To the Reader
1. Introduction
2. Malta's Cradle
3. Solids within Solids
4. Mr. Hook(e)
5. A Sacred Theory of the Earth
6. Telliamed's Story
7. The Epochs of Nature
8. View from the Brink
9. Father William
10. The Four-dimensional Jigsaw Puzzle
11. A Question of Tempo
12. A Plenitude of Events
13. The Great Tree of Life
14. Kelvin
15. A Numbers Game
16. Radiometric Dating
17. World Enough and Time
Notes
References
Index of Names
Subject Index
Accessible, entertaining work addresses Earth's age as it explores the work of Hooke, Buffon, Lyell, Cuvier, Darwin, Agassiz, and others, detailing discoveries that led to knowledge of Earth's astonishing antiquity — from Steno's contemplation of fossilized shark's teeth in 1666 through Holmes' time scales of 1960. Nominated for the American Book Award. 29 black-and-white illustrations.