Yesterday afternoon, I was pleased to finish Richard Fortey's excellent book Dry Storeroom No. 1 detailing the behind-the-scenes workings of the Natural History Museum in Great Britain. Sounds like it would be a deathly dull book, doesn't it? In the deft hands of Fortey, however, nothing could be further from the truth! Richard Fortey is just the man to pen a book on this topic; not only is he an excellent writer ( Trilobite! is another good example of his prose), but he has also spent his entire career at the NHM and has the view that can only be provided by an insider such as he. Retired since 2006, Fortey was the expert on trilobites for the museum, and his exposition of the inner workings of the institution are simple amazing. He proceeds in steps through the different divisions of the museum, mingling personal reflections with stories of the many, often colorful, characters who have worked there over the years and discussions of the history and work of each department...
Occasional author. Lover of coffee.