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Recommended Reading?

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    #32
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    I have that one. Read my thoughts on it here. (2nd part)

    edit: Interesting, my one has Steve Brrusatte's name on the cover, while the one on Amazon also has Mike Benton... That's weird.


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    #33
    Weidii
    Closed Accounts Posts: 842 ✭✭✭Weidii


    No, well it wasn't the same cover as that one anyway. Also the drawings were all traditional art (as far as I remember) whereas the one Galvasean has are 3d renderings (as far as I remember :P)

    Also worth baring in mind that I'm in Galway, though I'm sure the Easons wherever you are does the book for the same price. They also had an encyclopedia of mammals and a few other really nice, big books for 15 eur.


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    #34
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    This is just plain odd..
    http://www.booknest.ie/Dinosaurs-divorce.html

    p-16202.jpg


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    #35
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,076 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    marco_polo wrote: »
    Anyone read 'Evolution: What the fossils say and why it is important' by Donald Prothero?

    Just ordered the Hardback on Amazon yesterday but looking at the delivery estimates I will be lucky to see it a few days before Christmas. :mad:

    Looks like a good read though.


    Nearly a year to the day I ordered it I have finally got around to reading this book and I have to say I found it excellent overall. The book is divided into two sections, Part one is called 'Evolution and the fossil record, and deals with the basics of the scientific method, the history of evolutionary theory and a primer on cladistics and modern classifications in preperation for section two 'Evolution: The fossils say Yes' which focuses on the vast quantity of evidence for evolution contained in the fossil record.

    If you are familiar with the basics, then the first three chapters sections are a bit hard going for anybody with a decent degree of familiarity with the subject, as it goes through the basics of the scientific method and why creationism/ID is not science, although chapter three does contain a very amusing total and utter demolition of flood geoloy using the grand canyon as the subject matter. The book really comes into its own with the final chapters of section one, with a comprehesive overview of both the evolution of evolutionary theory and a excellent chapter on cladistics.

    Section two is based entirely on the vast evidence in the fossil record for evolution, the first chapter here is the obligatory section on the orgin of life. The rest of the book is a whirlwind tour through geological time starting with a discussion on the pre cambrian fossil record (the famous edicaran fauna), followed by a chapter of invertabrae evolution. As a practicing Vertabrae paleontologist, Prothero is at his best in the final chapters of the books, highlighting some of the major transitionary sequences in the fossil record, covering the early evolution of fish, amphibans, reptiles and synapids, the marine reptiles who headed back to the sea, dinosaurs and a comprehensive section on mammilian evolution covering camels rhinos, whales, elephant and manatees to name but a few, before finishing up with the hominid fossil record. Given the amount of ground covered the information comes thick and fast, but occasionally you wish that there was a bit more detail in some sections, which is another reason wh section one could have been a bit shorter I feel (This is mitigated somewhat by large recomended readiing list at the end of each chapter). Overall thought the quality of the book far outweighs the negatives and I would have no hesitation giving it 4.5/5.

    Also it is exceptionally well illustrated throughout by renowned illustrator Carl Buell some examples below.

    prothero_evolution_dino_bird_homology.jpg

    'Fish out of water' sequence
    prothero_evolution_rhipidistian_cladogram.jpg


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    #36
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    I was in Eason and they have an absolutely fantastic looking encyclopedia simply called Prehistoric by DK. Only problem is it costs €39, so I may wait for the January sales. (Hmmm, only £18 on amazon.co.uk)
    You can check it out (complete with dramatic trailer) here.
    61nmysmzh1L._SS400_.jpg

    Also, Steve Brusatte has a book out called 'A Field Fuide To Dinosaurs' (or something similar). It is basically a smaller version of his obscenely large DINOSAUR book (which I have reviewed in this thread), only aimed more at kids (for example, each dinosaur has a danger rating out of five). It only costs €6.99, so might be worthwhile if you don't want to splash out €32 on his larger book.
    Weidii wrote: »
    Saw a book in Easons there yesterday for 15 eur called "Dinosarus"

    It's basically just an encyclopedia of the species, but it's really big and well illustrated and I expected it to cost way more! I'll get it some day when I have nothing else to carry :)
    Someone told me they spotted this in Swords. I will have to investigate.

    That's one thing I like about Christmas. You always get at least one quality dinosaur book released.


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    #37
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,076 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    marco_polo wrote: »
    This looks like it could be a very good new book, seriously considering a purchase.


