The Fossil Woman

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Described as 'the greatest fossilist the world ever knew', this fully illustrated biography of Mary Anning highlights her significant contributions to paleontology. Drawing on recent research, Tom Sharpe offers a fresh perspective on Anning's life and character, showcasing her achievements as she gains the recognition she deserves. Born in 1799 in Lyme Regis, Anning made her living by discovering and selling fossils, revealing a previously unknown world of extinct reptiles that transformed our understanding of life on Earth. Despite her humble beginnings and lack of formal education, she emerged as a prominent figure in the early nineteenth-century geological community, gaining recognition across Europe. However, societal inequalities of class, gender, and wealth meant that she received little reward for her groundbreaking work, often overshadowed by her male counterparts. Following her death at forty-seven, Anning's contributions faded into obscurity, and her name became disconnected from her discoveries. Fortunately, her legacy has been revived, as she was recently recognized as one of the ten most influential women in British science. This biography celebrates her life and achievements, affirming her rightful place in the remarkable narrative of fossils and the Jurassic world.