The Trials of Life: A Natural History of Animal Behavior [Hardcover]

David Attenborough (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Little Brown & Co.; 1st edition (April 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316057517
• ISBN-13: 978-0316057516
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #526,225 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sir David Attenborough is Britain's best-known natural history film-maker. His career as a naturalist and broadcaster has spanned nearly five decades and there are very few places on the globe that he has not visited.

Sir David's first job - after Cambridge University and two years in the Royal Navy - was at the London publishing house Hodder & Stoughton. Then in 1952 he joined the BBC as a trainee producer and it was while working on the Zoo Quest series (1954-64) that he had his first opportunity to undertake expeditions to remote parts of the globe to capture intimate footage of rare wildlife in its natural habitat.

He was Controller of BBC2 (1965-68), during which time he introduced colour television to Britain, then Director of Programmes for the BBC (1969-1972). However in 1973 he abandoned administration altogether to return to documentary-making and writing.

Over the last 25 years he has established himself as the world's leading natural history programme maker with several landmark BBC series, including Life on Earth (1979), The Living Planet (1984), The Trials of Life (1990), The Private Life of Plants (1995), Life of Birds (1998), Life of Mammals (2002) and Life in the Undergrowth (2005). Sir David is a Trustee of the British Museum and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; an Honorary Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge; a Fellow of the Royal Society and was knighted in 1985.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Trials of Life, January 30, 2011

By 

Spider Monkey (UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Trials of Life: A Natural History of Animal Behavior (Hardcover)

'Trials of Life' is another superb book by Attenborough looking at animal and plant behaviour that aids in their survival. Like all of his books his style is extremely easy to read and you are soon drawn in to the fascinating lives of the various animals he describes. Throughout the book you get one page of text and another full page of the most stunning photography you are ever likely to see and occasionally you'll get a double spread for a particularly impressive image. This looks at animal behaviour in relation to eating, reproduction, fighting, finding shelter, making friends and a whole range of other traits besides. As part of the Attenborough collection this can't be missed, but it is well worth a look in it's own right and makes for a couple days of informative and completely engrossing reading. The wonder of nature has rarely been so well presented, and yet we've become used to that from Attenborough and anything less would be a let down. This more than lives up to this high standard.

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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars David's the Best!, May 1, 2000

By 

RAY L ROBINSON - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Trials of Life: A Natural History of Animal Behavior (Hardcover)

David Attenborough is the best science populizer in the subject of biology bar none! He rates, and deserves to rate, up with Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov (even Isaac rated David's work highly). Find this book. Read it and add 'Life on Earth,''The Living Planet,' and 'The Private Life of Plants' to your permanent library.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, July 29, 2006

By 

C. B. Theokas (Columbus. Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Trials of Life: A Natural History of Animal Behavior (Hardcover)

This is one of the most fascinating books I've ever read. I recommend it to everyone.