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Bring Back the King

The New Science of De-extinction

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Bring Back the King

By: Helen Pilcher
Narrated by: Helen Pilcher
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About this listen

If you could bring back one living being from the whole of the history of time, what would you choose? Comedian and former stem-cell biologist Helen Pilcher has thought about this problem - a lot.

In Bring Back the King, Helen explains the cutting-edge science that makes the resurrection of extinct animals a very real possibility and highlights her choices from eras gone by, from the king of the dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus rex, to the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley. From dinosaurs to dodos, Neanderthals to rock legends, Bring Back the King explains how the burgeoning field of DNA science is being used to help resurrect not just individual animals but entire species from their stony graves.

Funny, intriguing and informative, Bring Back the King describes current initiatives and future plans to restore deceased animals and uses both science and willful irreverence to assess how these genetic Lazaruses might fare in their brave new world. Could a pet dinosaur be trained to roll over? Would Neanderthals enjoy opera? Could a returning dodo seek vengeance upon humanity?

Blending the very latest de-extinction technology with cloning, dinosaurs with rock legends, and hard-core popular science with plenty of gags, Bring Back the King is an audiobook that you will simply have to listen to.

©2016 Helen Pilcher (P)2016 Audible, Ltd
Animals Biology Genetics Philosophy Funny Resurrection Paleontology
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What listeners say about Bring Back the King

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Hilarious and Informative

I loved it! Very funny and informative, I will now go and buy the actual book, I enjoyed it so much I need it in my collection!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Both fascinating and hopeful for the future.

I can’t remember now what prompted me to buy this book, I’ve been meaning to read/listen to it for almost 2 years. I did start it some time ago, but unfortunately as the beginning of the book is primarily about dinosaurs and as I’m just not that interested in dinosaurs, I put it down and all but forgot about it. Two years on and one pandemic later I picked it back up and I’m so very glad that I did, it’s completely fascinating and although fairly technical in parts, the author and narrator Helen Pilcher is so down to earth in her explanations that I just soaked it all in and think myself rather lucky to have stumbled across this work and to have been given the opportunity to gain such important knowledge without the prior need for a PhD in something or other.
A brilliant, fascinating book which deserves all of the 5 stars I’ve awarded it. This is a book of hope for the future, our future.
Thank you Helen Pilcher and all the scientists involved for helping our planet and the animals inhabiting it (including us).
I know it’s been a very long time since I went to school, so obviously I’m not up to date with the subject’s being taught nowadays, but if this subject isn’t included, it jolly well should be !

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Great Science, Bad Jokes and Subtle Preaching

Would you try another book written by Helen Pilcher or narrated by Helen Pilcher?

Yes but I would keep in mind I'm probably gonna have to click my tongue past the jokes.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

She is clearly a very intelligent woman who does a lot of good thorough research, apart from the parts where we're expected to take it on faith. All the science presented into the actual topic of de-extinction is done very well, but there is a tendency to moralise a little heavy about global warming (although the written version may present the evidence for why we should be concerned we're expected to take it on faith here which sort of nullifies one of the key arguments for bringing back large megafauna) and about just how horrible us humans are.
Granted, we're not the best bunch but it gets a little tiresome the lack of historical context when discussing the past. There is an irritating "holier than thou" tone to the book that gets a little grating.
There are some funny parts and little gags but I found most of them fell flat and a few just seemed entirely out of place digs at men. Again, plenty of things to laugh about us guys and joke about, but the jokes didn't really have punchlines. It was kind of like "Men, am I right ladies?" Which is fine but not really ground breaking on the comedy spectrum.

What didn’t you like about Helen Pilcher’s performance?

Mostly the jokes. Also, please stop citing your own chapters every second page. Time and time again, "See chapter 8", "See chapter 2"... We were just at Chapter 2 and we're on our merry way towards chapter 8 now, just keep reading!

Do you think Bring Back the King needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Maybe once a bit more research has been done and a follow up on the research and what else.

Any additional comments?

Personally not for me, but maybe for someone looking for a more personal conversational approach to discussing the topics the book covered.

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