Perspective

Quammen's larger subject is the natural environment and the changes it is undergoing presently and he approaches it as someone with a great appreciation for the diversity of nature and concern about the potential for losing that diversity. He stops short of drawing many conclusions himself, however, instead positioning himself as an interpreter of the prevailing scientific thinking on the subject of biogeography as well as the history of the development of the field.

In this role, Quammen frequently assumes the perspective of his own readers as he imagines them processing the information he is presenting. He presents the outline of a major line of thinking, but draws back before delving into the deeper scientific aspects, apologizing to his reader directly for moving into dry scientific terminology. This perspective is apparently meant to display sympathy with the reader who Quammen assumes is more interested in the more entertaining...