Book recommendations

[Gwangi]

For an encyclopedia type reference I have to back TQ up on the two she just mentioned. Though the Greg Paul book s a few years dated now it is probably the most recent book published of its kind.

[Takama]

The thing about the Princeton guide is that the taxonomy is all over the place.

It lists Guanlong (which is a Tyrannosaur) as a species of Monlophosaurus.

plus the Dougal Dixon book that TQ has is getting hard to find at a cheap price

[HD-man]

Hi everyone, new here. Can anyone reccomend the most up to date, illustrated and comprehensive dinosaur book available? There are so many to choose from! Thanks

Like Tyrantqueen said, that's a hard question to answer. For 1, it depends on whether you're a casual reader, an enthusiast, or a specialist ( http://whenpigsfly-returns.blogspot.com/2008/04/paleo-reading-list.html ). For another, it depends on whether you're looking for general books about dinos or books on special topics. Assuming you're a casual reader looking for general books about dinos, read on.

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 ) & Gardom/Milner's The Natural History Museum Book of Dinosaurs ( http://www.amazon.com/Natural-History-Museum-Book-Dinosaurs/dp/184442183X ) are the best encyclopedic & non-encyclopedic dino books, respectively, for casual readers. Taylor's review of the former ( http://www.miketaylor.org.uk/dino/books/index.html#hr2007 ) & Amazon's synopsis of the latter ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Natural-History-Museum-Book-Dinosaurs/dp/184442183X ) sum up most of the reasons why, but not the most important reason: Holtz & the NHM keeps updates on Supplementary Information for Holtz's Dinosaurs ( http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/dinoappendix/ ) & The Dino Directory ( https://web.archive.org/web/20150805224228/http://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino-directory/index.html ), respectively, when parts of said books become outdated.

[tyrantqueen]

I really wish there was a book that had good, detailed skeletons of marine reptiles. I would love it if it was done in the style of the skeletons in the Princeton Field Guide. I can only dream

[DinoToyForum]

FYI, I merged the two book recommendation threads - Admin.

[Everything_Dinosaur]

Just finished writing a review of "Pterosaurs" by Mark Witton (Princeton Press).  It is an excellent read, we have posted a review on our blog here: Everything Dinosaur's Review of Pterosaurs by Mark Witton

A good book that really updates the Pterosauria, it is a comprehensive overview, although the academic text does not make this book suitable for young readers.  We learned a new word today "Pterosaurologist"!

[fleshanthos]

Princeton's Field Guide is really good.
Dinosaur Art  is great for $25
Scientific American book of Dinosaurs is a must-read even though 13 years old now.

I would say that Bakker's Dinosaur Heresies is a must-have, this despite his being cognitively dissonant. I found no references to his secondary fantasy world unlike reading Stephen Hawking. I am very confident it has not affected his data or hypotheses.

Last, I hope to eventually get hold of A Dozen Dinosaurs. Wildly inaccurate in "facts" and illustration, while not being my first Dinosaur book, it was the first library book I ever took out and cemented my fascination with the Dinosauria.   

[HD-man]

I found no references to his secondary fantasy world unlike reading Stephen Hawking. I am very confident it has not affected his data or hypotheses.

No offense, but I have to ask: What ARE you talking about?

[tyrantqueen]

No offense, but I have to ask: What ARE you talking about?

Rofl, couldn't have said it better myself

[HD-man]

No offense, but I have to ask: What ARE you talking about?

Rofl, couldn't have said it better myself

Thanks!

Since we're on the subject of Bakker, I might as well recommend Raptor Pack ( http://www.amazon.com/Raptor-Pack-Step-into-Reading-Step-5/dp/0375823034 ), which is both my favorite children's dino book & my favorite Bakker book. Besides the fact that eudromaeosaurs are my favorite extinct dinos, it gives the best idea of what they were like when alive (in Chapter 1) AWA how we know what we know (in the rest of the book).

P.S. Just in case you were wondering, Gardom/Milner's The Natural History Museum Book of Dinosaurs ( http://www.amazon.com/Natural-History-Museum-Book-Dinosaurs/dp/184442183X ) is my favorite adult dino book. Also, eagles are my favorite living dinos.

[SGHILLUSTRATION]

Thanks for the help everyone - i'll check out your recommendations

[tyrantqueen]

Okay, so I was about to buy Pterosaurs: Flying Contemporaries of the Dinosaurs by Andre J. Veldmeijer on Amazon.co.uk. And I find it's selling for over £120?! Even worse, used copies on Amazon.com are selling for $3700. I checked eBay and it's the same thing.

Any idea what happened here?

[CityRaptor]

I think it is combination of that book being more or less rare and madness on part of the seller. Or a typo. But if it is not a typo, it is clearly madness.

[tyrantqueen]

I think it is combination of that book being more or less rare and madness on part of the seller. Or a typo. But if it is not a typo, it is clearly madness.

But the book was only released recently (this year I believe). I don't understand how it can be rare already.

[CityRaptor]

I'm wondering that myself. Maybe only a small number was printed.

[fleshanthos]

"Cognitive Dissonance" PM'd.
Result is a potentially great book becomes merely good.

But the Dinosaur Heresies, despite being very old, is a great book.
I enjoyed his Raptor Red also, although it is Science Fiction.
(Who says that genre has to be in the future?)

The most informative and best I have read so far is the Scientific American one.
It would not have been possible without Bakker's work on homeothermy that Heresies is a case book for.

[deanm]

I bought my copy of Pterosaurs: Flying Contemporaries of the Dinosaurs by Andre J. Veldmeijer via Amazon Canada. There was a significant amount of time (1.25 years) between the purchase and the delivery in part because I had bought it as a pre-order for about 50.00 Cdn$.

I'm glad I have but Mark Whitton's new book is substantively better in my opinion not only in terms of scope & material covered but purchased price also.

[wings]

Okay, so I was about to buy Pterosaurs: Flying Contemporaries of the Dinosaurs by Andre J. Veldmeijer on Amazon.co.uk. And I find it's selling for over £120?! Even worse, used copies on Amazon.com are selling for $3700. I checked eBay and it's the same thing.

Any idea what happened here?

That is unfortunate, I bought mine for approx. $30 AU (including shipping cost) at book depository. Maybe you have to wait for the "hype" to die down a bit and check out the second hand book stores like albris or AbeBooks (there is one but also quite expensive... http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=10190001336&searchurl=kn%3DPterosaurs%2BFlying%2BContemporaries%2Bof%2Bthe%2BDinosaurs%26amp%3Bsts%3Dt%26amp%3Bx%3D38%26amp%3By%3D13).

[tyrantqueen]

I bought my copy of Pterosaurs: Flying Contemporaries of the Dinosaurs by Andre J. Veldmeijer via Amazon Canada. There was a significant amount of time (1.25 years) between the purchase and the delivery in part because I had bought it as a pre-order for about 50.00 Cdn$.

I'm glad I have but Mark Whitton's new book is substantively better in my opinion not only in terms of scope & material covered but purchased price also.

I just got Mark Witton's book today, I like it a lot. What kind of content does Veldmeijer's book offer? Is it an encyclopedia or just a general guide?

That is unfortunate, I bought mine for approx. $30 AU (including shipping cost) at book depository. Maybe you have to wait for the "hype" to die down a bit and check out the second hand book stores like albris or AbeBooks (there is one but also quite expensive...

I guess so. *Is sad* Do you recommend the book?

[deanm]

It is a high level guide with a lot of color photos and illustrations (not always hitting the point).  If you are looking for a deeper understanding of pterosaurs then Witton's solo book is the way to go.