I've created a new segment on this blog: Fossil ReadMe.
Ever noticed the 'readme.txt' files that always accompany newly installed software? If you read it, you'd find useful information helping you understand the software you just installed.
The Fossil ReadMe segment will function like a readme.txt file – providing background information required to understand the wider world of palaeontology. It will provide short reviews and links to books and/or documentaries which are useful to anyone interested in fossils. These reviews won't be restricted just to recently published books or documentaries, but all useful sources of palaeo-knowledge.
Ever noticed the 'readme.txt' files that always accompany newly installed software? If you read it, you'd find useful information helping you understand the software you just installed.
The Fossil ReadMe segment will function like a readme.txt file – providing background information required to understand the wider world of palaeontology. It will provide short reviews and links to books and/or documentaries which are useful to anyone interested in fossils. These reviews won't be restricted just to recently published books or documentaries, but all useful sources of palaeo-knowledge.
The first installment of Fossil ReadMe is:
Dinosaurs and Other Mesozoic Reptiles of California, by Richard P. Hilton.
I've been reading a copy of 'Dinosaurs and Other Mesozoic Reptiles of California' that I picked up from Powell's Bookstores in Chicago. I have to admit I was surprised that I hadn't heard of Californian dinosaurs before, and in the preface, the author describes meeting a prominent geologist who thought that "perhaps" some dinosaurs had been found in California! So it's understandable that the author thought the book was sorely needed.
Dinosaurs and Other Mesozoic Reptiles of California, by Richard P. Hilton.
I've been reading a copy of 'Dinosaurs and Other Mesozoic Reptiles of California' that I picked up from Powell's Bookstores in Chicago. I have to admit I was surprised that I hadn't heard of Californian dinosaurs before, and in the preface, the author describes meeting a prominent geologist who thought that "perhaps" some dinosaurs had been found in California! So it's understandable that the author thought the book was sorely needed.
The first half of the book forms a great primer for understanding plate tectonics and dinosaur taxonomy before delving into more California-specific text. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in understanding the basics of geology and palaeontology, as well as those interested in the Mesozoic geological and vertebrate history of California.
The second half of the book details the history of Mesozoic reptile fossil discoveries in California. Hilton has included short biographies of the men and women who found fossils and funded expeditions, as well as field notes from his own expeditions.
This book is a great read: clear and concise without 'dumbing down' complicated geological and taxonomic theory. Check it out!
The second half of the book details the history of Mesozoic reptile fossil discoveries in California. Hilton has included short biographies of the men and women who found fossils and funded expeditions, as well as field notes from his own expeditions.
This book is a great read: clear and concise without 'dumbing down' complicated geological and taxonomic theory. Check it out!
References
Hilton, R. P. 2003. Dinosaurs and Other Mesozoic Reptiles of California. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 356 pages.
Hilton, R. P. 2003. Dinosaurs and Other Mesozoic Reptiles of California. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 356 pages.
