Endlings: Fables for the Anthropocene

(Paperback)

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Amid the historical decimation of species around the globe, a new way into the language of loss

An endling is the last known individual of a species; when that individual dies, the species becomes extinct. These last individuals are poignant characters in the stories that humans tell themselves about todays Anthropocene. In this evocative work, Lydia Pyne explores how discussion about endlingshow we tell their historiesdraws on deep traditions of storytelling across a variety of narrative types that go well beyond the science of these species biology or their evolutionary history.

Endlings provides a useful and thoughtful discussion of species concepts: how species start and how (and why) they end, what it means to be a charismatic species, the effects of rewilding, and what makes species extinction different in this era. From Benjamin the thylacine to Celia the ibex to Lonesome George the Galpagos tortoise, endlings, Pyne shows, have the power to shape how we think about grief, mourning, and loss amid the worlds sixth mass extinction.

Author Bio

Lydia Pyne is a writer interested in the history of science, material culture, and extinction. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, Nautilus, Archaeology, History Today, and Hyperallergic. Her most recent books include Postcards: The Rise and Fall of the Worlds First Social Network and Genuine Fakes: How Phony Things Can Teach Us about Real Stuff.