BOOK REVIEW: The Secret Life of Bones by Brian Switek
Have any of you ever fractured a bone or even broken one? How many of you have read about rare disorders afflicting the most integral part of our structure? Bones are not just the framework of our body but are actually so much more than the eye can see.
Bone is an extraordinary material—adaptable, resilient, and shaped by more than 500 million years of evolution. This book tells the story of our species by tracing the role of bone—as tools, ornaments, symbols of worship, and instruments of power—from the dawn of religion through the rise of science and into the present day.
The author—an eager storyteller of all things osteological—moves fluidly through biology, history, and culture to uncover the significance of what lies within us, revealing what our bones say about who we are, where we originate, and the legacies we leave behind.
It is a thoughtful and engaging reflection on the origins of the human skeleton, how it works, and how we come to understand and accept our essential—if sometimes unsettling—framework of bone.
In my view, this book is a witty, conversational romp through the world of bones, crafted by one of our finest natural history writers. For advanced readers, this is a wonderful guide for learning as it details bones to a tee, something which would prove useful if you were to do a presentation on these calcified specimens.
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