Praise for
True North:Hunting Fossils Under the Midnight Sun
Foreword Reviews INDIE winner for 2017
Awarded a Bronze Medal in the Adventure category in a national competition put on by Foreword Reviews, the principal venue for reviews of independently published books.
Finalist, NIEA national competition
Finalist (one of six), National Indie Excellence Awards for 2017, Memoir category
Publishers Weekly/Booklife Prize review
In 2017 Memoir/Autobiography category
This captivating, skillfully constructed memoir is a real page-turner. There's an earthy reality to the author's voice; it's like spending a weekend with a case of wine and a favorite relative who's telling of his incredible adventures. Word choices and phrasing are often wonderful.
Caution: While reading this book, please remain in your seats and with your seat belt fastened. It's a wild ride. But considering the experience of natural wonders, breathtaking excitement, moments of laugh-out-loud humor, and the honest voice in your ear, it's worth the trip. The author's story feels utterly unique.
“This memoir is a can’t-put-down page-turner, equal parts Jack London and Marincovich’s idol Roy Chapman Andrews. But it is not just a rip-roaring adventure story; it also eloquently communicates both the intellectual thrill of scientific discovery and the emotional (and spiritual) energy of genuine exploration in some of the most challenging—and beautiful—environments on Earth.”
— Warren D. Allmon, PhD, Director Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, New York
“This book has so many of my favorite things – the romance of scientific adventure, the window into the mind of the explorer, the grit of the expedition, and how the quest for nature to reveal her secrets ends up revealing the depths of our own hearts and souls. It brings to mind the great science memoirs of Darwin, the transcendental writings of Thoreau, and the tales of Alaska and Everest told by Jon Krakauer. Read it, and be transported!”
— Cassandra Vieten, PhD, President Institute of Noetic Sciences, Petaluma, California
“This is a story of adventure and high scientific accomplishment in the search for the most humble of fossils, seashells. We live on an ocean planet and the bulk of the fossil record is found in ancient marine sediments including those now found far from the present sea. Five hundred years ago Leonardo da Vinci first recognized the power of these shell fossils to reveal aspects of the dynamic history of the earth and in particular the ocean. Childhood reading about dinosaurs ultimately led Lou Marincovich down a similar path and onto a career as a paleontologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. Lou Marincovich’s global travels are highlighted by terrifying events along the African coast and in the wilds of Alaska and Siberia—along with personal revelation and great discovery. So you want to be a paleontologist? Buckle up and read this book.”
— James C. Ingle, Jr., W.M. Keck Professor of Earth Sciences, Emeritus
Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
“For anyone who wants a life of adventure, Lou Marincovich makes a strong case that you should consider becoming a paleontologist!”
— David J. Bottjer, PhD, Professor of Earth Sciences,
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
