Between the Pages

by Tom Sharpe

• Biography
• Palaeontology
• Fossils
• Geology
• Earth Sciene
• Woman in Science

This book tells the story of the famous fossil hunter Mary Anning, tracing her life from childhood through to her death and legacy beyond. Lovingly crafted by Tom Sharpe, it’s built on solid research, as shown by the extensive “further reading” section at the end.

I picked up this book after visiting Lyme Regis in the summer. It caught my eye in the museum shop, and after enjoying my time at the Fossil Festival, it felt only right to learn more about the woman who helped put fossil hunting on the map and became one of the most recognised women in earth science. I’ve always admired strong women in history, so I was excited to dive in.

Although I’m a fan of palaeontology and fossils, I realised I knew very little about Mary Anning herself. This book certainly filled that gap. Some of the most impactful moments weren’t necessarily her fossil discoveries, but the personal events that shaped her life—such as the extraordinary incident of being struck by lightning as a child.

That said, at times the book did feel rather list-like. The detailed accounts of her everyday fossil finds and sales, while valuable, became a little repetitive and slowed the pace, especially in the middle chapters. Sharpe’s style is very factual and objective, not particularly personal or persuasive, which leaves it up to the reader to form their own view of Anning and her experiences.

Overall, I found the book informative and it definitely achieved my goal of learning more about Mary Anning. However, I can’t say I enjoyed every moment, as the structure occasionally made it a bit of a slog. Still, I would recommend it to anyone interested in Mary Anning, palaeontology, or the history of Lyme Regis. The inclusion of illustrations is a welcome touch, helping to bring the story and science to life.