Book recommendations

[Flaffy]

From what I've seen in bookstores recently, there has been a lot of low-quality-stock-image-copy-pasted books about dinosaurs (seriously, I found two books from different publishers with the exact same content).
I personally like All Yesterdays/All Your Yesterdays, depicting dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures displaying behaviours that are very different from what we perceive them as. I don't know if it qualifies as an encyclopedia about dinosaurs, but it sure is an interesting book.

[CityRaptor]

Different publishers? Wow. Usually it is the same publisher doing things like that. Just swapping the cover. But the rest pretty much sums up the situation here in Germany, too.  If I want a good book, I have to get it online.

[tyrantqueen]

I have been through this thread but still have a question for you guys, which book do you recommend as the best encyclopedia about dinosaurs ?

I would like to have the most informations possible about the most dinosaurs species possible with good drawings and pictures of fossiles...

Thanks for your help!

If you can spare any expense, the best encyclopaedia is by Don Glut. It is technical to a certain extent but is filled with useful information and pictures. Comes in several volumes but very expensive.

Most people would probably want something cheaper and easier to obtain. A couple of suggestions:

-The Princeton Field Guide by Gregory S Paul has lots of artwork but no pictures of fossils.  Covers individual species but Paul's taxonomy is weird.
-Dinosaurs by Tom Holtz has a lot of artwork. Little to no pictures of fossils. Doesn't cover individual species, but groups as a whole.

I also like The Illustrated Dinosaur Encyclopaedia by Dougal Dixon. Pretty dated now but I like the artwork and it has individual species listed.

They all have their strengths and weaknesses, there's no ultimate encyclopaedia (yet) imo.

[Doug Watson]

Anyone know this book? Rise and Fall of the Dinosaur by Joseph Wallace (1987, Hardcover)

I was just going through this thread for the first time, did anyone ever answer you on this book?. I have it. It is geared toward the general public but has good quality illustration by known artists like Knight, Henderson, Paul, Hallett, Czerkas with some photos of real fossils but not many.

[HD-man]

I have been through this thread but still have a question for you guys, which book do you recommend as the best encyclopedia about dinosaurs ?

I would like to have the most informations possible about the most dinosaurs species possible with good drawings and pictures of fossiles...

Thanks for your help!

Holtz's Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages ( http://www.amazon.com/Dinosaurs-Complete-Up---Date-Encyclopedia/dp/0375824197 ) is the best encyclopedic dino book for casual readers. Taylor's review ( http://www.miketaylor.org.uk/dino/books/index.html#hr2007 ) sums up most of the reasons why, but not the most important reason: Holtz keeps updates on "Supplementary Information for Holtz's Dinosaurs" ( http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/dinoappendix/ ) when parts of said book become outdated.

I personally like All Yesterdays/All Your Yesterdays, depicting dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures displaying behaviours that are very different from what we perceive them as. I don't know if it qualifies as an encyclopedia about dinosaurs,

An encyclopedia is defined as "a reference work...that contains information on all branches of knowledge or treats comprehensively a particular branch of knowledge usually in articles arranged alphabetically often by subject" ( http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encyclopedia ), so no.

They all have their strengths and weaknesses, there's no ultimate encyclopaedia (yet) imo.

True, although Holtz's Dinosaurs definitely comes closest.

[ceratopsian]

......
I also like The Illustrated Dinosaur Encyclopaedia by Dougal Dixon. Pretty dated now but I like the artwork and it has individual species listed.

They all have their strengths and weaknesses, there's no ultimate encyclopaedia (yet) imo.

I second this on encyclopaedias in general. I have quite a few and like different aspects of each of them.  I always keep an eye on the date though, so I know if things are likely to have moved on.  I do like the Dixon as a light read.  It can also be found very cheaply.  I picked up a copy of the 2015 paperback reprint earlier this summer in of all places a cross-English Channel ferry shop.  It cost only £3.99!

[btb300]

Dougal Dixon's Dinosaur Encyclopedia has been mentioned a lot, but I actually read a different book by him titled After Man: A Zoology of the Future. I found it quite amazing and used to read it a lot, so I'd definitely recommend it. Another not dinosaur related, but rather about extinction, evolution and island biogeography is The Song of the Dodo by David Quammen.

