Dead Serious: Wild Hope Amid the Sixth Extinction

by Eli J. Knapp

Through personal stories of mishap and adventure, historical vignettes, and scenic detours, professor Eli J. Knapp dissects critical forces that lie behind the earth’s sixth extinction. Drawing from experiences across the globe and founder of conservation biology Michael Soulé’s eighteen extinction concepts, Knapp peeks into odd and overlooked corners of natural history, showing how ocean-going tortoises and ghost deer can both instruct and inspire. Full of humor, hope, and scientific savvy, Knapp’s exploration of our home planet provides welcome respite in a deadly serious subject.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science

307 pages, Paperback

Published September 14, 2021

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eli (disclosure, he's a colleague and a friend) accomplishes something remarkable in this book. He manages to pack in all kinds of information about extinction and keep the book from becoming another depressing dystopian, guilt-inducing, sermon. I'm dead serious when I say that this is a really remarkable feat. I've read a lot of environmental writing and the apocalyptic tone is almost universal (except perhaps for writing that takes a dreamy, rhapsodic, tone). What I loved about this is that I learned a lot about a serious and important topic but I am not filled with dread and hopelessness. If you care about nature but are burned out on doom and gloom, this book will instruct while also lifting your spirits.

[Ransom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this utterly delightful book! What could easily have been a dense, wordy, and gloomy scientific treatise is transformed into an informative, personal, gripping, and hopeful journey. By mixing personal stories with his irrepressible charm, wit, and clever prose, Knapp provides hope in the midst of the somber realities of species' endangerment and extinction. Knapp spends one chapter on each of 18 different proposed contributors to extinction, providing numerous individual examples, but all through the power of story instead of relying on onerous tables and figures. I felt my heart swoop and tumble through the ups and downs of conservation efforts across the globe. These personal connections provide hooks that grip the reader and help make sense of the data. Informative and entertaining, realistic and light-hearted... if only all books were this enriching and enjoyable.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. I'm kind of amazed that Eli Knapp is still alive after some of his stories. This was really informative and not so technical that non-biologists were able to understand the eighteen extinction concepts of Michael Soule. This is not a book you should rush through, but one you should savor and think about.

[Dallin Kohler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty and informative without being overly technical or depressing.

[Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is most fun book I’ve read on such a pressing issue, which makes it all the more valuable. Incredibly informative, funny, and engaging, each chapter is imbued with stories about fascinating animals, personal adventures, and, astonishingly, hope. This breaks up a complex subject and makes it easily digestible with memorable stories you’ll be repeating to your friends. Most importantly this book inspires action. After you’ve fallen in love with the animals in the stories and heard about other species recoveries who wouldn’t want to get out and do something.

[Jeff DeShon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tough subject but the author included lots of humorous anecdotes from his life to go along with the discussion of extinction modes. While dire, the author leaves one with some optimism that mankind can do the right thing. The big question is will man act while he still can and manage to share the planet with all remaining species. He has more optimism than I.