Book recommendations

[Halichoeres]

I suppose I have a book to recommend too. Darren Naish's Ancient Sea Reptiles. I haven't finished it yet but it is extremely informative so far while also being entertaining and reader friendly too. But if you read Naish then you know what to expect. A book like this is long overdue!

I have this one too and I'm pretty happy with it! One I'm looking forward to is Gabriel Ugueto's book in progress on reptiles of the Triassic and Jurassic.

[Gwangi]

I suppose I have a book to recommend too. Darren Naish's Ancient Sea Reptiles. I haven't finished it yet but it is extremely informative so far while also being entertaining and reader friendly too. But if you read Naish then you know what to expect. A book like this is long overdue!

I have this one too and I'm pretty happy with it! One I'm looking forward to is Gabriel Ugueto's book in progress on reptiles of the Triassic and Jurassic.

I was not aware of that one. That definitely sounds like something to look forward to.

[Quiversaurus]

Hello all, I am considering getting two titles to expand my knowledge on paleontology in general:

1. The Future of Dinosaurs: What We Don't Know, What We Can, and What We'll Never Know
(https://www.amazon.com/Future-Dinosaurs-What-Dont-Never/dp/1473692245)

2. Dinosaurs: Profiles from a Lost World
(
https://www.amazon.sg/Dinosaurs-Profiles-World-Riley-Black/dp/1627951830/ref=asc_df_1627951830/?tag=sgsmrtphshopg-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=601027336961&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7853063315969001829&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9062508&hvtargid=pla-1662343903415&psc=1)

Anyone know if these are worth getting? And if yes or no, why?

I have read the following recently, and enjoyed #4 and #5 in particular:
1. Dinopedia (Darren Naish)
2. Dinosaurs Rediscovered (J. Michael Benton)
3. The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs (Stephen Brusatte)
4. The Secrets of Dinosaurs (PNSO)
5. Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved (Darren Naish)

Thank you!

[thomasw100]

Hello all, I am considering getting two titles to expand my knowledge on paleontology in general:

1. The Future of Dinosaurs: What We Don't Know, What We Can, and What We'll Never Know
(https://www.amazon.com/Future-Dinosaurs-What-Dont-Never/dp/1473692245)

2. Dinosaurs: Profiles from a Lost World
(
https://www.amazon.sg/Dinosaurs-Profiles-World-Riley-Black/dp/1627951830/ref=asc_df_1627951830/?tag=sgsmrtphshopg-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=601027336961&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7853063315969001829&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9062508&hvtargid=pla-1662343903415&psc=1)

Anyone know if these are worth getting? And if yes or no, why?

I have read the following recently, and enjoyed #4 and #5 in particular:
1. Dinopedia (Darren Naish)
2. Dinosaurs Rediscovered (J. Michael Benton)
3. The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs (Stephen Brusatte)
4. The Secrets of Dinosaurs (PNSO)
5. Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved (Darren Naish)

Thank you!

I have number 2): Dinosaurs: Profiles from a Lost World. It is mainly full page paleoart paintings of selected species, with some short text about each species. Certainly informative, but not more than what you could find on a Wikipedia page. The pictures are spectacular though.

I just read: D.E. Fastovsky, D.B. Weishampel: Dinosaurs. A concise Natural History. Cambridge University Press. I would highly recommend this book.

[Quiversaurus]

Hello all, I am considering getting two titles to expand my knowledge on paleontology in general:

1. The Future of Dinosaurs: What We Don't Know, What We Can, and What We'll Never Know
(https://www.amazon.com/Future-Dinosaurs-What-Dont-Never/dp/1473692245)

2. Dinosaurs: Profiles from a Lost World
(
https://www.amazon.sg/Dinosaurs-Profiles-World-Riley-Black/dp/1627951830/ref=asc_df_1627951830/?tag=sgsmrtphshopg-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=601027336961&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7853063315969001829&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9062508&hvtargid=pla-1662343903415&psc=1)

Anyone know if these are worth getting? And if yes or no, why?

I have read the following recently, and enjoyed #4 and #5 in particular:
1. Dinopedia (Darren Naish)
2. Dinosaurs Rediscovered (J. Michael Benton)
3. The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs (Stephen Brusatte)
4. The Secrets of Dinosaurs (PNSO)
5. Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved (Darren Naish)

Thank you!

