Natural Histories of Dinos

[HD-man]

When I think of what natural history means, I think of the Geils/Vogler quote below. A Natural History of Dinos (henceforth NHD) is the best kind of non-encyclopedic dino book. There are 2 main reasons for why I think that is: 1) It's "designed to be read from start to finish as the developing story of a remarkable group of animals[...in a...]direct, clear written style" ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Natural-History-Museum-Book-Dinosaurs/dp/184442183X ); See Joseph's "For Love of Stories" ( https://artsci.washington.edu/news/2019-06/love-stories ) for why it's important that popular dino books are designed that way; 2) It puts dinos into an evolutionary & ecological context; See "Item Mentality and Dinosaurs in Popular Science" ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpJjOwKh6RY ) & "Alternatives to the Item Mentality in Dinosaur Books and Art" ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkAXXUCjYHs ) for why it's important that popular dino books do that. Yes, I have a Bachelor of Science in "Natural History and Interpretation" ( https://www.deviantart.com/jd-man/journal/Finally-my-1st-journal-entry-327744587 ) & thus am very biased. That said, NHD books are mostly very good to great & I wanna know about all of them, hence this journal entry[...which was originally posted at deviantART: https://www.deviantart.com/jd-man/journal/SD-Natural-Histories-of-Dinos-697472470 ]. All the NHD books I know about are listed below. If there are any books you think should be listed, please let me know. Many thanks in advance. 1 more thing of note: When trying to identify NHD books, look for a combination of the following or similar phrases:
-"a [adjective] look at"
-"a safari through time"
-"a trip to the Mesozoic"
-"as living animals"
-"day(s) of the dinosaur(s)"
-"dinosaur history"
-"evolution and ecology"
-"how they lived"
-"in a [adjective] context"
-"in the context of"
-"places them in"
-"the dinosaur story"
-"their evolution and extinction"
-"their history"
-"their natural habitat"
-"their natural environment"
-"their rise and fall"
-"their story"
-"their world"
-"time and space"
-"who they were"

Quoting Geils/Vogler (See "A Natural History Perspective": http://web.archive.org/web/20111024233515/https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_p063/rmrs_p063_210_217.pdf ):

The term history in natural history derives from the Greek for inquiry or knowing. A natural history is a description of one kind of organism in its natural environment. It is a narrative on the development, behavior, relationships, evolution, and significance of a subject organism. We are inspired by Charles Darwin and E. O. Wilson. Their work demonstrates that natural history is not just for charismatic species, but also for 'lowly' barnacles and ants. Natural history unites biology and philosophy. What we perceive depends on how we observe and integrate that observation into an operational model of reality (see Hawking and Mlodinow 2010). What we perceive determines what we accept as true, beautiful, and right—therefore, what motivates our action.

Matthew's Dinosaurs: With Special Reference to the American Museum Collections ( https://archive.org/details/dinosaurswithspe00mattiala )

Colbert's The Dinosaur Book: The Ruling Reptiles and Their Relatives ( https://archive.org/details/dinosauruli13colb )

Zim's Dinosaurs (See page 2 of the preview: https://archive.org/details/dinosaurs00zimh/page/n1 )

Bloch's Dinosaurs (See page 52 of the preview: https://archive.org/details/dinosaurs00bloc/page/n51 )

1960s

Geis' How and Why Wonder Book of Dinosaurs (See the Introduction: https://archive.org/details/dinosaurs0000darl/page/n3 )

Watson's Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Reptiles ( https://paleoaerie.org/2013/11/26/its-big-its-golden-and-its-dinosaurs/ )

Ostrom's The Strange World of Dinosaurs (See page 4 of the preview: https://archive.org/details/strangeworldofdi00ostr/page/n3 )

Colbert's Dinosaurs: Their Discovery and Their World ( https://books.google.com/books?id=FklK23bk35IC&pg=PA646&dq=%22the+dinosaur+and+its+day%22 )

Pringle's Dinosaurs and their world (See page 68 of the preview: https://archive.org/details/dinosaurstheirwo0000prin/page/n67 )

de Camp/de Camp's The Day of the Dinosaur ("Natural History: General": http://web.archive.org/web/20221124233111/https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/179495990 )

1970s

Swinton's The Dinosaurs ( https://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/community/library/blog/tags/dinosaurs.html )

