I was interested and engaged in the research and the various perspectives by different fields.
Gordon is certainly passionate about space rocks/meteorites, and this passion reaches the readers’ minds.
As for the personal touches and stories, I was slightly less engaged - perhaps further editing could blend those better into the rest of the text.

I picked this book to read as I was intrigued about the possibilities it might reveal….I mean, we all know about space rocks……don’t we? Well it seems there is a LOT more that we (most of us, at least) don’t know. To remedy this gap in our collective knowledge Ms Gordon takes us on a journey through time and space to explore the origins of meteorites and meteoroids and the way in which they have interacted with both our planet and with humans when they have witnessed or been affected by the fall of a space rock.

Some readers may feel that, at times, the passion and enthusiasm of the author may win out over the need to focus on key areas of interest, and it’s probably true to note that a rather more ruthless editing, especially in the latter half of the book, would have made for a slightly more accessible read. However, if there is to be a departure from the ideal, it is probably better to err on the side of providing additional background.

So, in summary, an excellent account of a fascinating subject. It will be an unusual reader whose interested isn’t piqued by the glimpses into the world beyond our little planet and the regular impacts, large and small, of these intriguing extra- terrestrial travellers. This reader, for example, was surprised to discover that the famous Arizona meteorite crater is far from the only sharply visible evidence of a large impact event and spent a few interesting hours examining information about similar impact craters worldwide, both well preserved and those that can only be traced through geological studies. And, of course, the book serves to remind us that an extinction event requires only the impact on our planet of a relatively modest sized space rock, travelling at the barely imaginable speed of these space visitors.

Full transparency: I picked up this book because of the pretty cover. I know very little about the extraterrestrial - in fact, I find the magnitude of space quite overwhelming - but I do like to be challenged by something new. And this paid off, because I found The Meteorites a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable read.

In Gordon's hands, meteorites are not only a scientific subject, but also historical, cultural and economic objects. We delve into the stories of specific falls and finds, and meet the dealers, hunters and geologists involved in the meteorite community across the world. The blend of these individual voices really brings the subject to life, making it accessible without losing the attention to detail of a committed researcher. Her enthusiasm for her subject is contagious; my Google search history is now full of images of space rocks.

An original and engaging read, The Meteorites gave me a whole new perspective on our planet and outer space.