THERE WAS A TIME: The Story of Evolution

by Suzanne Stark Morrow ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 30, 1965

This book is a glaring examPle of the misinformation and confusion that can be perpetrated by the gross over-simplification of an introductory book. It is nots as the title might lead one to believe, about the process of evolution. The attempt is to give a quick, skimming survey of the major developments in the history of living organisms. There is absolutely no indication of the relative time between changes or of the length of time they took to occur (""The sun warmed the chemicals in the water, and one day living cells appeared.""); nor is it mentioned that conditions differed in various areas of the world. The general impression is of a single primitive animal gradually willing itself, for convenience's sake, to acquire improvements (""Many of the fish thus formed found found themselves in dark, muddy water. They had to find a new way to breathe. Gradually they grew air chambers in their heads...""). The clincher comes When man appears on the scene. Both illustrations (they are, by the way, ugly and inaccurate) and the text indicate an ape acquiring one skill after another to turn itself human--the image given here could start a brand new Swopes trial. The Story of Evolution is closer to being fiction about evolution.

Pub Date: Sept. 30, 1965

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1965

Categories: NONFICTION