Dinosaur Lives: Unearthing an Evolutionary Saga

by Jack Horner, Edwin Dobb

In this “wonderful benchmark of dinosaur studies” (Los Angeles Times), the paleontologist who advised Steven Spielberg on Jurassic Park gives readers an eye-opening tour of dinosaur discoveries and controversies and a close-up look at his own pioneering fieldwork. Line drawings and black-and-white photographs.

Genres: Science, Dinosaurs, Nonfiction, Palaeontology, Evolution

244 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Michelle Boyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going through a phase where I'm very interested in dinosaurs so I've been collecting books from my local Bookman's (a used/trade/exchange bookstore) and have been voraciously reading. I had to pick up Horner's book the moment I saw it because I know he worked on the films Jurassic Park and The Lost World, both of which he mentions in this book. He's a well-known expert so again, had to grab it to see what it was all about. The cover was really inspiring, too (never overlook a good cover to make a sale).

A lot of great information about paleontology and searching for dinosaurs. Some analysis of what can be found that is important and, of course, what doesn't mean much at all. Here, Horner is in search for eggs, babies, and juveniles for quite some time to prove/disprove different theories. All of this is very, very fascinating.

I felt the first half of the book was more exciting than the second half, but I cannot put my finger on why. Nonetheless, I gobbled it up because *dinosaurs*. There were also some great illustrations and photographs throughout. A few of the illustrations seemed faded (likely from a bad print job, if I had to give input) but they were still fun to look at. In the end, I learned a lot.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covers some of Horner's key fossil digs and the scientific extrapolations he made from those. There is some overlap with his DIGGING DINOSAURS and the overall flow isn't as smooth as that earlier volume. Nevertheless, some interesting topics and discussion including his take on extinction and private fossil collections.

[Julianne Legge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a pure narrative on the lives of dinosaurs. I imagine this is why some reviewers have given it low ratings. Instead, Horner spends a great portion of his time talking about his digs, what he found there, and how he developed his interpretations of those finds. And so the book is as much about Horner's experiences in paleontology as it is about dinosaurs. Don't let this turn you off. The big picture becomes coherent and focused when he discusses external pressures (popular, legal, commercial) on the field. The net effect of "Dinosaur Lives" is that you will have, yes, exciting new information on dinos, but also -- from his peripheral discussions and final words -- an even greater admiration for these animals and a greater respect for their precious remains. Highly recommended!

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half is very good and then it crashes. Skip the Afterward -- it's just a rant against commercial fossil collectors. Some of the photos were really bad (teeny-tiny figures in vast, crumbling backgrounds.) Also, a glossary would have helped. This was the first dinosaur book I've picked up in decades and I didn't have a clue as to what half the jargon meant. Some nice pencil drawings and insight as to what it's like on a dig.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horner is one of the most interesting paleontologists around. He always has something new to think about in his books.

[Jimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Due to the amount of evolutionary garbage scattered throughout the book, I almost rated it one or two stars. However, it also does a great job explaining how paleontology is done today.