I have number 2): Dinosaurs: Profiles from a Lost World. It is mainly full page paleoart paintings of selected species, with some short text about each species. Certainly informative, but not more than what you could find on a Wikipedia page. The pictures are spectacular though.

I just read: D.E. Fastovsky, D.B. Weishampel: Dinosaurs. A concise Natural History. Cambridge University Press. I would highly recommend this book.

I see, thanks for this! I saw some sample pages of #2 from Amazon also, and the paintings really are gorgeous. Might get that one in that case.

the Fastovsky/Weishampel one is rather out of my budget, so maybe I'll save up for it. Thanks anyway!

[thomasw100]

I see, thanks for this! I saw some sample pages of #2 from Amazon also, and the paintings really are gorgeous. Might get that one in that case.

the Fastovsky/Weishampel one is rather out of my budget, so maybe I'll save up for it. Thanks anyway!

The Fastovsky/Weishampel costs 52 Euros on Amazon.de in the paperback edition. The hardcover is of course very expensive.

[HD-man]

@quiversaurus I'm glad you like Naish's books. Natural Histories of Dinos are the best intros to the whole story of dinos ( https://www.deviantart.com/jd-man/journal/SD-Natural-Histories-of-Dinos-697472470 ) & Dinosaurs is the best NHD for adult casual readers (My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3505614509 ). Likewise, Dinopedia is the best dino reference work for adult casual readers (My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4960975366 ).

If you want the best NHD & dino reference works for enthusiasts, I recommend Fastovsky/Weishampel's book & Molina-Pérez/Larramendi's Dinosaur Facts and Figures books ( https://press.princeton.edu/our-authors/molina-perez-ruben ), respectively. Send me a PM if you need help finding cheap copies.

1 more thing: Since you like PNSO's dino reference work, I also recommend their NHD, Age of Dinosaurs (My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4820220402 ).

[Quiversaurus]

H @HD-man Thank you so much for these links, they're so very helpful. Will slowly read through the reviews!

And yes, I have also been considering the Molina-Perez/Larramendi books, both the ones on sauropods as well as theropods. But I am a little hesitant on theropods as I'm not sure how updated it is, especially on Spinosaurus. Any thoughts on this?

I've looked through PNSO's Age of Dinosaurs before, alongside Secrets of Dinosaurs at my local bookstore, and found the latter more informative and interesting. Then again this was probably 2 years ago so my preferences may have shifted since then...

[HD-man]

@quiversaurus Just replied to your PM

Thank you so much for these links, they're so very helpful. Will slowly read through the reviews!

Anytime. Glad I could help I also post my reviews in a DTF thread: https://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.0

But I am a little hesitant on theropods as I'm not sure how updated it is, especially on Spinosaurus. Any thoughts on this?

To be fair, it's as up-to-date as it can be for 2019. Besides, I'm sure there'll be new editions in the future. In the meantime, a new edition of GSPaul's dino field guide is coming out soon ( https://www.amazon.com/Princeton-Field-Guide-Dinosaurs-Guides/dp/0691231575 ). Weirdness aside, it's the next best source of dino stats.

[Concavenator]

I have Eofauna's theropod and sauropodomorph books and they are absolutely great, I totally recommend them. I also recommend Saurian's "Field Guide to Hell Creek" (outstanding illustrations). I still have to sit and read Brusatte's "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs". I've been skimming through it and I've enjoyed what I've read, but I still want to fully read it before I share my thoughts on it (they will surely be positive).

@suspsy What was the name of that book about dinosaur colorations? IIRC, it was you who mentioned it at some point, but I can't find the post. I remember it being very interesting based on the previews I saw.

[HD-man]

I still have to sit and read Brusatte's "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs". I've been skimming through it and I've enjoyed what I've read, but I still want to fully read it before I share my thoughts on it

No worries if you wanna wait until then to read reviews, but just in case:

Spoiler

In terms of overall quality, it's good, but has some problems that keep it from being great ( https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3522479251 ). If you want the best natural history of dinos for adults, get the newest edition of Naish/Barrett's Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved (I reviewed the 1st edition: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3505614509 ).

