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The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
Modern · Nonfiction, Science, History

The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History

by Elizabeth Kolbert
2014 · 336 pages · Nonfiction
69 Modern ★ 4.15 on Goodreads · 83K ratings
Critics' pick
≈ 8 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

Is it worth reading?

Pulitzer Prize (General Nonfiction) winner (2015). On 2 canon lists, including Guardian 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. 4.15★ from 83K Goodreads ratings.

By the numbers

69Must-Read Score
  • Readers71 out of 100 · counts 40%+32
  • Critics94 out of 100 · counts 32% (its stronger lane)+34
  • Bestseller21 out of 100 · counts 14%+3
  • Buzz3 out of 100 · counts 15%+0

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero.

Where it ranks

Won

Shortlisted

On the lists

Reads as

True story, Thought-provoking

How we rank

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