The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert
New York : Henry Holt and Co., 2014.
319 p. : ill. ; 25 cm.

Let's face it; mass extinction is a depressing topic, but Kolbert manages to make it interesting, humane and compelling.  She does this by not only presenting a general outlines of what the 6th extinction is, and where it fits in the history of science - but also by presenting it in understandable case studies and examples from the past and present.  Also, when she focuses on current extinction events - e.g. Panamanian golden frogs, Sumatran Rhinos, and coral reefs - she travels to the place where this event is happening and joins in with researchers and scientists.  The results are moving and interesting vignettes that help any curious person understand both the specific and fascinating events of mass extinction, but also get a taste of the terrible potentials that they hold for the future of the planet and our species.

I'm pleased that this book won a 2015 Pulitzer Prize - it is well deserved and will bring new readers to this critical topic.   I would also recommend this book to any young adult reader interested in the topic or interested in good science writing in general.