"It has been an honor to know Ed Wilson. His life and work have inspired so many--scientist and layperson, alike. Richard Rhodes's Scientist is a wonderful introduction to one of the great thinkers and observers of our age." -- Paul Simon "An impressive account of one of the 20th century's most prominent biologists, for whom the natural world is 'a sanctuary and a realm of boundless adventure; the fewer the people in it, the better.'" -- The New York Times Book Review , "5 New Biographies To Read This Season" "Wilson's life and substantial accomplishments--many have called him the "natural heir" to Darwin--are ripe topics for exploration, and particularly important as we continue to confront the climate crisis' effects on biodiversity." --Lit Hub, "Most Anticipated Books of 2021" "Pulitzer-winner Rhodes ( The Making of the Atomic Bomb ) does justice to 'one of the.greatest biologists of the twentieth century' in this brilliant biography.Rhodes depicts Wilson as a tireless field scientist at a time when the general belief was that the future of biological discoveries was in the laboratory, and as a proponent who popularized sociobiology, and as a Pulitzer-winner for his books The Ants and On Human Nature .
The author leaves no doubt as to Wilson's broad impact on science and the public's perceptions of nature, without ever veering into hagiography. This is a must-read." -- Publishers Weekly , starred review "Esteemed biographer and historian Rhodes warmly portrays Wilson as an ambitious and accomplished biologist, a passionate and influential advocate for identifying all life forms and preserving half of Earth as natural habitat, and a prolific, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer.Rhodes also illuminates Wilson's insights into biodiversity, biophilia, altruism, and the nature of science.His many admirable attributes include a genuine inquisitiveness, sense of wonder, and deep concern for all life, from insects to people, and our planet. Rhodes' biography makes a fine companion to Wilson's Tales from the Ant World (2020)." -- Booklist , starred review "Rhodes (who won a Pulitzer for The Making of the Atomic Bomb ) devotes as much time to Wilson's remarkable life as to his remarkable achievements as a biologist, making this biography a joy to read." -- The Washington Post , "10 Books To Read in November" "Richard Rhodes.
himself a Pulitzer Prize winner, has produced a well-crafted book on the unlikely trajectory of 'a polite, soft-spoken product of Gulf Coast Alabama, the first in his family to graduate from college'.Rhodes says of Wilson that he 'never stopped growing in knowledge or expanding in range.' What a life." -Yale Alumni Magazine.