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...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0198795920
• ISBN13: 9780198795926
• Release Date: December 2017
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 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.