[CityRaptor]

Dixon actually wrote three books on speculative Evolution. He also wrote the rather disturbing "Man after Man", where pretty much every animal on Earth is some kind of freaky human. But more importantly "The New Dinosaurs" which shows the result of non-avian Dinosaurs not going extinct. It's not perfect and is based on some outdated ideas, but it is an interesting book.

And it foresaw a few things:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/slideshow/alternative-evolution-dinosaurs-foresaw-contemporary-paleo/

[pako]

Thank you guys, really helpfull, I just need to make a choice now, I'll let you know 

[HD-man]

Thank you guys, really helpfull, I just need to make a choice now, I'll let you know 

Almost forgot: If you want a good dino encyclopedia, don't get any of Dixon's dino encyclopedias; For 1, Dixon is a bad source of dino info (See "Bad" in the 2nd post for why: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=4742.0 ); For another, they're basically all the same book ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/RWHDCGUHP5OV8?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl ) ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/ROA8EGN5K5S9Z?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl ).

[pako]

Well HD-man, that is exactly the answers I was waiting for, you understood what I am looking for, really appreciate your help and your advices 

[HD-man]

Well HD-man, that is exactly the answers I was waiting for, you understood what I am looking for, really appreciate your help and your advices 

Anytime!

[docronnie]

I agree with TQ's recommendations.  I just don't have Glut's book.

[CarnegieCollector]

I just recently bought Kronos Rising by Max Hawthorn. It is an amazing horror book! Especially if your a huge fan of Pliosaurs and monster stories! 

[RaptorRex]

Anyone read The Tyrannosaur Chronicles yet? It's on my list of books to read after I finish with My Beloved Brontosaurus.

For another, they're basically all the same book ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/RWHDCGUHP5OV8?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl ) ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/ROA8EGN5K5S9Z?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl ).

Wow, not to start anything, but some of that user's reviews come off as extremely pretentious and pedantic. Seems like he/she's more concerned with being the odd man out than giving the books a fair review. 

[tyrantqueen]

Anyone read The Tyrannosaur Chronicles yet? It's on my list of books to read after I finish with My Beloved Brontosaurus.

For another, they're basically all the same book ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/RWHDCGUHP5OV8?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl ) ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/ROA8EGN5K5S9Z?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl ).

Wow, not to start anything, but some of that user's reviews come off as extremely pretentious and pedantic. Seems like he/she's more concerned with being the odd man out than giving the books a fair review.

He/she doesn't like anything, it seems.

[Libraraptor]

Different publishers? Wow. Usually it is the same publisher doing things like that. Just swapping the cover. But the rest pretty much sums up the situation here in Germany, too.  If I want a good book, I have to get it online.

That ist true. You simply can´t go to a bookstore here and buy a good quality dinosaur book. When they DO have something,  they mostly send you to the childrens´ books where there are some pretty horribly designed computergenerated books with copy/paste text. I go to bookstores to have myself inspired to buying books I never thought they´re there. If this happened to me with a dinosaur book, it would be the "holy grail" of both my passions. But this will never happen I fear. So I have to order on amazon.
Plus: Many good dinosaur books from UK or USA are not being translated into German since no German publishing company seems to see a market. Not a problem for me, I am good at English, but it avoids me encountering a great book by surprise.
It´s the same here in Germany  with dinosaur figures, too. All the toy store shelves are jammed with mostly horrible Schleich.

[CityRaptor]

Exactly like that. When was the last time we got a good book here in Germany? 2010? And even then it was a rarity.

[Dobber]

Anyone read The Tyrannosaur Chronicles yet? It's on my list of books to read after I finish with My Beloved Brontosaurus.

My copy arrived a few days ago. I just started it. I would also recommend the 2 Ancient Earth Journals (Early Cretaceous and Late Jurassic. Wonderfully illustrated books. There is a thread for them below.

Chris

[HD-man]

Wow, not to start anything, but some of that user's reviews come off as extremely pretentious and pedantic. Seems like he/she's more concerned with being the odd man out than giving the books a fair review.

He/she doesn't like anything, it seems.

Yes, I know what you guys mean. Coopernicus isn't my favorite Amazon Reviewer either. However, I haven't yet written my reviews of the Dixon books in question. Coopernicus's reviews of said books are the best I can do right now for showing what I mean. For what it's worth, Coopernicus does make some good points in some of his reviews.