Buy this book with Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5 Billion-Year History of the Human Body by Neil Shubin today!

Buy Together Today: £23.95

Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5 Billion-Year History of the Human Body by Neil Shubin  (4)  £13.00

Life: A Natural History of the First Four Billion Years of Life on Earth by Richard Fortey  (12)  £7.23

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird  (3)  £17.50

The Earth: An Intimate History by Richard Fortey  (10)  £6.99

The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing by Richard Dawkins  (4)  £10.00

› Explore similar items : Books (43) DVD (2)

The Independent
'Immensely satisfying...not just enjoyable and informative, but inspiring.'


Synopsis
'Dry Store Room No. 1' is an intimate biography of the Natural History Museum, celebrating the eccentric personalities who have peopled it and capturing the wonders of scientific endeavour, academic rigour and imagination. 'This book is a kind of museum of the mind. It is my own collection, a personal archive, designed to explain what goes on behind the polished doors in the Natural History Museum. The lustre of a museum does not depend only on the artefacts or objects it contains -- the people who work out of sight are what keeps a museum alive!I want to bring those invisible people into the sunlight.' Behind the public facade of any great museum there lies a secret domain: one of unseen galleries, locked doors, priceless specimens and hidden lives. Through the stories of the numerous eccentric individuals whose long careers have left their mark on the study of evolutionary science, Richard Fortey, former senior paleaontologist at London's Natural History Museum, celebrates the pioneering work of the Museum from its inception to the present day.He delves into the feuds, affairs, scandals and skulduggery that have punctuated its long history, and formed a backdrop to extraordinary scientific endeavour.

He explores the staying power and adaptability of the Museum as it responds to changes wrought by advances in technology and molecular biology -- 'spare' bones from an extinct giant bird suddenly become cutting-edge science with the new knowledge that DNA can be extracted from them, and ancient fish are tested with the latest equipment that is able to measure rises in pollution. 'Dry Store Room No. 1' is a fascinating and affectionate account of a hidden world of untold treasures, where every fragment tells a story about time past, by a scientist who combines rigorous professional learning with a gift for prose that sparkles with wit and literary sensibility.

See all Product Description

Dry Store Room No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum by Richard Fortey £8.99

Life: A Natural History of the First Four Billion Years of Life on Earth by Richard Fortey  (12)  £7.23

The Earth: An Intimate History by Richard Fortey  (10)  £6.99

Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5 Billion-Year History of the Human Body by Neil Shubin  (4)  £13.00

The Natural History Museum: Nature's Treasurehouse by John Thackray £10.99

› Explore similar items : Books (42)

5 Reviews 5 star:  (3) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review (5 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   6 of 6 people found the following review helpful: Marvellous stuff., 18 Mar 2008 By  LettyBIRD "LettyBIRD" - See all my reviews 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.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   13 of 19 people found the following review helpful: A Wonderful in-depth account - Astonishing!, 14 Jan 2008 By  Mr. F. G. E. Findlater (Newcastle) - See all my reviews    A thrilling insight into the intimate life of one of our countries most treasured museums. Professor Fortey writes with deep clarity and passion and makes you truly crave for another visit to the museum. 10/10  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   3 of 5 people found the following review helpful: A joy to read, 8 Mar 2008 By  Garry Paton "Garry Paton" (Germany) - See all my reviews    Once again, another good book from Fortey. His writing style is completely addictive and difficult to put down - if only he would write more!  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) › See all 5 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews </