Extinctions in the History of Life

• Notes on contributors; Preface; 1. Extinction and the fossil record Paul D. Taylor; 2. Extinctions in life's earliest history J. William Schopf; 3. Mass extinctions in plant evolution Scott L. Wing; 4. The beginning of the Mesozoic: 70 million years of environmental stress and extinction David J. Bottjer; 5. Causes of mass extinctions Paul D. Wignall; 6. The evolutionary role of mass extinctions: disaster, recovery and something in-between David Jablonski; Glossary; Index.

'… sometimes the simplest of truths need to be pointed out to you. Reading Extinctions in the History of Life certainly worked as an eye-opener. I was pleasantly surprised to find that each chapter provided light and yet highly informative reading. It is the type of book you would recommend to any student, wishing you had had more of those in your own student days. Part of the appeal of the book is that none of the specialists loses himself in details. The content is well-suited for its primary goal, giving undergraduate students insight in the state of affairs concerning extinction research. A book that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone interested in the history of life.' PalArch, Netherlands Scientific Journal