A Most Improbable Journey: A Big History of Our Planet and Ourselves.

WALTER ALVAREZ. New York, NY: W.W. Norton and Company, 2016. A256 number pp. $26.95 of books (hardcover). are now available that give the but the human interest in the story of a high reader a grand narrative of our universe from the Big Bang to our own immediate present, so what can yet another “big history” book contribute to personalschool dropout journey becoming from mule Hubble’s skinner scientific to janitor to partner has broad appeal. By sharing Humason’s backgrounds into his cosmic story. By the demisethat field? of the For dinosaurs, Walter Alvarez, the answer the geologist is, naturally who scientist, Alvarez gently draws readers of varied enough,identified in the telling asteroid big history impact with responsible planet Earth for the as the reader may not have all the facts about the the star of the show. earlytime Alvarezuniverse, arrives but is at certainly the birth well of planet prepared Earth, to appreciate the next chapter in the tale. information is less important than sharing an abundanceFor Alvarez, of imparting enthusiasm. an abundance Geology is of a slow on the processes that make material resources process, and a narrative that went into excessive That next chapter, “Gifts From the Earth,” focuses detail could unintentionally convince the general foregrounduseful to humans. of the story, The uniqueall the whilestrength making of it The clearAlvarez’s that bookthe dynamic is that it processes places geology of our in planet the Storyreader of that Earth nothing important is happening. For have an ongoing impact on the human story. This inexample, rich detail, Robert but M. presumes Hazen’s aworthy reader book, already is a worthy accomplishment, as many people have (2012), tells our planet’s history no such presumption; if anything, he presumes rock, and are inclined to view planet formation as willing to engage in such detail. Alvarez makes simplydifficulty setting appreciating the stage the for story the appearance of non-living of life. that geology can seem “arcane” and “foreign” to mostthe opposite. people, seeming Elsewhere “of Alvarezlittle use has in everydaywritten keeps geological history relevant to the modern life.” This is where his skill and experience as an world.Not so in Preferring Alvarez’s one narrative, good example which consistently to a educator are apparent; he knows that it is enough at the beginning simply to generate excitement chapter to telling the story of the element silicon, and interest. sprawling catalog, Alvarez devotes most of this stained glass for cathedral windows, and to the computerfrom sandy chips beaches, that enableto the first almost stone every tools, aspect to of history, from the Big Bang to the birth of planet modern human life. Earth,Alvarez but begins in a chattywith a andquick almost account cursory of cosmic fashion. He is well aware that this story has already This chapter, and the three that follow, make up astrophysics, such as Eric Chaisson and Steven major geographic features: continents and been told in detail by authors specializing in oceans;the core mountain of the book, ranges; focusing and in ancient turn on rivers. Earth’s that kind of narrative. He gently nudges Edwin HubbleWeinberg, aside and and wisely instead does gives not attemptattention to to repeat one of the less celebrated players, Milton Humason, Alvarez moves in close on exciting details such “a boy who dropped out of school at age 14 to perspectiveas the earthquake of plate that tectonics. destroyed He Lisbon introduces in 1755, drive a team of mules and had no further formal familiarthen contextualizes names and eventsthose details such as in the the voyages larger of Columbus, giving the reader a reference point, and be a digression, but it is a digression with a then makes the familiar fresh and new by telling education” (p. 24) Humason’s biography may understands that the expansion of the universe maypurpose: seem Alvarez remote wants and abstract to keep to us many entertained. readers, He Thisthe tale talent from for a introducinggeologist’s point a geological of view. Review: A Most Improbable Journey: A Big History of Our Planet and Ourselves interpretation truly shines in the seventh chapter, provides just enough detail with each example The book is short and the pacing is brisk. Alvarez physical“Your Personal evidence Record of our of own Life humanHistory.” bodies Instead to of to something new, well before the reader has a referring to the strata of rocks, Alvarez uses the chanceto create to excitement, lose interest. and The then loose moves structure quickly and follows a loose chronology, sliding backwards and lively pacing are comparable to the very best forwardsrecount Earth in time history. as suits While the topic much of of the the moment, book television documentaries on the natural world, this chapter follows a linear path through time, stimulating interest and leaving the audience identifying in proper order the geological periods in which various parts of our anatomy evolved. More than anywhere else in this book, he makes lovesready the for factsmore. of Thisthe natural is not a world “dumbing-down” and imparts of use of the jargon of his profession (“Hadean,” themthe material, with accuracy. however. But Quite he knows the contrary, that this Alvarez is not a textbook, and portions out the hard data obtuse and intimidating, the terms become accordingly. His introduction declares that he personal“Archean,” and “Proterozoic”), meaningful. but instead of being seeks to leave the reader “with a delight in a whole

and in that he certainly succeeds. series of fascinating stories” and “new questions,” Although the book is broadly organized into four worriedchronological about regimes following – Cosmos,a strict timeline. Earth, Life, His introduction& Humanity –plainly Alvarez states, makes “Although it clear hethere is not is a continuity from chapter to chapter, feel free to concludingread them in chapter any order is not that really interests a conclusion you.” In at that spirit of fueling the reader’s curiosity, Alvarez’s story of our planet, and experience some awe and all, but rather a reminder to reflect on the grand wonder. The chapter title is a question, “What Was the Chance of All This Happening?”, followed by another question in the final sub-section heading, J. Daniel May again“How withoutImprobable expecting Are We?”. the reader Alvarez to gives engage in technicalsome numbers details. and He figures considers on probability, it a success but to be “Big History” Program Director, First Year Experience curiosity. Dominican University of California able to raise the questions, to invite the reader’s Assistant Professor, Dept. of Language & Literature

Journal of Big History Page 71