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Title: Where it all began
Review: The thought that at one time people believed that fossils were simply gifts from God hidden in the strata is truly mind-boggling to those of us sitting firmly in the 21st century. We take many things for granted in our science and technology filled world and Simon Winchester does a nice job of taking the reader back in time, creating the context and thought of that time, and then pulling you through the transition to a much more modern way of thinking.Following the saga of how William Smith used coal mining assays he was doing to piece together the fossil record is interesting history. Understanding the influence on 18th and 19th century thought is pure social context and commentary. The book makes one wonder how many other "strata maps" are laying around to change our paradigms and thinking.
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