About the Book
From three-inch fang blennies to thirty-foot prehistoric crocodiles, from gaboon vipers to Neanderthals, Bite is a fascinating journey through the natural, scientific, and cultural history of something right in front of--or in--our faces: teeth. In Bite, zoologist Bill Schutt makes a surprising case: it is teeth that are responsible for the long-term success of vertebrates. The appearance of teeth, roughly half a billion years ago, was an adaptation that allowed animals with backbones, such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, dinosaurs and mammals--including us--to chow down in pretty much every conceivable environment.
And it's not just food. Tusks and fangs have played crucial roles as defensive weapons--glimpsing the upper canines of snarling dogs is all it takes to know that teeth are an efficient means of aggression. Vampire bats use their razor-sharp teeth to obtain a widespread but generally untappable resource: blood. Early humans employed their teeth as tools to soften tough fibers and animal hides. Our teeth project information and social status--the ancient Etruscans were the first to wear tooth bling, and it's doubtful that George Washington would have been elected president without the false teeth he wore.
So much of what we know about life on this planet has come from the study of fossilized teeth, which have provided information not only about evolution but also about famine, war, and disease. In his signature witty style, the author of Pump and Cannibalism shows us how our continued understanding of teeth may help us humans through current and future crises, from Alzheimer's disease to mental health issues. Bite is popular science at its best and will appeal to readers of Mary Roach, Merlin Sheldrake, and Ed Yong.
About the Author :
Bill Schutt is a vertebrate zoologist and author of six nonfiction and fiction books, including Pump: A Natural History of the Heart and the New York Times Editor's Choice, Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History. Recently retired from his post as professor of biology at LIU Post, he is a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History, where he has studied bats all over the world. His research has been featured in Natural History magazine as well as in the New York Times, Newsday, the Economist, and Discover. This author is represented by the Hachette Speakers Bureau.
Review :
"Bill Schutt's Bite is informative, at times amusing, and exhaustive, offering everything you ever hoped to know about teeth, and then some."--East Hampton Star
Named a Best/Most Anticipated Book of the Season/Year by Amazon Book Review, the Next Big Idea Club, and Parade
"A treasure trove of tooth-related facts and trivia. ...a terrific airplane or beach read for the nonfiction set. Fascinating and intensely niche, Bite is excellent popular science perfect for readers who've enjoyed Schutt's previous work and fans of authors such as Mary Roach. Bite is fun, accessible, and informative."--Shelf Awareness
"In his latest book, Bite: An Incisive History of Teeth, Bill Schutt combines humor and scientific insight to delve into the fascinating world of dental evolution, from vampire bats to human practices."--Ithaca Times
Bite doesn't disappoint... the book's unpredictable structure... perfectly reflects its subject.--Wall Street Journal
"Engrossing... seriously fun... arresting... zoologist Bill Schutt's Bite: An Incisive History of Teeth, from Hagfish to Humans [is] an engaging trans-species chronicle of teeth."--New Scientist
"I can't wait to read Bite, a look at teeth throughout the ages and the animal kingdom. Zoologist Bill Schutt... gives an engaging account of the role teeth played both in nature and culture. I'm going to read it as soon as I finish flossing."--Michael Giltz, Parade, "Best New Book Releases This Week"
"Bite: An Incisive History of Teeth, from Hagfish to Humans might have a daunting title, but Bill Schutt has managed to make the topic interesting as well as digestible... Schutt presents to readers a smart, highly technical book that thoroughly explores his title subject in an approachable way."--Book Junkie
"Readers who've never considered the mouths of unfamiliar beings will be surprised at what they learn, and delighted at the tiny drops of knowledge to be had here. You'll cringe, you'll be amazed, and you'll feel like a real scientist because the information is easy to understand."--Bookworm Sez
"A zoologist and author makes an unlikely subject -- teeth -- fascinating in this book you may want to devour in one sitting... You'll love reading the examples of the ways different species, from dinosaurs to prehistoric humans to vampire bats, have used their teeth to survive and thrive in the world."--BookBub
"Lively... wide-ranging... [with] an enthusiasm that's infectious... Schutt calls teeth 'time capsules, ' and aptly so. Crack one open, and anything and everything, from the silly to the sublime, can tumble out. Even the stories of less exotic teeth provide fascinating insight into evolutionary history."--New York Times Book Review
"Zoologist Schutt (Pump: A Natural History of the Heart, 2021) enthusiastically and wryly polishes the profile of dentition, including fangs and tusks... Plenty of interesting material for readers to sink their teeth into."--Booklist
"Bill Schutt does an excellent job unveiling fascinating insights into how teeth can establish dominance, explain evolution, and even improve our mental health. Plenty to chew on."--Amazon Blog
"Wide ranging, accessible, and fascinating."--Arlington Magazine
"Another tightly focused book to chew on"--AARP
"Schutt's tone is dryly funny, and his conversational prose reads as if an erudite friend were explaining their life's passion over drinks. Pop science aficionados will want to sink their teeth into this."--Publishers Weekly
"A lively, deeply informed investigation of the origin, development, and significance of teeth... Schutt's purview is wide ranging and his curiosity insatiable... A fascinating romp through evolutionary history."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Bite is a comprehensive jaunt through comparative biology, history, and popular culture regarding those critical itty bits. Worth sinking your teeth into."
--Roy A. Meals, MD, author of Bones and Muscle
"Who knew hagfish could be so interesting? Bite ranges across millions of years of evolution as Schutt explores the surprising importance of these stony nuggets inhabiting the mouths of animals. His writing is a mélange of science, history, and humor, as delightful to read as it is informative. Including a cast of quirky scientists as well as sharks, narwals and even George Washington, Schutt makes it all very accessible."
--Darrin Lunde, author of The Naturalist
