never have evolved. Mass extinctions clear the decks for brand-new suites of creatures to evolve which could never have done so if not for the removal, by whatever cause, of the creatures dominating their world before.
Very nearly ever species that has ever lived on Earth is now extinct, and every species now in existence, including Homo sapiens, will someday follow their extinct brethren into the darkness. Extinction is the chisel wielded by Nature as it sculpts new life from the living marble of the world, its premier tool for filling the world with new kinds of creatures. The more knowledge we have about extinction and how it works, the greater our understanding of the biological world will be. Richard Ellis here provides an excellent overview of extinctions of species down through time and how they have shaped the course of evolution. In No Turning Back you will meet creatures that have gone extinct far in Earth's past as well as recently, some that have barely come back from the brink, and a cast of evolutionary Methusalehs, some of which are tens of millions of years old, which have forced us to revise all our assumptions about how species evolve, why, eventually, all of them become extinct, and why the evolution of Earth's life has taken the course it has.
July 28, 2015
I'm going to start off my first real review for this site with a short story.
My mom and I were at the Toronto Zoo the other day, and in their "Caves and Burrows of Africa" house, there's a sign above a fish tank proclaiming "EXTINCTION IS FOREVER". Upon seeing this, a woman said "They don't have to be so dramatic about it."
-sigh-
Extinction is forever. End of. We might be getting close to resurrecting long gone species like, the mammoth, or closer deaths, like the Tasmanian Tiger, but, what are we going to do with them? We can't put them back in the wild, so they'd pretty much be novelties. Richard Ellis's book documents a variety of extinction events, and non-events. He begins with a description of what extinction is. Sort of. As you'll learn, it's kind of a loose term, and no one quite agrees on it. From there, we go on a tour of the major extinctions, the dinosaurs, the Pleistocene extinctions (That's the one with the mammoths and sabre-tooths and all the other "ice age" animals), etc. Then we get into the big point and cause of all of the rest, and probably the Pleistocene one too, and that is our good friend, enemy and lover, Homo sapiens sapiens. If there was a thesis for the latter half of this book, it would be just 4 words: "It's all our fault." This book can be rather depressing in that aspect, pointing the finger squarely at ourselves as read about species, gone from the Earth, never to be seen again from our own greed, reckless abandon, and stupidity. It's not all glum though, as he recounts the stories of animals we've saved. I truly believe humans are generally good, because even though we have the greatest ability to screw up ever developed, we also have the ability to fix things.
Richard Ellis's style is quite easy to read, and informal. He doesn't throw around big words for the sake of "I'm so smart and better at everything>", and this book is quite accessible to those who have no background in biology or extinctions or animals. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject, as Ellis provides an excellent jumping off point, with plenty of resources and books mentioned throughout.
I'll end with another story, this one kind of depressing. One of the species mentioned in this book, published in 2004, is the baiji, or Chinese River Dolphin. The baiji has not been seen in sometime, and is widely considered extinct, or that the few animals left could never re-breed enough to save them. We were too late to save the Chinese River Dolphin. We don't have to let any more slip through to the other side, and we can do something. I don't know what, but something.
My mom and I were at the Toronto Zoo the other day, and in their "Caves and Burrows of Africa" house, there's a sign above a fish tank proclaiming "EXTINCTION IS FOREVER". Upon seeing this, a woman said "They don't have to be so dramatic about it."
-sigh-
Extinction is forever. End of. We might be getting close to resurrecting long gone species like, the mammoth, or closer deaths, like the Tasmanian Tiger, but, what are we going to do with them? We can't put them back in the wild, so they'd pretty much be novelties. Richard Ellis's book documents a variety of extinction events, and non-events. He begins with a description of what extinction is. Sort of. As you'll learn, it's kind of a loose term, and no one quite agrees on it. From there, we go on a tour of the major extinctions, the dinosaurs, the Pleistocene extinctions (That's the one with the mammoths and sabre-tooths and all the other "ice age" animals), etc. Then we get into the big point and cause of all of the rest, and probably the Pleistocene one too, and that is our good friend, enemy and lover, Homo sapiens sapiens. If there was a thesis for the latter half of this book, it would be just 4 words: "It's all our fault." This book can be rather depressing in that aspect, pointing the finger squarely at ourselves as read about species, gone from the Earth, never to be seen again from our own greed, reckless abandon, and stupidity. It's not all glum though, as he recounts the stories of animals we've saved. I truly believe humans are generally good, because even though we have the greatest ability to screw up ever developed, we also have the ability to fix things.
Richard Ellis's style is quite easy to read, and informal. He doesn't throw around big words for the sake of "I'm so smart and better at everything>", and this book is quite accessible to those who have no background in biology or extinctions or animals. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject, as Ellis provides an excellent jumping off point, with plenty of resources and books mentioned throughout.
I'll end with another story, this one kind of depressing. One of the species mentioned in this book, published in 2004, is the baiji, or Chinese River Dolphin. The baiji has not been seen in sometime, and is widely considered extinct, or that the few animals left could never re-breed enough to save them. We were too late to save the Chinese River Dolphin. We don't have to let any more slip through to the other side, and we can do something. I don't know what, but something.
