Darwin's dilemma -- Birth of a new field of science -- The oldest fossils and what they mean -- How did life begin? -- Metabolic memories of the earliest cells -- So far, so fast, so early? -- Stromatolites : earth's first high-rise condos -- Cyanobacteria : earth's oldest "living fossils" -- Cells like ours arise at last -- Solution to Darwin's dilemma -- Epilogue : Extraordinary claims! Extraordinary evidence? -- Fossils, foibles, and frauds -- The hunt for life on Mars