Books by Michael Thain

Michael Thain was born on Hampstead Heath in 1946 and was fortunate enough to be sent to University College School, where access to the microscope cabinet during lunch breaks enabled him to spend many formative hours examining pond life. This led to life-long interests in history and biology. Membership of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds provided him access to bird conferences and bird-ringing courses, while discovery of Ernst Mayr's Animal Species and Evolution in a laboratory cupboard gave life new meaning. Oxford University's undergraduate Zoology course encouraged more detailed study of genetics and evolution, deepened his interest in birds, and introduced him to the biology of plants. His fourth year at Keble was spent largely in the Department of Human Anatomy (and the Cross Keys at South Hinksey), studying human cell biology and evolution.