Lev Parikian is such an engaging author. He always manages to enthuse me about whatever he writes about because he himself is so excited by what he is discovering. I learned so much in this book. Each chapter deals with a different flighted animal, from pterosaurs to dragonflies, from hummingbirds to flies, this is a fascinating look at the hidden complexities of flight. I love that he includes everything we do know and quite a few things we still don't understand. This is such a great, chatty book.

In Taking Flight, Lev Parikian explores the mechanics of flight and how the ability came to evolve so widely across the animal kingdom. Chapters cover the mayfly, dragonfly, beetle, fly, bees, ants and wasps, butterflies and moths, the pterosaur (birds evolved from dinosaurs, after all), the archaeopteryx, penguins, geese, hummingbirds, albatrosses, pigeons and bats. Other species are covered in each chapter too.

The author’s writing is accessible and informative, presenting scientific information in a way that does not alienate. I found it to be an engaging read.

Recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, Elliott & Thompson, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I picked this book because it seemed right up my alley - the development of flight in different species. I was excited. Then I started the book and learned that the author didn't have an academic background in the subject, and I was a little disappointed, BUT, I gave it a go anyway, and WOW the writing was great. Clearly knows how to engage an audience: humor, factoids, and a story. I was hooked by the writing and the authors obvious obsession with the topic and decided to stick around. THEN I discovered the amount of research the author had done and I tossed my snobby notions of academic background aside and just enjoyed and learned. Bees, hummingbirds, bats, dinosaurs, beetles, and butterflies, and more. A little of their evolution, a little of the biomechanics, a little of how they make their way in the world (or not, as the case may be for those dinos). I particularly appreciated when the author offered the multiple sides of conflicting theories. I greatly enjoyed the humor. As a librarian, I can't say that I would recommend this book to students as an authoritative source for a paper, but I don't think that is the audience for the book. If you love nature, or science, the author will share his love and knowledge in this very enjoyable book.

I love books about animals and the scientific aspects that made them what they are today. This books talks about how animals have mastered flight, going from insects to mammals and detailing the differences between them. The insects with their colors and quitinous wings, birds that are whats left of dinosaurs, the pteresaurs and their gigantic sizes and bats the only mammal capable of flight. The autor choses some specific group of animals to explain their flight in detail, like the butterfly, the albatrosses, hummingbirds, ants and a lot more. I really liked this book, it opened my eyes for things that we take for granted, and now when I go out I look at the animals flying and admire them.

Thank you netgalley. Elliot & Thompson and Lev Parikian fot this ARC.

Taking Flight was a delightful reading experience. I enjoy accessible, popular science books, and this one hit the mark. My favorite part of the book was the authors range of research from the prehistoric fossil record to the current day. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I had a great time reading it and would absolutely recommend it to friends.

Taking Flight by Lev Parikian is an absolute delight to read and as interesting as it is entertaining.

The first thing I noted down was how Parikian shares that the book was as much a journey for him to learn about the mechanics of flight to write the book and a nod to the experts who would know a lot more than he. This set me up to enjoy Lev's writing style based on a natural, easygoing narrative

The book as I said is delightful. Lev Parikian shows a real interest and excitement and this glitters through the narrative making it a very engaging read and I was utterly fascinated

An absolutely brilliant insight into natural flight and a real pleasure to read. Lev Parikian is like the fun teacher that everybody liked in school whose lessons left you smiling. I adore books about the natural world and this is an author I will be looking out for on the bookshelves

Thank you very, very much to Netgalley, Elliott and Thompson and the author, Lev PArikian for this wonderful ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own