I wanted a lot more of the science and a lot less of the scientists (especially Carl Woese) and the author's experiences meeting them than this book delivered. It also had a smug, good ole boys tone that really rubbed me the wrong way. I think with all the room Quammen gave the annoying personalities of the scientists he discussed, he could have worked harder to make space for the contributions women made or discuss more about why they weren't there and how maybe the raunchy, sexist jokes and drinking culture he obviously found so charming might have contributed to that lack.

But it did pull together a lot of the intellectual history of HGT, which is interesting and important.