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kyle_j_durrant's review
4.0
Anyone who knows me knows I love learning more about dinosaurs, so a book promising the most up-to-date and close-to-reality recreations of dinosaurs appealed immensely.
Last year, I read Benton's "Dinosaurs Rediscovered"; this book revisited many of the facts covered by that book, but through a lense of specific genuses from the Mesozoic, which was very entertaining. I had a great time learning about Sinosauropteryx and how we know its exact colouration, and I liked how this book explored a handful of non-dinosaur animals, too (although I do question why a book titled "Dinosaurs" chose to put a pterosaur on the cover).
Benton writes in a very accessible way, aware that readers likely won't share his in-depth knowledge but never falling into patronisation. He plants the seeds of curiosity for things you may want to research further yourself, whilst providing enough information for you to understand how results were reached.
Which means that, as well as the amazing artwork and fascinating photographs, Benton's writing forms a full picture itself. I particularly enjoyed how each chapter opened with a vignette of the prehistoric world. To paraphrase, "We are in the Late Cretaceous, under towering conifers, surrounded by buzzing insects and stifling heat. Between the leaves, an Anchiornis watches us..."
So to sum up those positives: informative, accessible, entertaining, and beautifully illustrated.
My main complaint is that the book suffers from a pattern of abrupt endings. Each animal's chapter does not end with a proper conclusion, in my opinion, so you feel like you're in the midst of learning when suddenly you're being told about a different animal. This wasn't so bad at first, as the subject of feathers and melanosomes was covered across multiple chapters, but it became clearer later on.
I also felt that later chapters were shorter, almost like they existed to pad out the book.
The book, as a whole, also ended quite suddenly. I feel it could have benefitted from a conclusion chapter, summing up everything that's been covered and asking the question of what more is there to learn.
And that feeling of dissatisfaction when a chapter ended - and craving another chapter to wrap things up like a fossil in plaster - is why I've dropped a star.
But I would certainly recommend this book if you are interested in realistic dinosaur depictions and the science behind the discoveries.
Last year, I read Benton's "Dinosaurs Rediscovered"; this book revisited many of the facts covered by that book, but through a lense of specific genuses from the Mesozoic, which was very entertaining. I had a great time learning about Sinosauropteryx and how we know its exact colouration, and I liked how this book explored a handful of non-dinosaur animals, too (although I do question why a book titled "Dinosaurs" chose to put a pterosaur on the cover).
Benton writes in a very accessible way, aware that readers likely won't share his in-depth knowledge but never falling into patronisation. He plants the seeds of curiosity for things you may want to research further yourself, whilst providing enough information for you to understand how results were reached.
Which means that, as well as the amazing artwork and fascinating photographs, Benton's writing forms a full picture itself. I particularly enjoyed how each chapter opened with a vignette of the prehistoric world. To paraphrase, "We are in the Late Cretaceous, under towering conifers, surrounded by buzzing insects and stifling heat. Between the leaves, an Anchiornis watches us..."
So to sum up those positives: informative, accessible, entertaining, and beautifully illustrated.
My main complaint is that the book suffers from a pattern of abrupt endings. Each animal's chapter does not end with a proper conclusion, in my opinion, so you feel like you're in the midst of learning when suddenly you're being told about a different animal. This wasn't so bad at first, as the subject of feathers and melanosomes was covered across multiple chapters, but it became clearer later on.
I also felt that later chapters were shorter, almost like they existed to pad out the book.
The book, as a whole, also ended quite suddenly. I feel it could have benefitted from a conclusion chapter, summing up everything that's been covered and asking the question of what more is there to learn.
And that feeling of dissatisfaction when a chapter ended - and craving another chapter to wrap things up like a fossil in plaster - is why I've dropped a star.
But I would certainly recommend this book if you are interested in realistic dinosaur depictions and the science behind the discoveries.
olha_tiumentseva's review against another edition
5.0
Чесно, тема динозаврів мене ніколи не цікавила. У світі є стільки всього актуального і важливого для майбутнього і сьогодення, що динозаври не входять навіть близько у коло моїх інтересів.
Мої знання про динозаврів базувались на фільмі "Парк Юрського періоду" та знанню, що Рос із серіалу "Друзі" був палеонтологом. Тобто знання нульові.
І хоча подекуди термінологія мені важко давалася (проте тепер знаю, що таке тріасовий період, латеральне положення, морфопростір), книга виявилася дуже цікавою! Мені сподобалося, що перед тим, як казати про самих динозаврів, було багато корисної інформації стосовно наукових підходів, а саме як можливо досліджувати та аналізувати далеке минуле. Також стало зрозуміло в чому полягає робота палеонтологів та як проводяться дослідження.
Щодо динозаврів, то розкривали теми їх дорослішання, як вони дихали, їли, рухалися та бігали. Окремий розділ був про аналіз Парка юрського періоду - чи можливо клонування динозавра, чи можливо отримати його ДНК.
У підсумку, якщо навіть мені сподобалася ця книга, то людям, які любили дитячі енциклопедії про динозаврів, книга має принести велике задоволення.
Мої знання про динозаврів базувались на фільмі "Парк Юрського періоду" та знанню, що Рос із серіалу "Друзі" був палеонтологом. Тобто знання нульові.
І хоча подекуди термінологія мені важко давалася (проте тепер знаю, що таке тріасовий період, латеральне положення, морфопростір), книга виявилася дуже цікавою! Мені сподобалося, що перед тим, як казати про самих динозаврів, було багато корисної інформації стосовно наукових підходів, а саме як можливо досліджувати та аналізувати далеке минуле. Також стало зрозуміло в чому полягає робота палеонтологів та як проводяться дослідження.
Щодо динозаврів, то розкривали теми їх дорослішання, як вони дихали, їли, рухалися та бігали. Окремий розділ був про аналіз Парка юрського періоду - чи можливо клонування динозавра, чи можливо отримати його ДНК.
У підсумку, якщо навіть мені сподобалася ця книга, то людям, які любили дитячі енциклопедії про динозаврів, книга має принести велике задоволення.
linguisticali's review
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
I mostly got this for the pictures, which were great. The book has more breadth than depth, so I kept feeling like I was just getting to understand something and then we'd be on to the next creature. Still, a nice book to have.
r_b_c's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
A great read with very conversational, documentary-like descriptions of how the animals might have been in life to accompany the break down of how palaeontologists reach their ideas about how different species would have appeared (and beautiful images to match). Some non-dinosaurs despite the title.
It might have been nice to have some sort of concluding statement to wrap it all up, but the recommendations of further reading materials in the back were a thoughtful touch.
It might have been nice to have some sort of concluding statement to wrap it all up, but the recommendations of further reading materials in the back were a thoughtful touch.