Popular Dinosaur Books: Your general Opinions?

[goodlife18]

I think that by now, those of us who had been fed a diet on Popular Dinosaur Books during our childhood will realise that a lot of the information is inaccurate. Yes, many new scientific discoveries will make information outdated. But the thing is, even today,popular dinosaur books are probably just as inaccurate as they were before.

In fact, they seem to be so distilled of facts, they might as well be fiction.

Can't believe I used to believe them so wholeheartedly. Then again, that was during childhood. 

So my question is WHERE are the writers getting their from information from?

Also Does anyone share the same sentiment regarding these popular dinosaur books? Especially those who had enjoyed reading them during their childhood days?

I hope to hear personal views from you guys too.

[HD-man]

So my question is WHERE are the writers getting their from information from? Does anyone share the same sentiment regarding these popular dinosaur books? Especially those who had enjoyed reading them during their childhood days?

Hope this helps: http://jd-man.deviantart.com/journal/SD-A-Dinosaur-Lover-s-Bookshelf-374321353

[goodlife18]

Thanks for the informative post. But what do the rest of you people think? Anyone else who grew up on a diet of popular dinosaur books now feel 'cheated ' when they look back? Or do you now have the same sentiment as I do whenever you come across those  popular books whenever you step into bookstores today?

[Halichoeres]

I don't feel cheated. Sure, the books had their share of inaccuracies, but they were mostly right about most things. Unlike other books my parents had me read, which, for example, told me that dinosaurs and mammoths went extinct because of a certain flood. There are different levels of inaccuracy, and popular dinosaur books helped turn me into a scientist. So bully for popular dinosaur books, warts and all!

[laticauda]

I do not feel cheated at all.  The problem with dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals is that they are extinct.  That means a lot of educated guess work has happened over the years. Many writers in the past and present just copy what they think is the correct information.  How many writers when doing their research, accidentally read old or outdated data, and not realize it, and put into their work.  In fact, how often do we get a little nugget of information, act like its fact, then find out it was either completely, or partially wrong.   In today's age, misinformation is worse than ever, as their is so many different ideas and thoughts out there, it is easy to miss what has been done as hard empirical work, compared to a persons general thought or agenda (Not to pick a fight, example: Creation Science)   I'll be honest, it makes it challenging for me to teach my kids the correct information. 

I enjoy most books on the subject, because it shows our evolution in trying to understand something that is very difficult to understand.   I just watched Fantasia, you all know the prehistoric scene from it, it is wonderful.  It is scientifically wrong, but the art is still nice.