McGowen's Album of Dinosaurs ("Following an introductory sketch of the history and general characteristics of dinosaurs, each of twelve succeeding chapters focuses upon a particular genus[...]its peculiarities, presumed habits, and relationships to contemporary life": https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tbm=bks&ei=3rvGXK_LJJ7K0PEP09OFqAU&q=%22Following+an+introductory+sketch+of+the+history%22 )

Halstead's The Evolution and Ecology of the Dinosaurs/The World of Dinosaurs ( https://archive.org/details/worldofdinosaurs0000hals )

Moody's A Natural History of Dinosaurs

Tweedie's The World of Dinosaurs ("Natural History: General": http://web.archive.org/web/20221124230936/https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/89888062 )

Lambert's Dinosaurs/The Illustrated Book of Dinosaurs/The Giant Dinosaur Book ( https://books.google.com/books?id=yU7zIKi0xngC&source=gbs_similarbooks ) ( https://www.worldcat.org/title/giant-dinosaur-book/oclc/48739443 )

Man's The Natural History of the Dinosaur/The Day of the Dinosaur

Charig's A New Look at the Dinosaurs ( http://web.archive.org/web/20161130155410/https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/naish-and-barretts-dinosaurs-how-they-lived-and-evolved/ )

McLoughlin's Archosauria: A New Look at the Old Dinosaur ( https://marswillsendnomore.wordpress.com/2011/09/16/archosauria-a-new-look-at-the-old-dinosaur/ )

1980s

Sattler's Dinosaurs of North America ( https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2267190.Dinosaurs_of_North_America )

Man's Dinosaurs (It's literally an abbreviated version of Man's The Natural History of the Dinosaur/The Day of the Dinosaur: https://archive.org/details/dinosaurs00manj/page/n7 )

Colbert's Dinosaurs: An Illustrated History ( http://web.archive.org/web/20221125081922/https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/faEAAOSwUBZcyOOW/s-l1600.jpg )

Burton/Dixon's The Age of Dinosaurs: A Photographic Record (Thought I already listed this book, but I guess not. Anyway, see page 104 of the preview: https://archive.org/details/timeexposurephot0000burt/page/n103 )

Waldrop/Loomis' Ranger Rick's Dinosaur Book ("A magazine published ten times a year containing stories, photographs, riddles, games, and crossword puzzles relating to natural history": https://books.google.com/books/about/Ranger_Rick_s_Nature_Magazine.html?id=xvNJAAAAYAAJ )

Norman's When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth ( https://books.google.com/books/about/When_Dinosaurs_Ruled_the_Earth.html?id=OWtDBb4PRsAC )

Wexo's Zoobooks - Dinosaurs ("Zoobooks...both natural history and the environment": https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&q=%22Zoobooks+and+Dolphin%22 )

Zallinger's Dinosaurs and Other Archosaurs (See "Description": http://web.archive.org/web/20221124233936/https://www.etsy.com/listing/655600273/1986-dinosaurs-and-other-archosaurs-by?show_sold_out_detail=1 )

Bakker's The Dinosaur Heresies: New Theories Unlocking the Mystery of the Dinosaurs and Their Extinction ( http://cloggie.org/books/dinosaur-heresies.html )

World Book Inc.'s Dinosaurs!: A Supplement to Childcraft: The How and Why Library ( https://books.google.com/books/about/Dinosaurs.html?id=hW9yyAEACAAJ )

Wallace's The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaur

Elting's The Big Golden Book of Dinosaurs ("Part of the Golden Book series dealing with natural history for young people": https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&q=%22Elting%2C+Mary%2C+1988%2C%22 )

Norman's The Prehistoric World of the Dinosaur ("This book is primarily about dinosaurs, but before going any further it is most important to look at how geologists and paleontologists have been able to build up an understanding of the history of the Earth, estimating time geologically. The physical processes have in turn led to the deposition of rocks and the formation of fossils[...]and the evolution of life, including the forms of life that came before and after the dinosaurs[...]In this chapter I will provide a brief outline of these topics so that the historical position of dinosaurs can be more fully appreciated. I will also spend a little time explaining precisely what, scientifically, a dinosaur is understood to be. There is frequently some confusion about this")

Wexo's Dinosaurs (Prehistoric zoobooks) ("Zoobooks...both natural history and the environment": https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&q=%22Zoobooks+and+Dolphin%22 )

Dixon's The Big Book of Dinosaurs: A Natural History of the Prehistoric World

Russell's An Odyssey in Time: The Dinosaurs of North America (See "About this book": https://www.nhbs.com/an-odyssey-in-time-the-dinosaurs-of-north-america-book )

