Books

12 views
Skip to first unread message

Seosamh

unread,
Oct 1, 2011, 9:52:54 PM10/1/11
to History of Paleontology
What are some good books on the history of paleontology? What makes
them good? Feel free to offer biographies,tales of discovery, the
evolution of evolution :)

David Orr

unread,
Oct 1, 2011, 11:00:21 PM10/1/11
to History of Paleontology
Here are some of my favorites, off the top of my head.

Brian Switek's recent "Written in Stone." Very academic, tells stories
of important discoveries and, in this age of molecular biology, makes
a case for paleo's lasting relevance.

Richard Fortey's "Life" and "Trilobite." Love the personal stories he
weaves into the narrative.

Stephen Jay Gould's stuff, of course. Take your pick. Some of his
ideas are being superseded now, but still the most evocative writer on
natural history America has produced.

Dinosaur-centric:

Edwin Colbert's "The Great Dinosaur Hunters and their Discoveries."
Great primer for anyone who wants a breakdown of who discovered what,
who held what opinions as the field developed.

David Rains Wallace's "The Bonehunter's Revenge." Excellent telling of
the Bone Wars, both the discoveries and cultural forces that drove the
feud.

Darren Naish's "The Great Dinosaur Discoveries." Large format, great
pictures, a more visual version of what Colbert did in the sixties.

Many of my books are packed away at the moment, so I'm sure I'm
missing A LOT. But those are some of my favorites. I'd love to hear
more suggestions, too!

David Orr

chasmosaurs.blogspot.com
davidorogenic.com

Ian Cannon

unread,
Oct 1, 2011, 11:59:12 PM10/1/11
to History of Paleontology
I'm currently reading through "Beasts of Eden" by David Rains
Wallace. Its focused completely on the history of mammalian
paleontology, but I feel as though its been excellent so far. The
book navigates through the lives of paleontologists who have advanced
the study of fossil mammals in almost a biographical way, using
Zallinger's "Age of Mammals" mural as a guide.

Peter Moon

unread,
Oct 2, 2011, 12:38:01 AM10/2/11
to history-of-...@googlegroups.com
Hi, all

I read it some years ago and found it very enjoyable.

I just ordered hi book  Neptune's Ark: From Ichthyosaurs to Orcas.

best

Peter



2011/10/2 Ian Cannon <neoven...@gmail.com>



--
Peter Moon, Ph.D.
Editor at Large
Revista Época
Av. Jaguaré, 1485
São Paulo-SP
05346-902
Brazil
Phone: 5511 3767-7849
Mob: 5511 7287-5050
e-mail: pmo...@gmail.com
MSN: pete...@yahoo.com
Skype: peter.moon1
Twitter: @Peter_Moon1

Seosamh

unread,
Oct 2, 2011, 12:12:39 PM10/2/11
to History of Paleontology
Cool! Now I have my reading goals set for a while.

I have the Zallinger "Age of Reptiles" mural repro that I got at AMNH
framed on the wall above this desk. I didn't even know that an "Age of
Mammals" mural existed until I found the links to describe this one
for a friend.

What do folks think of "The Hot-Blooded Dinosaurs?" Inager and
reignited my love for dinosaurs, paleontology, and science in general.
My paperback copy died long ago, and I haven't seen it at the local
used bookstore yet, but I seem to recall that it included some
background historical information as part of the "revolution."

Speaking of which, who were among the first to propose that dinosaurs
were (are) not ordinary ectoothermic reptiles? What arguments did they
use before discoveries of fossil evidence of feathers, scanning
microscopes bone structures, etc.?

Thanks,

Joe

On Oct 2, 12:38 am, Peter Moon <pmo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi, all
>
> I read it some years ago and found it very enjoyable.
>
> I just ordered hi book  Neptune's Ark: From Ichthyosaurs to
> Orcas<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520243226>
> .
>
> best
>
> Peter
>
> 2011/10/2 Ian Cannon <neovenator...@gmail.com>
>
> > I'm currently reading through "Beasts of Eden" by David Rains
> > Wallace.  Its focused completely on the history of mammalian
> > paleontology, but I feel as though its been excellent so far.  The
> > book navigates through the lives of paleontologists who have advanced
> > the study of fossil mammals in almost a biographical way, using
> > Zallinger's "Age of Mammals" mural as a guide.
>
> > On Oct 1, 8:52 pm, Seosamh <catchull...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > What are some good books on the history of paleontology? What makes
> > > them good? Feel free to offer biographies,tales of discovery, the
> > > evolution of evolution :)
>
> --
> Peter Moon, Ph.D.
> Editor at Large
> Revista Época
> Av. Jaguaré, 1485
> São Paulo-SP
> 05346-902
> Brazil
> Phone: 5511 3767-7849
> Mob: 5511 7287-5050
> e-mail: pmo...@gmail.com
> MSN: peterm...@yahoo.com
> Skype: peter.moon1
> Twitter: @Peter_Moon1

darwinsbulldog

unread,
Oct 2, 2011, 12:42:20 PM10/2/11
to History of Paleontology
Joe, if you give me a mailing address I think I get a copy of The Hot-
Blooded Dinosaurs (send me an email to darwins...@gmail.com)

Michael Barton

darwinsbulldog

unread,
Oct 2, 2011, 12:52:49 PM10/2/11
to History of Paleontology
Some books on my shelf, not yet mentioned:

Terrible Lizard by Deborah Cadbury
The Gilded Dinosaur by Mark Jaffe
The Dragon Seekers by Christopher McGowan
Georges Cuvier, Fossil Bones, and Geological Catastrophes by Martin
Rudwick
The First Fossil Hunters by Adrienne Mayor
Bursting the Limits of Time by Martin Rudwick
Worlds Before Adam by Martin Rudwick
pretty much anything by historian of science Rudwick, especially The
Meaning of Fossils

