This was a super interesting look into one of the largest sea predators to ever live. From a tooth that was found as a youth, the author takes us on a journey of investigating this monster, and the causes of their demise. While there were a few areas where I felt it was a stretch, this was well-researched and put together.

Really enjoyed reading this one, and have recommended to my kids as well.

I'm a dinofan and fascinated by everything related to megafauna. This was an informative and engrossing read that kept me reading and made me learn a lot.
Well researched, well written
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was a super interesting read into the Megalodon shark, now extinct. The book is well written and properly researched, giving readers insight into not only the meg but sharks today. Definitely recommend to other readers of this genre.

"Big Meg" is an engaging and well-written nonfiction book about megalodons- what we know, what we can presume, and what we can only guess. Flannery includes personal stories about how he became interested in this extinct shark, along with stories of other fossil hunters and some of their incredible finds. I was impressed by how well Flannery put 'Big Meg' into context, describing what is known about the world they lived in and the animals they would have interacted with, as well as explaining how that world changed and why those places today might or might not preserve the fossil teeth- and the incredible range of colors those teeth might appear to be! I read a digital ARC, which didn't have any images, but I'm definitely inspired to see the final version for images of what those fossils look like.

I also liked how Flannery included a section on sharks today- the rarity of shark attacks on humans, how humans' attitudes towards sharks have changed and increasing conservation techniques with advanced science, and the damage humans have done to shark populations through hunting. His explanation of why people should leave fossil teeth and report them instead of taking them for private collections is really great. As someone who worked in an archaeology museum for ten years, I know that kind of education is both hugely important and hard to get across in a way that many people will accept. Talking about it at the end of the book, after the reader has just been wowed by everything science has learned from fossil teeth, I think emphasizes the importance without sounding like he's lecturing at you.

What scientists have learned over the years about megalodons from very little remaining evidence is stunning, and Flannery has the latest information here in a way that the average person can understand. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in science, sharks, and (of course) megalodons.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Fascinated by his boyhood discovery of a meg tooth, author Tim Flannery has written an excellent book on the megalodon and its reputation as a mysterious and powerful predator. Informative and recommended reading.

Megladon is the marine equivalent of Tyrannosaurus Rex, the biggest baddest beast out there.
Tim Flannery sets out to explain what is known, what is reasonable and what isn’t regarding this giant shark. There isn’t a lot that is definite due to the lack of physical evidence. Some assumptions are made using the ways modern sharks act. Flannery explains the hows and whys of this. Along the way there is plenty to be learned about a variety of sharks. The later part of the book deals with present day shark populations and conservation. If you find everything shark fascinating you will really enjoy this book. It is written for the general reader in a conversational style, but with plenty of research behind it.

I read a book about whales several years ago and loved it; it was one of my favorites that year. So when I saw an advanced readers' copy of a nonfiction book about an extinct species of shark, I thought I'd enjoy it as much. Don't get me wrong--it's a great book, with a well-written and engaging presentation of the science, history, and extinction of Otodus megalodon, but now I am terrified of living sharks. Cookie cutter sharks--I'd never heard of them, and now I'm terrified. Megamouths. Oceanic whitetips. Bull sharks. Tiger sharks. Great white sharks. I learned a lot (some sharks can live up to 440 years!) but was both horrified and unable to stop reading the chapter entitled Sharks Eat Man. It's a great book and I enjoyed it, and Mr. Flannery's love of sharks and the megalodon in particular shines through his writing. But I had to immediately start reading a cheesy cosy mystery at midnight to get the images out my mind (see the next book reviewed). It says a lot, though, that I stayed up till midnight to finish reading this book, because it was too interesting to put down.

Big Meg is a nonfiction about the extinct Megaladon.

You can tell that these authors are so incredibly passionate about sharks and about the meg, but unfortunately I found this quite boring and a bit repetitive. I think if you want to publish nonfiction in a non-academic press, it needs to have some entertainment factor for the average reader, and this just did not. And I love reading about sharks!

I have read several books by Tim Flannery, and I always enjoy them. This was no exception. Well written, properly researched, this book is a collection of stories and information on the extinct Megalodon shark. There are also chapters on today's sharks, the possibilities of "big Meg" still existing today, and on personal stories from the authors. Definitely recommended for fossil lovers, ocean enjoyers, shark people, biologists, scientists.. anyone, really. I read an advanced reader's copy, I hope the final version will have some photos as well, that would really make the book perfect.

It’s very difficult to find books about animals like Megalodon, which is surprisingly since you can find a vast array of books about modern sharks. With all the hype out there today from modern horror movies, it’s refreshing to find someone educating people about this ancient and greatly enthralling predator who was the forefather of the modern day white shark. Instead of sensationalism, this book focuses on what is know about the animal as it lived in the prehistoric oceans and the impact it had upon the ecosystem and the animals it preyed upon.its quite fascinating and well written. Excellent book.

