SOURCE: Morris, Simon Conway. “Rerunning the Tape.” Times Literary Supplement, no. 4628 (13 December 1991): 6.

In the following review, Morris examines Gould's treatment of the idea of contingency in Bully for Brontosaurus.

Does Natural History really matter? To judge from the continuing conversion of our cathedrals of science, most notably the Natural History Museum in London, into the marketing triumph of theme-parks, seemingly not. So when Stephen Jay Gould canters into view, lowers his lance and goes full tilt into battle on behalf of evolution and natural history, the respectful bystanders throw their hats in the air and let out a resounding cheer; or do they? There is no doubting Professor Gould's energy, enthusiasm and commitment in bringing biological issues to an enormous public; heir to T. H. Huxley, his books sell in their tens of thousands, and the lecture-halls are packed to hear him. In this collection of essays [Bully...