The Most Perfect Thing

De: Tim Birkhead

Narrado por: Gareth Armstrong

How are eggs of different shapes made, and why are they the shapes they are? When does the shell of an egg harden? Why do some eggs contain two yolks? How are the colours and patterns of eggshells created, and why do they vary? And which end of an egg is laid first - the blunt end or the pointy end?

These are just some of the questions The Most Perfect Thing answers, as the journey of a bird's egg from creation and fertilisation to its eventual hatching is examined, with current scientific knowledge placed within an historical context.

Beginning with an examination of the stunning eggs of the guillemot, each of which is so variable in pattern and colour that no two are ever the same, acclaimed ornithologist Tim Birkhead then looks at the eggs of hens, cuckoos and many other birds, revealing weird and wonderful facts about these miracles of nature. Woven around and supporting these facts are extraordinary stories of the individuals who, from as far back as ancient Egypt, have been fixated on the study and collection of eggs, not always to the benefit of their conservation.

Firmly grounded in science and enriched by a wealth of observation drawn from a lifetime spent studying birds, The Most Perfect Thing is an illuminating and engaging exploration of the science behind eggs and the history of man's obsession with them.

©2016 Tim Birkhead (P)2016 Audible, Ltd

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Birkhead has made birds' eggs interesting again, by giving us a new way of looking at them: not as commodities to be drooled over and collected, but as wonders of natural science." (Independent)
"The title is also a perfect description of the book itself - full of wonder and surprise and beautifully written." (Nick Davies, author of Cuckoo)

Wonderful.

Entertaining and informative read. I suggest visiting a museum (e.g. AMNH) to view Guillemot eggs!

Great book about eggs!!

This is the best book about eggs that I've ever read. It's also the only book about eggs I've ever read, because, well... actually it's the only book about eggs I've ever heard of!

But seriously, this is a super-interesting book. I would never have imagined that there was so much interesting, fascinating stuff to be said about eggs, but now I know!! This book is about 3/4 science and 1/4 history.

It's written in a very scientific manner -- as if the author were writing about physics or math or cosmology. I like books about those things, so I gave this a try and was not disappointed! If you're like me, get this book!

loved it

Not only is it well written, but also one of the most interesting books I have ever read. It completely changed the way I view eggs. I have found myself talking about it to everyone I come in contact with.