[close]

@suspsy What was the name of that book about dinosaur colorations? IIRC, it was you who mentioned it at some point, but I can't find the post. I remember it being very interesting based on the previews I saw.

Do you mean Benton's Dinosaurs: New Visions of a Lost World?:

[thomasw100]

I just got Dinosaur World by Johnson-Ransom and Csotonyi. What I like about it are the illustrations of more than 1200 species by Julius Csotonyi, who is an acclaimed paleoartist. A lot of inspiration also for people who would like to draw dinosaurs or paint their models.

[thomasw100]

I still have to sit and read Brusatte's "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs". I've been skimming through it and I've enjoyed what I've read, but I still want to fully read it before I share my thoughts on it

No worries if you wanna wait until then to read reviews, but just in case:

Spoiler

In terms of overall quality, it's good, but has some problems that keep it from being great ( https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3522479251 ). If you want the best natural history of dinos for adults, get the newest edition of Naish/Barrett's "Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved" (I reviewed the 1st edition: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3505614509 ).

[close]

@suspsy What was the name of that book about dinosaur colorations? IIRC, it was you who mentioned it at some point, but I can't find the post. I remember it being very interesting based on the previews I saw.

Do you mean Benton's Dinosaurs: New Visions of a Lost World?:

I just read that, very nice book I must say. Quite fascinating how much we actually know about the colors of the dinosaurs.

[Concavenator]

H @HD-man About Brusatte's "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs", I meant that I already have it, and that I still have to read it, instead of just skimming through it. Interesting that you found some issues with it, though.

No, I don't think it's that one. Does that book mention something about the color patterns in both Saurolophus species? I recall that book mentioning something about it. IIRC, it was also aimed at kids.

In any case, I had forgotten about the book you mentioned (Dinosaurs: New Visions of a Lost World), so you've made me remember it. I totally have to get it at some point (regardless of the cover being funny for obvious reasons  ).

Thank you for the answer. 

[HD-man]

In any case, I had forgotten about the book you mentioned (Dinosaurs: New Visions of a Lost World), so you've made me remember it. I totally have to get it at some point (regardless of the cover being funny for obvious reasons  ).

I'll send you a PM linking to a cheap copy. As is often the case w/Benton's popular dino books, it's very well illustrated, but not-so-well written/fact-checked

[HD-man]

-Age of Dinosaurs (Pnso Field Guide to the Ancient World) ( https://www.amazon.com/Dinosaurs-Field-Guide-Ancient-World/dp/1612545289 )

I thought I mentioned reviewing that book (which isn't really a field guide, but IS still great: https://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg323199#msg323199 ), sorry.

BTW, I'm really looking forward to the following books:

-Barrett's A History of Dinosaurs in 50 Fossils ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/1588347338 ): For those who don't know, I reviewed the 1st edition of Naish/Barrett's Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved ( http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg183625#msg183625 ). Based on Amazon's description, the new book sounds very similar (I.e. An adult natural history "divided into themed sections, beginning with dinosaur ancestors before introducing all the major dinosaur groups and moving on to[...]feeding, distribution, locomotion and behaviour. The final section focuses on the first fossil birds including the legendary Archaeopteryx"). Since both books are NHM ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Dinosaurs-50-Fossils/dp/0565095331 ), I'm guessing there's some major difference so that they don't compete for the exact same audience.

-Hone's Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior: What They Did and How We Know ( https://archive.ph/Zfq3S ): For those who don't know, I reviewed Hone's The Tyrannosaur Chronicles: The Biology of the Tyrant Dinosaurs ( http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg202696#msg202696 ). Based on Hone's description (especially of the illustrations), the new book seems to be even better. At the very least, it should be better than Benton's Dinosaur Behavior: An Illustrated Guide (which is very well illustrated, but not-so-well written/fact-checked ).

[Halichoeres]

Somehow only learned of Beast Companions this week:


All about the animals that lived during the Mesozoic that weren't dinosaurs (although there is a chapter on birds).

Can be preordered from Indiana University Press
https://iupress.org/9780253069405/beast-companions/

or bookshop.org
https://bookshop.org/p/books/beast-companions-the-unsung-animals-of-the-dinosaurs-world-john-foster/20275886

I'm definitely getting a copy!