Not owned or read by me:
The Second Dinosaur Rush by Paul Brinkman
An Agenda for Antiquity: Henry Fairfield Osborn and Vertebrate
Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, 1890-1935 by
Ronald Rainger
Big Bone Lick: The Cradle of American Paleontology by Stanley Hedeen
and John Mack Faragher
American Monster: How the Nation's First Prehistoric Creature Became a
Symbol of National Identity by Paul Semonin

Michael Barton

On Oct 2, 9:12 am, Seosamh <catchull...@gmail.com> wrote:

dobermunk

unread,
Oct 3, 2011, 6:17:43 AM10/3/11
to History of Paleontology
I'm reading African Dinosaurs Unearthed; Tendaguru...
http://www.amazon.com/African-Dinosaurs-Unearthed-Tendaguru-Expeditions/dp/0253342147

It's a lot of numbers and sometimes difficult to follow (ie.. x people
worked for wage y for z months - that broken down into detailed
subitems and peripheral expenses) but the logistical challenges and
nationalist motivations behind the science are really fascinating, as
well as a brute-force understanding of the many steps from discovery
to excavation, preparation and analysis. Definitely recommendable.

Mike Taylor

unread,
Oct 3, 2011, 6:21:48 AM10/3/11
to history-of-...@googlegroups.com
I second that -- it's a truly outstanding book (and I am not just
saying that because it's full of brachiosaurs). Obsessive
scholarship, written up approachably.

-- Mike.

Stu Pond

unread,
Oct 3, 2011, 6:52:16 AM10/3/11
to History of Paleontology
A History of Paleontology Illustration by Jane P. Davidson - great
overview of the history of this branch of scientific illustration
although modern artists are underrepresented.

An Odyssey in Time by Dale Russell. Excellent overview of dinosaur
science with some superb images.

Dinosaurs of the Isle of Wight. Martill and Naish. In need of an
update but still a brilliant and thorough overview of the dinosaur and
pterosaur assemblages of the Island and a good overview of history of
dinosaur discovery on the island. One of my most treasured books.

The Dinosaur Heresies. Bakker. What to say? One of the most
influential works in the history of palaeontology.

Peter Moon

unread,
Oct 3, 2011, 10:09:11 AM10/3/11
to history-of-...@googlegroups.com
Wow, what a coincidence!

I'm reading it right now and I am also finding it fascinanting!

I also read somewhere that the Tanzania governement is now asking for the return of the Tendaguru fossils - specially Giraffatitan brancai

I really doubt the Germans would allow it. But I think they should...

At least this is my opinion.

best

Peter Moon
Sao Paulo
Brazil

2011/10/3 dobermunk <dobe...@googlemail.com>

Mike Taylor

unread,
Oct 3, 2011, 10:16:19 AM10/3/11
to history-of-...@googlegroups.com
Regarding the return of the Tendaguru fossils to Tanzania. I don't
know where this rumour originated (I've heard it couple of times) but
you needn't worry. I've spoken to curators at the Humboldt Museum,
and there is no truth in it.

-- Mike.

Tom Holtz - Home

unread,
Oct 3, 2011, 2:44:28 PM10/3/11
to History of Paleontology
Believe it or not, the first to propose dinosaurs as warm-blooded
reptiles was...

Sir Richard Owen, in 1842, in the very paper (Owen, R. 1842 Report on
British Fossil Reptiles, Part II. Pp. 60-204 in Report of the Eleventh
Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science,
Plymouth, England, July 1841. John Murray, London.)

Owen argues that the parasagittal stance of dinosaurs, their two-
headed ribs, multi-sacral sacra, etc., argues that dinosaurs more
closely resembled "pachydermous mammals" than extant reptiles in terms
of physiology and behavior.

Tom Holtz - Home

unread,
Oct 3, 2011, 2:53:25 PM10/3/11
to History of Paleontology
* Meant to say "the very paper in which 'Dinosauria' was named."

Seosamh

unread,
Oct 3, 2011, 9:56:22 PM10/3/11
to History of Paleontology
So everything old really is new again!

Mark Ryan

unread,
Oct 5, 2011, 12:58:46 PM10/5/11
to History of Paleontology
I'm glad to find this group. I really enjoy researching and reading
about the history of paleontology. Regarding books, "Marsh's
Dinosaurs: The Collection from Como Bluff" by Ostrom and McIntosh
"Discovering Dinosaurs in the Old West: The Field Journals of Arthur
Lakes" by Michael Kohl are two of my favorites. Lately I've been
enjoying Tom Rea's "Bone Wars" about the discovery of Diplodocus
carnegii. I particularly enjoy collecting early paleontology
illustrations so Jane P. Davidson's aforementioned "A History of
Paleontology Illustration" is another one my bookshelf.


On Oct 1, 8:52 pm, Seosamh <catchull...@gmail.com> wrote:

Schenck

unread,
Oct 13, 2011, 12:26:42 PM10/13/11
to History of Paleontology
I'll also mention Naish's "Dinosaurs and other extinct Saurians",
which has some really interesting info for the earliest era.

http://www.amazon.com/Dinosaurs-Other-Extinct-Saurians-Perspective/dp/1862393117

Mike Taylor

unread,
Oct 13, 2011, 12:37:31 PM10/13/11
to history-of-...@googlegroups.com
And excellent book, but absurdly over-priced.

The chapter on this history of sauropod research is freely available,
though, as the author (that's me) never surrendered copyright to the
Geological Society. Full story here (and a link to the PDF):
http://svpow.wordpress.com/2010/10/13/who-owns-my-sauropod-history-paper/

-- Mike.

Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages