Jayson Kowinsky Book Talk

Local author Jayson Kowinsky will present his latest book, First Female Fossil Hunter: The Life and Legacy of Mary Anning, a story of fossils, history, and resilience along England's Jurassic Coast. Standing at the base of the Jurassic Coast's towering cliffs, the layers of rock before you read like pages from Earth's earliest chapters. This book brings those chapters to life, blending geology, paleontology, history, and the story of one of the most remarkable fossil hunters in history: Mary Anning. Mary's discoveries along the cliffs of Lyme Regis changed the way we understand extinction, evolution, and deep time. But what makes this book stand out is the way it places her life within the scientific, cultural, and personal world she lived in, showing what she found and why she mattered. This book gives more than a simple retelling of Mary Anning's discoveries. It provides a clear and engaging tour of the Jurassic Coast, explaining how its cliffs formed, why so many fossils are found there, and what the landscape meant to the people who worked, studied, and lived alongside it. The focus then shifts to the world Mary navigated, including the Georgian and Victorian eras, the rise of geology as a profession, and the ways women were often pushed to the margins of scientific life. Mary's friendships, hardships, collaborations, and quiet triumphs are woven into the broader story of early paleontology. Readers also meet other pioneering women of the era and see how they supported one another at a time when women were rarely welcomed into scientific circles.
About the Presenter
Jayson Kowinsky, known as "The Fossil Guy," has been running Fossilguy.com since 2000. Jayson loves sharing his interest in paleontology through fossil hunting and strives to invoke curiosity about the wonderful world of fossils.Dedicated to bridging the gap between amateur fossil hunters and professional paleontologists, he aims to make fossils and paleontological knowledge accessible to everyone.