Superlative

Praise

“The interesting stories and anecdotes provided here by focusing on the extremes, which are unquestionably interesting, may serve another purpose: they pique the curiosity of readers who may not have fancied themselves interested in science. ”
—CHOICE

“LaPlante writes with zeal—be sure to read his endnotes!—and engages the reader in the wonder and thrill of scientific discovery.”

—Booklist 

“In Superlative, Matthew LaPlante takes us on a whiplash-paced journey around the globe to visit the biggest, smallest, quickest, slowest, and smartest creatures out there. In a string of short colorful vignettes, LaPlante explores a medley of superlative creatures one at a time, intertwining science and natural history with spirited storytelling and genuine affection. In the end, we learn that what makes each of these creatures superlative also makes them uniquely valuable—to their ecosystems, to science, and also to us.”

—Beth Shapiro, author of How to Clone a Mammoth 

“Matthew D. LaPlante is a rising star. In his new book, Superlative, he travels to the ends of the Earth to find the smallest, hardiest, most unusual organisms, and the interesting people who study them. As a professor of biology, I was shocked there was still so much I did not know about our brethren at the extremes. Hail evolution.”

—David A. Sinclair, professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School 

“This is one of those rare books that you want to show people while going, ‘Look at what it says here, did you know that?’ LaPlante writes in an engaging and clear style that perfectly communicates his delight for nature’s creativity while simultaneously lamenting the tragedy of extinction . . . Superlative should not only be in the library of any science enthusiast, but it should also be required reading for high school students and beginning college students.”

—Oné R. Pagán, PhD, professor of biology at West Chester University, and author of Strange Survivors

“Superlative displays a key scientific insight: It’s the exceptions, the unusual, and the extremes that teach us the most. Matthew LaPlante’s exploration of these exceptions is timely, fascinating, and exciting, giving us a chance to see what the future may—quite unexpectedly—offer us.”

—Michael Fossel, author of The Telomerase Revolution