I haven’t read it all, obviously, as the book only arrived today (EDIT May 14: in fact, it arrived quite a while ago by now, this review was delayed by technical problems). Scientific knowledge of dinosaur biology and evolution is shifting fast, and this book aims to summarize current understanding of dinosaur science in a technical, but accessible, style, supplemented with vivid photographs and illustrations. A particular focus is on the fossil evidence and explicit methods that allow paleontologists to study dinosaurs in rigorous detail. It reviews the latest knowledge on dinosaur anatomy and phylogeny, how dinosaurs functioned as living animals, and the grand narrative of dinosaur evolution across the Mesozoic. “This book provides a contemporary review of dinosaur science intended for students, researchers, and dinosaur enthusiasts. Let’s start with what the blurb on the Wiley website says the book intends to be: To summarize, the book has ten chapters, 261 pages without references and index and 322 with them, 16 color plates and many b&w figures (did you really think I’d count them?). Now, “less advance praise, and more review” I can hear you say. I stole the image of the cover from there. I couldn’t get any hits except for Steve’s book when I searched the Wiley site, so I expect it is the first in that series.ītw, you can see a preview on the Wiley site, and on Amazon. The book appears in the Topics in Paleobiology Series, published in collaboration with the Palaeontological Association (and don’t you love the abbreviation “PalAss”?) and edited by Mike Benton of the University of Bristol. At just over € 40.- the book has a very reasonable price, whereas ~€ 112.- for the bound version is not a sum a student will happily part with, nor I. So when the book finally came out now, I immediately ordered it – the paperback version, that is (cheapskate that I am). And admittedly, my research can use some more publicity. And I’ve been looking forward to it for two simple reasons: 1) Steve is a smart guy and can write, so I expected the book to be well-written and comprehensive, and 2) it was obvious that my research would feature favorably in it. It finally arrived via Amazon: Steve Brusatte’s new book Dinosaur Paleobiology! Yay! I’ve known about the book for a while, ever since Steve contacted me about using some illustrations from my papers for it.
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