Dry Store Room No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum: Amazon.co.uk: Richard Fortey: Books

Review

‘This book is worthy of the place it tells us about, and that is a pretty lofty chunk of praise.’ The Times

‘In this loving survey of his life at the museum, Fortey…is never less than enthused by all the museum's collections.’ Financial Times

‘Fortey…sneaks us behind the scenes with all the glee of a small child seeing for the first time the museum's iconic Diplodocus skeleton. The beauty of the book is that - just like a museum - you can visit the different sections in any order you choose, lingering in the places that most take your fancy … and there is plenty of solid science to enjoy, elucidated with brilliant flair.’ Sunday Times

“There is nothing dry about this exploration of life behind the scenes at the Natural History Museum…Richard Fortey is an amiable, amusing and erudite guide, with a copious supply of anecdotes…Fortey also has a more serious point: that the unglamorous scientific work of taxonomy…is vital not only for the unexpected discoveries it can lead to…but also because it is intrinsically valuable to understand our world during our short stay here.” Independent on Sunday

'His glorious new book is generously illustrated…the tale he tells is often very funny as well as erudite…it is impossible to avoid list–making in reviewing such a book. Really, all that needs to be said is simply read it, and enjoy it.' Country Life

‘This book is worthy of the place it tells us about, and that is a pretty lofty chunk of praise’ The Times

‘In this loving survey of his life at the museum, Fortey…is never less than enthused by all the museum’s collections’ Financial Times

‘Fortey…in his affectionate portrayal of the institution in which he spent his working life…sneaks us behind the scenes with all the glee of a small child seeing for the first time the museum’s iconic Diplodocus skeleton…always authoritative…the beauty of the book is that – just like a museum – you can visit the different sections in any order you choose, lingering in the places that most take your fancy…and there is plenty of solid science to enjoy, elucidated with brilliant flair’ Sunday Times

‘Engaging…Fortey’s writing is enough to make the behind-the-scenes work of the museum totally fascinating…(his) delightful book, like the museum it describes, is both rambling and elegant’ Sunday Telegraph

‘Fortey has a scientist’s regard for fact but a poet’s delight in wonder. This is a rare intoxicating insight into a hidden community intent on unlocking the universe's myriad secrets’ Metro

Review

'This book is worthy of the place it tells us about, and that is a pretty lofty chunk of praise.' The Times 'In this loving survey of his life at the museum, Fortey!is never less than enthused by all the museum's collections.' Financial Times 'Fortey!sneaks us behind the scenes with all the glee of a small child seeing for the first time the museum's iconic Diplodocus skeleton. The beauty of the book is that - just like a museum - you can visit the different sections in any order you choose, lingering in the places that most take your fancy ! and there is plenty of solid science to enjoy, elucidated with brilliant flair.' Sunday Times "There is nothing dry about this exploration of life behind the scenes at the Natural History Museum!Richard Fortey is an amiable, amusing and erudite guide, with a copious supply of anecdotes!Fortey also has a more serious point: that the unglamorous scientific work of taxonomy!is vital not only for the unexpected discoveries it can lead to!but also because it is intrinsically valuable to understand our world during our short stay here." Independent on Sunday 'His glorious new book is generously illustrated!the tale he tells is often very funny as well as erudite!it is impossible to avoid list--making in reviewing such a book. Really, all that needs to be said is simply read it, and enjoy it.' Country Life 'This book is worthy of the place it tells us about, and that is a pretty lofty chunk of praise' The Times 'In this loving survey of his life at the museum, Fortey!is never less than enthused by all the museum's collections' Financial Times 'Fortey!in his affectionate portrayal of the institution in which he spent his working life!sneaks us behind the scenes with all the glee of a small child seeing for the first time the museum's iconic Diplodocus skeleton!always authoritative!the beauty of the book is that -- just like a museum -- you can visit the different sections in any order you choose, lingering in the places that most take your fancy!and there is plenty of solid science to enjoy, elucidated with brilliant flair' Sunday Times 'Engaging!Fortey's writing is enough to make the behind-the-scenes work of the museum totally fascinating!(his) delightful book, like the museum it describes, is both rambling and elegant' Sunday Telegraph 'Fortey has a scientist's regard for fact but a poet's delight in wonder. This is a rare intoxicating insight into a hidden community intent on unlocking the universe's myriad secrets' Metro

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36 of 37 people found the following review helpful

Marvellous stuff. 18 Mar 2008

By LettyBIRD

Format:Hardcover

Dry Store Room No.1 is a wonderful book that allows the reader an insight into the fascinating world of the Natural History Museum, London. In this book Mr Fortey tells us; not only about the exhibits, but also about the work behind them and the men and women who carried out this work. We learn about all sorts of things from the ghastly stenches of the pit where Whale carcasses are stripped of flesh to the curator who obsessively categorized everything including "string too short for further use".

The science parts can occasionally be a bit hard to understand but like another reviewer I see that as my lack of understanding not Mr Fortey's lack of clarity and besides what would life be if we didn't stretch ourselves once in a while.

I thoroughly recommend this for the sort of person who likes a behind the scenes look at life.

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Life Begins For Fortey 11 Jan 2009

By Rotgut VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Richard Fortey is brave to include the word "Dry" in the title of this scientific ramble, since "dry" is exactly what a prospective reader could think when confronted with a book about the inner workings of a museum. However, enough gossipy anecdotes are included in with the facts and figures to ensure that a light tone is sustained throughout this long and affectionate look at a major British institution.

The author's love of his subject, London's famous Natural History Museum, shines through this book, and it is no surprise when he informs us that he, like many other scientists in the museum who he has described in this book, after his retirement continues to work there "for nothing."

This may seem like a rather chaotic, even random, book; Fortey makes this point himself saying "It does not pretend to be a comprehensive account...It is just my own collection-projects that caught my eye..."(p317.) However, it is saved from being merely a description of unconnected work and personalities of the Museum by the fact that the author does have a strong, personal message to impart.

Fortey argues forcefully, particularly in the last chapter, for the importance of taxonomy, the naming of names, the identification of species as part of a natural history museum's remit. He contrasts "This fundamental if...unglamorous science" with more easily funded areas of research, more "hypothesis testing" than pure investigations into the organisms themselves. This is an area of conflict the general reader is unlikely to be even remotely aware of, but Fortey explains the clash and argues very clearly for pure taxonomy to be the basis of future funded work.

Reading this book, the reader gets the impression that for our fossil loving author, and many of the eccentric colleagues he describes, their work is a deeply held vocation. It is easy to admire and even envy them, working in such a fantastic and magical place.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

Delightful book 7 Sep 2008

By Big Jim TOP 50 REVIEWER

This more than just a description of a museum. This is also a journey into the history of the natural sciences and a part biography as well. Well illustarted, Richard Fortey describes an institution that is trying hard (and succeeding if the new Darwin Centre is any guide)to move with the times, make science accesible to the public, yet has more going on behind the scenes than we could ever give credit.

Anyone who lives in or visits London should pay more than one visit to this marvelous place, and thanks to this book they will be well briefed as to what goes and has gone on there.