Every Living Thing

Ever wonder how we named every living thing on Earth? This isn't just about science—it's a story of ambition, rivalry, and a race against time. Discover the epic 18th-century quest to catalog all of life, a pursuit filled with discovery, danger, and shocking personal sacrifice. You'll learn how Carl Linnaeus, the father of modern taxonomy, battled rivals and braved perilous expeditions to create the system we still use today. Uncover the dramatic, often deadly, stories behind the scientific names you see every day and gain a new appreciation for the human drive to understand the world.

Jason Roberts is the author of two celebrated works of nonfiction, A Sense of the World and Every Living Thing, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. His lifelong fascination with the forgotten corners of history and science led him on a deep dive into the archives of naturalists and explorers. This journey uncovered the dramatic, untold story of the 18th-century race to catalog life on Earth, revealing the human ambition and sacrifice behind the scientific knowledge we now take for granted.