How Zoologists Organize Things: The Art of Classification

Humankind’s fascination with the natural world all began as a simple matter of survival. From differentiating the edible from the toxic to understanding predator and prey, our ancestors were obsessed with these essential discoveries.   Since, then, it’s got a little easier. Our enduring drive to understand the animal kingdom and all its mysteries has played a key role in our understanding of the planet, and ourselves – inspiring religious beliefs, scientific theories and much more. How Zoologists Organize Things dispels common myths and reveals astonishing truths, as well as highlighting how much we have to learn.   Long before the theories of Darwin, people have strived to piece together the mysteries of nature's intricate design; even early scientists knew that there was an order that united all living things and proposed various frameworks to explain this fundamental concept. From ancient folklore and religion to modern computer-driven systems, humanity's quest to classify life has left a rich and enduring legacy.  How Zoologists Organize Things tells the endlessly fascinating story of this process, documenting artistic trends and scientific discoveries as well as offering insights into our own place in nature. 

Table of Contents:
Introduction 1 Aristotle, Bestiaries & Cynocephali 2 Creating Order from Profusion 3 Trees of Life in a Newly Ancient World 4 Outward Patterns, Inner Workings Index Credits  

About the Author :
David Bainbridge is a reproductive biologist, popular science writer, and the Clinical Veterinary Anatomist, the world-top-ranked Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge. As well as many academic and clinical publications, he has written seven popular science books, widely reviewed, discussed and translated. He is a fellow of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, whose alumni include John Ray, the originator of the biological term “species.” David Bainbridge is the definitive voice on zoology classification.

Review :
"With amazing artwork on every page, Bainbridge’s book traces man’s quest to classify animals and explain their similarities and differences in art ranging from sketches to painting to computer images." "...this book is highly recommended for general readers wanting a visual introduction to the classification of living species." "Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "How Zoologists Organize Things: The Art of Classification" will prove to be a unique and welcome addition to personal, professional, high school, community, college, and university library Contemporary Science collections in general, and zoology supplemental curriculum reading lists in particular." "While not classified as ‘light reading,’ How Zoologists Organize Things by British author David Bainbridge is a fascinating lookat humanity’s struggle to understand the animals with which we share theworld." “This book is so much more than an explanation of the title; it is a visual feast. Every page has carefully chosen and beautifully reproduced illustrations. The author has selected from a huge range of zoological material and has included medieval bestiaries from as early as the 1200s, to present-day genetics diagrams which are in themselves a visual delight, to subtly coloured electron microscope photographs of chromosomes. The text is well written and concise, giving a clear interpretation of the illustrations and enough background to enable one to understand something of the many zoologists who created numerous ways to understand the natural world of animals. This is a worthwhile account covering the work of many of the scientists, from a Western perspective, who have over the ages attempted to illustrate the order in Earth’s animal biodiversity. 5 stars”