January 29, 2008
Quite possibly worth reading solely for his hilarious reviews of novels about the extinct (we hope) megalodon.
Actually, though, a fascinating journey though the maze of extinction and rediscovery of species. I had never thought of extinctions being caused over millions of years, or by a convergence of factors (like disease, climate change, AND an asteroid, for instance). And I was stunned by how human bloodthirstiness has destroyed many species in a way never possible before. Ellis' description of the skies in America before and after the extinction of the passenger pigeon make a huge visual impact in the mind's eye.
However, this was not a book I was able to sit down and read in one sitting. I had to take naps in between the chapters... but I kept coming back to find out more of the stories of these animals either extinct, on the verge of extinction, or being pulled back from the brink by passionate conservationists. Something to chew on. Ellis knows his stuff and knows how to write for lay readers.
Actually, though, a fascinating journey though the maze of extinction and rediscovery of species. I had never thought of extinctions being caused over millions of years, or by a convergence of factors (like disease, climate change, AND an asteroid, for instance). And I was stunned by how human bloodthirstiness has destroyed many species in a way never possible before. Ellis' description of the skies in America before and after the extinction of the passenger pigeon make a huge visual impact in the mind's eye.
However, this was not a book I was able to sit down and read in one sitting. I had to take naps in between the chapters... but I kept coming back to find out more of the stories of these animals either extinct, on the verge of extinction, or being pulled back from the brink by passionate conservationists. Something to chew on. Ellis knows his stuff and knows how to write for lay readers.
March 30, 2014
This is a tough one. I'd like to give it a higher score because it was compelling and thought provoking. But I gave it a 3 because ultimately it was depressing in that it didn't offer any solution to the anthropogenic "sixth extinction".
A secondary reason for giving it only a 3 is that the writing was only "OK". It didn't have the compelling narrative prose that good popular science has, i.e. to me it felt like just one fact after another, without a thread or some general principles to learn from the facts.
I'd love for more people to read this if I felt it would translate into action, something we can do to stem the tide of extinctions of some of the most interesting life forms on the planet. But I don't see that in the current edition. As is it felt like a fatalistic, nihilistic description of the status quo and the implied dark reality of the future.
A secondary reason for giving it only a 3 is that the writing was only "OK". It didn't have the compelling narrative prose that good popular science has, i.e. to me it felt like just one fact after another, without a thread or some general principles to learn from the facts.
I'd love for more people to read this if I felt it would translate into action, something we can do to stem the tide of extinctions of some of the most interesting life forms on the planet. But I don't see that in the current edition. As is it felt like a fatalistic, nihilistic description of the status quo and the implied dark reality of the future.
February 6, 2017
Une étude particulièrement bien documentée. Suite à l'analyse des cinq grandes extinctions que notre planète a connu, l'auteur met clairement en avant le rôle dévastateur de l'être humain. Une lecture que je recommande donc.
December 20, 2009
Beginning with an introductory course in the biological principles of extinction, Ellis enables the layperson to follow his report on the death of various species throughout time. Both introduction and report are clear and engaging, but the book's biggest failing is leaving the two completely unconnected; we move from natural processes to manmade extinctions too choppily for clarity. Still, this is the only quibble with a book that is smart, accessible and zesty (Ellis really has some fun twitting cheesy giant-shark novels and the utter implausibility of "Jurassic Park".)
July 22, 2008
Great information (for those looking to get up to speed on extinction theory and extinct/near-extinct animals), but the writing is pretty dry. The kind of book that turns people off to non-fiction in general -- not because the writing is that bad, but because it's easy to mistakenly conclude that this is the best that can be done with the material. For proof that it isn't, read The Song of the Dodo.
December 12, 2013
This book is one of the most interesting books i have ever read. the book talks about extinction as a whole, then how the dinosours could have become extict the to things such as species we as homo sapiens have killed off some species then how we saved them and on to a topic with much debat but not really talked about Cloning animals. with all of these topics the book really held my attention and really makes you think on things.
January 19, 2009
So far I have read the first chapter and it talks about how extinction is naturally happening all of the time but the only time that it really matters is when it is a macroextinction. I am trying to start reading books that make my mind workout, because I started working out my body...
February 12, 2011
The author's politics and beliefs show through strongly. It's much more of a statement on man's rapaciousness than a scientific text. That said, there is science behind the points made; I just had a little trouble with the presentation.
February 5, 2017
Passionnant!
Une étude très documentée et passionnante sur les trop nombreux impacts négatifs de l'Homme sur notre planète. Par delà les extinctions, la place de l'Homme est ainsi remise dans une bien triste perspective.
Une étude très documentée et passionnante sur les trop nombreux impacts négatifs de l'Homme sur notre planète. Par delà les extinctions, la place de l'Homme est ainsi remise dans une bien triste perspective.
February 29, 2012
A history of animal extinction. Conclusion - nature is awesome and humans are bastards.
Want to read
October 26, 2012As heard on the Science Times podcast.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews