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daumari's review against another edition
4.0
I've been following Switek's blog and twitter for quite some time now, and really enjoyed his dead tree works too. Part travelogue that brought back memories of visiting Utah's dinosaur museums en route to Phoenix as a child and part natural history on how our image of dinosaurs has changed over the last century, this was a delight to read. I hadn't kept up with the literature on sauropods as much as I used to and was quite bummed to find out that seismosaurus and ultrasaurus aren't legitimate species (instead, they were large examples of diplodocus and brachiosaurus respectively)- even pulled up my old poster presentation where I drew size comparisons between people and various beasties.
Recommended for anyone who fondly remembers their dinosaur phase and highly for those who never grew out of it.
Recommended for anyone who fondly remembers their dinosaur phase and highly for those who never grew out of it.
brandongryder's review against another edition
2.0
Mr. Switek is without a doubt infatuated with dinosaurs. As someone who tries to notice and keep up with new discoveries and dinosaur news, I was excited to pick this book up. Unfortunately Switek's child like giddiness for dinosaurs is replaced with a sour grapes, holier than thou adult view of the of the field.
This book could have been awesome but ended up being a big corprolite.
This book could have been awesome but ended up being a big corprolite.
ovenbird_reads's review against another edition
4.0
A completely engaging book that will tell you everything you wanted to know about modern research on dinosaurs. I turns out that we have all sorts of new knowledge about these creatures that has emerged from new technologies and methods for extracting information from the fossil record. The author has a conversational tone with enough humour thrown in to keep you entertained. The information is never dry. The chapter on dinosaur sex was particularly hilarious.
My one complaint--the hideous cover! My brother noted that he would never pick this up from a library because it looks like a desperately boring book, written by some hermit in the 70s. I have to agree. The artwork is just plain ugly. But don't judge this book by its cover. What's inside is truly fascinating.
My one complaint--the hideous cover! My brother noted that he would never pick this up from a library because it looks like a desperately boring book, written by some hermit in the 70s. I have to agree. The artwork is just plain ugly. But don't judge this book by its cover. What's inside is truly fascinating.
showell's review against another edition
4.0
An entertaining and lively look at the way our understanding of dinosaurs has evolved over time.
bupdaddy's review against another edition
4.0
Think of this as a survey course of "current thinking about non-avian dinosaurs." Each chapter covers an interesting topic (cause, like, dinosaurs! How could it help but be interesting?) really well written by a lay-dinosaur geek for a lay audience.
If you've heard a bit about how Triceratops horridus and Torosaurus cantbebotheredtolookitupadus might be the same species (with inaccurate but grabber headlines about Triceratops going away!) or T. rex probably had feathers, and other stuff like that, this book is a great read.
The best chapter title ever can be found in this book - there's a whole chapter about dinosaur sex and how basically nobody knows anything about it - Big Bang Theory.
If you've heard a bit about how Triceratops horridus and Torosaurus cantbebotheredtolookitupadus might be the same species (with inaccurate but grabber headlines about Triceratops going away!) or T. rex probably had feathers, and other stuff like that, this book is a great read.
The best chapter title ever can be found in this book - there's a whole chapter about dinosaur sex and how basically nobody knows anything about it - Big Bang Theory.
christar_123's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this as an audio book on various trips around Arizona, which made Switek's descriptions of the Utah/ Southwest landscape where the digs took place much more vivid and lively for me. I don't know that I would have enjoyed the book as much if I didn't know about dinosaurs a bit already...I could picture a lot of the ones he was describing so I felt familiar with some of the material. It's always fascinating for me to learn about how science changes; how something EVERYONE KNOWS can be disproved and change and that is an ongoing process in studying dinosaurs. Switek's writing make the science very accessible and interesting and he intersperses personal stories throughout the book which lightens the mood.
circularcubes's review against another edition
5.0
The author of this book has an allosaurus tattoo (and, I googled him, has two other dinosaur tattoos to match). Did I love this book before he disclosed that fact? Yes. Did it heighten my enjoyment of this book? Considerably.
I'm exaggerating - I would have adored this book whether or not the author was bedecked in dinosaur skin decoration. There's a whole chapter on dinosaur sex!!! Both my college roommates are deeply relieved that they're no longer living with me and will not be held captive as I wax poetic about my newly learned Dino Sex Fun Facts. Goddammit, I really wanna be friends with Brian Switek. Man knows a thing or two about dinosaurs (or two hundred pages worth, rather).
I just really, really loved this book. I learned a whole ton, and the book was well-written (A+ chapter transitions, Switek), and now I kind of also want a dinosaur tattoo in addition to all the other tattoos I kind of want but am not decisive enough to get. I am a lesser man than Switek.
This isn't any sort of review at all, just me waving the book in your face and urging you to go ahead and read it already.
I'm exaggerating - I would have adored this book whether or not the author was bedecked in dinosaur skin decoration. There's a whole chapter on dinosaur sex!!! Both my college roommates are deeply relieved that they're no longer living with me and will not be held captive as I wax poetic about my newly learned Dino Sex Fun Facts. Goddammit, I really wanna be friends with Brian Switek. Man knows a thing or two about dinosaurs (or two hundred pages worth, rather).
I just really, really loved this book. I learned a whole ton, and the book was well-written (A+ chapter transitions, Switek), and now I kind of also want a dinosaur tattoo in addition to all the other tattoos I kind of want but am not decisive enough to get. I am a lesser man than Switek.
This isn't any sort of review at all, just me waving the book in your face and urging you to go ahead and read it already.