Benton's On the Trail of the Dinosaurs ("I was going to complain on a matter of principle that Benton had written yet another book on these wretched brutes, and not the poor neglected groups such as pterosaurs, his own beloved rhynchosaurs, and marine reptiles, which are of considerably greater relevance to the average British museum - except that he has just taken care of them in a sister volume, Reign of the reptiles": https://www.geocurator.org/images/resources/geocurator/vol5/geocurator_5_7.pdf )

1990s

Kricher's Peterson First Guide to Dinosaurs (See page 128 of A Guide to Field Guides: Identifying the Natural History of North America: https://archive.org/details/guidetofieldguid0000schm )

Gaffney's Dinosaurs (See page 126 of A Guide to Field Guides: Identifying the Natural History of North America: https://archive.org/details/guidetofieldguid0000schm )

Appleby's The BBC Book of Dinosaurs (See page 72 of the preview: https://archive.org/details/bbcbookofdinosau0000appl/page/n71 )

Czerkas/Czerkas' Dinosaurs: A Global View ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dinosaurs-Global-Sylvia-J-Czerkas/dp/1850280509 )

Norman's Dinosaur! ( https://books.google.com/books?id=gC4r-C2JJvsC )

Norell's All You Need to Know About Dinosaurs (It's basically an older, more junior version of Norell's The World of Dinosaurs: An Illustrated Tour: https://books.google.com/books/about/All_You_Need_to_Know_about_Dinosaurs.html?id=dVBetXHGAoAC&source=kp_book_description )

Michard's Reign of the Dinosaurs ( http://web.archive.org/web/20221125013541/https://www.wheelers.co.nz/books/9780500300121-reign-of-the-dinosaurs/ )

Brenner's Dinosaurium ("Follow dinosaur tracks through the world as it was during the Mesozoic era. Find out how these ancient creatures lived, moved, fed, reared their young, and much more. Including information on some of the latest discoveries, this book reveals how scientists interpret their findings and challenges young minds to join in the fun")

Wallace's Familiar Dinosaurs (See page 129 of A Guide to Field Guides: Identifying the Natural History of North America: https://archive.org/details/guidetofieldguid0000schm )

Spinar/Currie's The Great Dinosaurs: A Story of the Giants' Evolution

Lessem's Dinosaur Worlds ( https://web.archive.org/web/20221125000927/https://www.compulink.co.uk/~zebedee/html/brw/pages/bwo.htm )

Haines' Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History

2000s

Benton's Walking With Dinosaurs: The Facts/Walking With Dinosaurs: Fascinating Facts

Martill/Naish's Walking with Dinosaurs: The Evidence

Lambert's DK Guide to Dinosaurs ( https://www.worldcat.org/title/1035687498 )

Colagrande/Felder's In the Presence of Dinosaurs (See "About this book": http://www.nhbs.com/title/109299/in-the-presence-of-dinosaurs )

Stout's The New Dinosaurs/The Dinosaurs: A Fantastic New View of a Lost Era ( http://web.archive.org/web/20221125010307/https://i.etsystatic.com/14939323/r/il/708c3f/2989637512/il_1140xN.2989637512_il2x.jpg )

Holtz's The Little Giant® Book of Dinosaurs ( https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3141562-the-little-giant-book-of-dinosaurs )

Bailey's The Day of the Dinosaurs

Barrett's Dinosaurs: A Natural History/National Geographic Dinosaurs

Gee/Rey's A Field Guide to Dinosaurs: The Essential Handbook for Travelers in the Mesozoic ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC261880/ )

Gardom/Milner's The Natural History Museum Book of Dinosaurs

Brusatte/Benton's Dinosaurs ( https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/michael-benton/dinosaurs/9781847244178/ )

Brusatte's Field Guide to Dinosaurs (See "Children's Books and other Popular Books": https://sites.google.com/site/brusatte/stephen-brusatte-university-of-edinburgh/stephen-brusatte-science-writing )

Sampson's Dinosaur Odyssey: Fossil Threads in the Web of Life ( https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7048639-dinosaur-odyssey )

2010s

Scott's Planet Dinosaur ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Planet-Dinosaur-Natural-History-BBC-x/dp/1849900930 )

Bakker's The Big Golden Book of Dinosaurs ( https://paleoaerie.org/2013/11/26/its-big-its-golden-and-its-dinosaurs/ )

