Life on a Young Planet

The study of the history of life on this planet has come a long way. Knoll pulls it all together nicely in this well-written volume. Though not simplified, the clear and logical writing make it accessible to the educated and curious layman. The numerous charts, photographs, and diagrams are a huge plus.
First Knoll sets the framework for what the book aims to achieve. Then each chapter centers on a different aspect of the journey of life. As the book builds, we learn how biological, physical, chemical, geological, and environmental processes interacted over deep, almost incomprehensible spans of time to cumulate in the wondrous explosion of multicellular life in the Cambrian (and thus eventually produce the world that we know).
Very good book.