Dinosaurs: A Very Short Introduction

By David Norman

Book Overview

Dinosaurs are fascinating creatures and their popularity seems never ending, fueled by films such as Jurassic Park and documentaries such as Walking with Dinosaurs. Yet dinosaurs (or more precisely non-avian dinosaurs) last trod the Earth 65 million years ago. All we know of them today are their fossilized bones, the tracks and traces that they left behind and, in very rare instances, some of the soft tissues or even traces of their chemistry. In many respects dinosaurs present us with one of the ultimate forensic challenges: they comprise the fragmentary remains of creatures that died many tens of millions of years ago, rather than just recently, or a few tens of years ago, which is the problem usually faced by forensic pathologists. How much do we really know about them, and to what extent can their remains inform us about ancient worlds, and indeed about the history of our planet?

In this Very Short Introduction David Norman discusses how dinosaurs were first discovered and interpreted, and how our understanding of them has changed over the past 200 years. He looks at some of the amazing discoveries that have enabled us to gain new and unexpected insights into dinosaurs as animals with natural histories and behaviors, and considers some of the biggest questions in dinosaur biology, such as the implications of them having warm blood. Norman also shows how research upon dinosaurs has been enriched, particularly in recent decades, by technological break-throughs, which complement the informed speculation and luck which have played a part in many of the major discoveries.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0198795920
• ISBN13: 9780198795926
• Release Date: December 2017
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Excellent Introduction

This book presents the scientific evidence about dinosaurs and covers the discoveries and controversies surrounding the subject. It is a bit longer than most of the other books in the OUP "Very Short Intro" series at over 160 pages. The author begins with the history of thought on dinosaurs. In the 19th century, they were generally considered slow, cold-blooded reptiles. More recently, they have come to be seen as active, probably warm-blooded, more bird-like creatures. Norman presents both sides of the numerous controversies surrounding dinosaurs, including the questions of warm-bloodedness, the cause of extinction, and the relationship of dinosaurs to modern birds. This is a serious scientific book and is not written for young children. It is, however, a great and painless introduction to the topic and is highly recommended.

Not really a kid's book . . .

The "Product Details" for this book, "Reading level: Ages 9-12," are wrong - it's definitely above that level. This is a short but informative book on dinosaurs by an author who has written some of the best material for the general reader. Unlike most dinosaur books, it's pretty short on illustrations - but for the price it covers a lot, and like the other books in this series it's small and fits in your pocket.