DeCourten's Dinosaurs Of Utah ( https://books.google.com/books/about/Dinosaurs_of_Utah.html?id=vO9MmwEACAAJ )

Westwood's Natural History: Dinosaurs (Simple Guides)

Chuang/Yang's THEM: Age Of Dinosaurs ("Non-Fiction Subject: Natural History": http://web.archive.org/web/20221125012246/https://picclick.co.uk/PNSO-THEM-Age-Of-Dinosaurs-Book-123002348312.html )

Brusatte's Day of the Dinosaurs: Step into a spectacular prehistoric world (See "Children's Books and other Popular Books": https://sites.google.com/site/brusatte/stephen-brusatte-university-of-edinburgh/stephen-brusatte-science-writing )

Kuether's The Amazing World of Dinosaurs: An Illustrated Journey Through the Mesozoic Era

Naish/Barrett's Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved

Paul's The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs/Dinosaurs: A Field Guide ( http://web.archive.org/web/20170910092312/https://press.princeton.edu/birds/w2field.html )

Fastovsky/Weishampel's Dinosaurs: A Concise Natural History/The Evolution and Extinction of the Dinosaurs

Howard's Dinosaur Empire! (Earth Before Us #1): Journey through the Mesozoic Era

Brusatte's The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: The Untold Story of a Lost World/The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World

Naish/Barrett's Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved (2nd edition)

Norell's The World of Dinosaurs: An Illustrated Tour ( https://openlettersreview.com/open-letters-review/the-world-of-dinosaurs-an-illustrated-tour-by-mark-a-norell )

2020s

Brusatte's The Age of Dinosaurs: The Rise and Fall of the World's Most Remarkable Animals ("Dr Steve Brusatte is the author of the bestselling The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs and its junior edition The Age of the Dinosaurs, for young dinosaur-enthusiasts": https://books.google.com/books?id=6qHazQEACAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=editions:ISBN0062930192 )

Fastovsky/Weishampel's Dinosaurs: A Concise Natural History (4th edition)

Naish/Barrett's Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved (3rd edition)

Paul's The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs (3rd edition)

Barrett's A History of Dinosaurs in 50 Fossils ("For natural history buffs and Jurassic Park fans": https://www.amazon.com/History-Dinosaurs-50-Fossils/dp/1588347338 )

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Gee/Rey 2003 & Bakker 2013.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Watson 1960 & Sattler 1981.

[DinoToyForum]

Are you only interested in dinosaurs sensu stricto, or would you consider similar books on other groups/ecosystems? Would Oceans of Kansas count, for example?: http://amzn.to/2AvGQse

[HD-man]

Are you only interested in dinosaurs sensu stricto,

Yeah, only dinos. Many thanks for posting in this thread, though.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Charig 1979, Wallace 1987, Czerkas/Czerkas 1990, & Brusatte 2018. Also, I've since added more info about 1) why NHD books are the best kind of non-encyclopedic dino books, & 2) how to identify NHD books.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Kricher 1990, Gaffney 1990, Wallace 1993, & DeCourten 2014.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added McLoughlin 1979, Elting 1988, Norman 1991, & Michard 1992.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Tweedie 1977 & Paul 2016.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Colbert 1945 & Zallinger 1986.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Bakker 1986 & Brusatte 2016.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Dixon 1989, Russell 1989, Chuang/Yang 2016, & Kuether 2016.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added McGowen 1972, Lambert 1978, World Book Inc. 1987, & Wexo 1989.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Geis 1960, Ostrom 1964, de Camp/de Camp 1968, & Swinton 1970. Also, I've since added more info about how to identify NHD books.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Matthew 1915, Man 1983, Lambert 2000, & Norell 2019. Also, I've since replaced Weimberg's "What's the Best Way to Talk about Science?" w/Joseph's "For Love of Stories" (which isn't paywalled).

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Bailey 2001 & Howard 2017.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Zim 1954, Bloch 1955, Colbert 1961, & Pringle 1968.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Norell 1991 & Brusatte 2021.

[HD-man]

UPDATE: I've since added Benton 1989, Spinar & Currie 1994, Holtz 2001, & Westwood 2015.

[dinofelid]

UPDATE: I've since added Benton 1989, Spinar & Currie 1994, Holtz 2001, & Westwood 2015.

Michael Benton also has a more recent book, "Dinosaurs Rediscovered: The Scientific Revolution in Paleontology", that I think would fit what you're looking for.