    Dinosaur Odyssey: Fossil Threads in the Web of Life

    I have just finished reading this book and it comes with another very high recomendation from me. It is an excellent overview covering some of the most recent advances in dinosaur paleobiology.

    Unlike many other books it is not a comprehensive dictionary of groups and species of dinosaur, nor is it soley concerned soley with who ate whom. Rather this book takes a much more holistic overview of dinosaurs and their world, drawing on diverse topics such as plate techtonics, ecology, plant and insect evolution during the same time period, to tell the tale of the rise, reign and fall of the Dinosaurs. A must read for anyone who is a little out of touch with the latest research IMO.

    There are about 20 or so sample pages available on Google Books to get a taste of what it is about.


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    #38
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    Link not working?


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    #39
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,076 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    fixed


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    #40
    The Paws
    Closed Accounts Posts: 418 ✭✭The Paws


    Galvasean wrote: »
    I was in Eason and they have an absolutely fantastic looking encyclopedia simply called Prehistoric by DK. Only problem is it costs €39, so I may wait for the January sales. (Hmmm, only £18 on amazon.co.uk)
    You can check it out (complete with dramatic trailer) here.
    61nmysmzh1L._SS400_.jpg

    Also, Steve Brusatte has a book out called 'A Field Fuide To Dinosaurs' (or something similar). It is basically a smaller version of his obscenely large DINOSAUR book (which I have reviewed in this thread), only aimed more at kids (for example, each dinosaur has a danger rating out of five). It only costs €6.99, so might be worthwhile if you don't want to splash out €32 on his larger book.


    Someone told me they spotted this in Swords. I will have to investigate.

    That's one thing I like about Christmas. You always get at least one quality dinosaur book released.

    Hiya

    Please dont shoot me Galvasean if you already bought this book for 39 euro but I looked up the net and saw this for 20euro just incase you and anyone else are still interested in this.
    I might get that myself....


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    #41
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,076 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    The Paws wrote: »
    Hiya

    Please dont shoot me Galvasean if you already bought this book for 39 euro but I looked up the net and saw this for 20euro just incase you and anyone else are still interested in this.
    I might get that myself....

    Had a quick peak at this in Hodges and Figgs decided that I couldn't wait for internet delivery so bought it there and then for 36 :D. Looks absolutely fantastic


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    #42
    Kess73
    Registered Users Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    Jack Horner has a new book out this month called How to Build a Dinosaur: The New Science of Reverse Evolution , but I am a little sceptical that it is just last year's book, How to Build a Dinosaur: Extinction Doesn't Have to Be Forever, reissued with a slightly different title.



    http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Build-Dinosaur-Science-Evolution/dp/0452296013/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264429079&sr=1-2



    I bought the book from last year, and found it to be a typical Horner piece. Lots of claims and theories but with only vague explanations behind them after an interesting start.


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    #43
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    I was in Chapters on Parnell St. yesterday and they have a very good selection of palaeontology books on a section of shelving between Nature and Popular Science (which is right next to the Gay & Lesbian section:o).
    They have Prehistoric for €34.80, which is the cheapest I have seen it on the high street. They also had another fairly good looking encyclopedia of similar size called 'Dinosaurs' (which has what appears to be a dromaeosaur skeleton over a white background on the cover) which catalogues creatures in chronological order. Plus, it's only €15! Looks well worth a punt.


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    #44
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    Galvasean wrote: »
    They also had another fairly good looking encyclopedia of similar size called 'Dinosaurs' (which has what appears to be a dromaeosaur skeleton over a white background on the cover) which catalogues creatures in chronological order. Plus, it's only €15! Looks well worth a punt.

    Picked that up yesterday. Marked down from €48.80. Some nice artwork in there, from pictures you may have seen in the Orbis published Dinosaurs! magazines from the 90s to newer artwork from contemporary artists. Haven't had a chance to read it properly yet, but it looks a bargain.


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    #45
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    I was scanning through that book yesterday and there are two pages dedicated to Euoplocephalus. Both have the exact same text and information. The only difference is that they have different pictures. The editor sure missed that one.


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    #46
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    Gregory S. Paul's book 'Dinosaurs: A Field Guide' is in Easons now for €33. I had a flick through it and it looks excellent.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dinosaurs-Field-Gregory-S-Paul/dp/1408130742/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1288611646&sr=1-2

    51kzUkSLgtL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


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