The Sixth Extinction Part 1

My first impressions of Elizabeth Kolbert's The Sixth Extinction are mostly positive. The author uses dramatic storytelling to give the readers an understanding of the history of the concept of extinction, while always referring to the main idea of human mediated extinction. I really enjoyed to prologue and how it was written as if the author herself was not human. It was instantly engaging and thought provoking. I also liked how she stated that the influence of humans on the environment was not a new phenomenon but has been occurring for as long as our species has existed.
Each chapter of the book is intended to illustrate a concept of extinction through the use of a case study species. For example the first chapter focuses on the golden frog of Panama and the current conservation issues with amphibians and the chytrid fungus. She also includes species that have become extinct in the past including the mastodon (Chapter 2), ammonites (Chapter 4), and graptolites (Chapter 5). By using multiple different species from different eras helps to explain the history of extinction and how that compares to what is occurring today.
One of the more interesting scientific details in the book that I found fascinating was the contrasting opinions and somewhat hostile attitudes that scientists had toward new ideas. For example the resentment many scientists had toward the existence of species that are not alive today, or the fact that species can change. It seems interesting in hindsight knowing what we know now, but at the time people were dead set against certain ideas. I really liked the beginning of the 5th chapter with the playing cards having the red spades and black hearts and the students reactions to them. We tend to be dead set in our ways and very reluctant to change, especially if we've been taught something by professors we respect. For example so many respected scientists were against catastrophism that the scientists of the new generation could not accept that a mass extinction could occur, even with so much evidence for it.
One aspect of this book that I thoroughly enjoy is the personal connection the author has to each of the stories. Each chapter has multiple sections written from the POV of her own experience. For example the author visited the frog hotel in Panama and sailed to the island of the last known great auk in Iceland. The author interviews many scientists who have been studying the focus species for decades. The author also tends to include humorous details to liven up her stories and add a human element to the narrative. Some examples of this are the worker at the frog hotel who claimed that frogs ruined her marriage, or the grad students who roll their eyes when their advisor brings out his papers on graptolites. In addition, the author adds some cultural significance to the species as well as biological. For example the golden frogs being lucky in Panama and the ammonite shells being important to the Hindu religion. Although most of these details are ultimately unnecessary for the overall story, I actually really enjoyed them as it made the book read smoother and keep the reader entertained. There were multiple points when I laughed at loud at the details or the wording of the story which is useful for engaging the reader. Extinction can be a serious subject so these small details help to lighten the mood and not bear down the reader with depressing details.
One critique that I have of the book itself is that it can be jumpy. Usually each chapter has parts of history and the authors own experience mixed together, and they don't always flow smoothly. The author does try to make connections between each section but it can feel like she switches gears randomly, going back and forth often.