In this book Patricia Pearce attempts what appears to be a long-held personal ambition: to give Mary Anning, Britain's first female palaeontologist, the recognition she deserves. There is no doubt that Mary was a remarkable person, especially considering all the adversities even a woman from a higher social class in the first half of the nineteenth century had to face. I got the impression that because there are only a few hard facts known about Mary, with glimpses of her personality visible in personal correspondence, the author felt she had to bulk out the book by including often irrelevant details about all the other acquaintances – mainly men – using occasionally dramatic or fanciful prose, which does not sit easily with the subject. The chronology jumps all over the place and as a result there are repetitions of facts already referred to in other chapters.

While I know more now about Mary Anning than before reading the book, the overall impression is somewhat unsatisfactory, when this could have been a much more interesting read in the hands of a better writer. ( )

Mary Anning was truly an exceptional woman. Daughter of a carpenter, was a poor, uneducated woman, who became one of the first palaeontologist, respected by lots of scientists. Unfortunately this book not worthy this amazing life. Badly edited, discursive, jumping in space and time without any apparent reason and it talks a lot more about anything else but Mary Anning's life itself. Shame. ( )

A nice quick read....This meant much more to me than it might have since I was just recently this year in Lyme Regis. One judge of a book for me is how did it do in furthering my desire to read more on the subject....this did it as I am now interested in several of the books listed in a nice bibliography at the end. Early English geology leading up to Darwin might just become a new interest of mine.... ( )