Despite all we now know about dinosaurs, the megalodon seems just as mysterious as ever. Their immense size seems hard to explain and makes them a fascinating subject. One would think that, given their relatively recent extinction, they’d be easier to study than other species but, considering their skeletons were most likely made of cartilage, scientists have been forced to research them mostly through their teeth. Tim Flannery has been obsessed with them all his life and has passed his enthusiasm to his daughter Emma. This volume represents their combined knowledge and years of research. In an effort to understand the megalodon better, they explore their surviving kin, sharks, and I loved this part because I’m fascinated by these creatures. Other chapters are devoted to the megalodon’s evolution, environment, food, and what is thought to be its extinction. They discuss all the findings that have allowed us to study them, even if there is much speculation, since there aren’t too many fossils available. The authors even explore the rumor that these creatures may still live now and explain how that would be impossible. Informative and entertaining.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Grove Atlantic, Atlantic Monthly Press.

The book had several strong points. I found the subject matter fascinating and I enjoyed the personal anecdotes. The conversational tone is excellent as were the explanations of the science. I also appreciated the authors’ enthusiasm. On the other hand, I did find that the book got bogged down at times, overwhelming me with details. I suspect however, that many readers will appreciate the details more than I did. But when not immersed in the details, the writing is spectacular. Overall this is a worthwhile read. Thank you to Netgalley and Atlantic Monthly Press for the advance reader copy.

Fun and insightful book about a creature from prehistory that has been lost but not forgotten. I really enjoyed much of the history lesson regarding the time when dinosaurs ruled the earth. Definitely recommend this to anyone who loves topics like this, it was very well written and the interplay between the author and his daughter lent a personal touch that elevated the book that much more.

Fun and insightful book about a creature from prehistory that has been lost but not forgotten. I really enjoyed much of the history lesson regarding the time when dinosaurs ruled the earth. Definitely recommend this to anyone who loves topics like this, it was very well written and the interplay between the author and his daughter lent a personal touch that elevated the book that much more.

4.5★s
Big Meg is a non-fiction book by Australian palaeontologist, explorer, conservationist, and climate change writer, Tim Flannery, and his daughter, scientist and writer, Emma Flannery. The Megalodon tooth that seventeen-year-old Tim finds after a flood initiates a life-long fascination with the world’s largest-ever predator.

But, being a shark, the only fossil finds are teeth and some vertebra with growth bands that offer some idea of growth rate and age; there are no bones, so scientists can only speculate on its physical form and shape.

What is known about Megalodon is that it had a lifespan of up to 100 years, was probably warm-blooded, born at up to two metres long (probably aided by voracious intrauterine cannibalism of siblings) and a fast growth rate to an adult length of fifteen to possibly twenty metres.

Their diet is known, to some extent, from their tooth marks on the fossilised bones of their prey. Comparison to other sharks indicates that they’re not descended from, or ancestors of, the great whites, a comparison that will see readers knowing more than they ever thought possible about sharks without getting bored. One of those many sharks mentioned, still living in our times, is the cookie-cutter shark: from the description of how they feed, definitely one to avoid!!

The large birth size and rapid growth rate are possibly what allowed the Megalodon to become a gigantic super-predator, preying on other large predators, likely including other Megalodon. Members of the lineage thrived for fifty million years, and Megalodon was around for 20 million years, then, in the space of about two million years, were extinct: a mystery.

Scientists employ many sophisticated techniques to try to pin down the when of that extinction, hoping thereby to discover the why, but not all are useful. Theories on the why include the Earth’s cooling possibly affection food availability, the reduction in nursery grounds, sea level changes affecting migration routes, and I creased competition from other predators.

The abundance of Megalodon tooth fossils, weighing up to 1.4kg, can be attributed to the fact that many sharks completely replace their dentition every few weeks. Humans put those plentiful fossils to numerous uses: as jewellery, protection against evils, as hunting charms and as tools. In the 17th Century, the Megalodon tooth was believed to detect poison, to turn the evil eye.

Flannery describes the people who chase these fossils and the lengths to which they will go, diving in dangerous conditions, losing their lives. He describes how poachers frustrate researchers; how movies and TV have changed attitudes to sharks; how deterrents are of questionable efficacy.

Chapter 10: Shark Eats Man describes the many encounters that humans have with sharks and quantifies the risk: “The risk of death from attack by any shark is very small – around 1 in 3.7 million. That is minute when compared with the risk of being shot and killed in the USA (which in 2020 was about 16 in 100,000) or being killed in a car accident.” But it also warns that even in the Amazon River, when there are already many potential dangers, attack from a bull shark can occur 4200km inland. Chapter 11: Man Eats Shark comments on shark nets and the particular cruelty that goes into making shark fin soup.

The authors’ extensive academic credentials certainly lend weight to whatever conclusions they draw about this enigmatic creature. There are four colour plates to enhance the text, a handy index and four pages of comprehensive references. Flannery has a talent for taking a potentially dry topic and keeping it interesting and sometimes gob-smacking, informative, entertaining and even amusing.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Grove Atlantic.