kendev's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.0
Nice descriptive writing but it was repetitive and boring at times. Could have been shorter without losing the content or interesting parts. I don’t really like audiobooks so that could’ve been the problem, but I think I would have had the same notes if I had read it.
sil3nos's review against another edition
5.0
This book has been even better than I expected. It doesn't only give information about dinosaurs but also about the paleontologists that found them and the methods they used, which were exciting to read about. I enjoyed every page of this book and every new species Steve named. I would recommend reading this and googling the names just to get an idea of how all the dinosaurs looked like. Steve describes some, but I'ts better to see them. (although many look veeeeery similar)
I wouldn't read it if you aren't interested in dinosaurs tho, obviously.
I wouldn't read it if you aren't interested in dinosaurs tho, obviously.
squirrelinseattle's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.25
smalefowles's review against another edition
4.0
I spent a good portion of this book annoyed at this dino bro's namedropping (I don't know any of these dino bros, bro) and his general bro-iness.
But then I also learned many things about dinosaurs, and that was the point. So, uh, thanks, dino bro!
But then I also learned many things about dinosaurs, and that was the point. So, uh, thanks, dino bro!
canadajanes's review against another edition
5.0
And excellent overview of the rise and fall of the dinosaurs with personal anecdotes, and individual focuses on specific dinosaurs and events. A great read for anyone interested in dinosaurs.
mundinova's review against another edition
5.0
Finally! A pop science book that isn't dumbed down or lacking sources!
I hold nonfiction books, especially science books, to a higher standard than most. Readers trust that the "nonfiction" category will teach them something they don't know. The implicit requirement is that the conclusions resulted from scientific theory. Sadly, many pop science books, especially anything on the soft sciences like sociology or behavioral psychology, lack such rigorous follow through. There's assumptions and correlations without proof of causation. Then, if a book does fulfill the scientific theory requirements, the writing will be dumbed down so much that the details are lost. It's a hard tightrope to walk, but Brusatte accomplished this with a subject many people are interested in; something an average reader may pick up and read. I applaud the success!
You will learn more about dinosaurs that you ever thought possible. As an added bonus, you'll also learn about the academic field of paleontology and what it's like to be a paleontologist today. All the travel and working with colleagues all around the world is fascinating to read about. It's a small community and Brusatte pulls in the lives of scientific rock stars we, the outsiders, want to know more about.
Message/Argument: 5 stars
Prose/Language: 5 stars
I hold nonfiction books, especially science books, to a higher standard than most. Readers trust that the "nonfiction" category will teach them something they don't know. The implicit requirement is that the conclusions resulted from scientific theory. Sadly, many pop science books, especially anything on the soft sciences like sociology or behavioral psychology, lack such rigorous follow through. There's assumptions and correlations without proof of causation. Then, if a book does fulfill the scientific theory requirements, the writing will be dumbed down so much that the details are lost. It's a hard tightrope to walk, but Brusatte accomplished this with a subject many people are interested in; something an average reader may pick up and read. I applaud the success!
You will learn more about dinosaurs that you ever thought possible. As an added bonus, you'll also learn about the academic field of paleontology and what it's like to be a paleontologist today. All the travel and working with colleagues all around the world is fascinating to read about. It's a small community and Brusatte pulls in the lives of scientific rock stars we, the outsiders, want to know more about.
Message/Argument: 5 stars
Prose/Language: 5 stars
royvdb's review against another edition
5.0
A good overview. Sometimes with a little too much stuffing for my taste, but still... A very enjoyable read.
minty's review against another edition
3.0
I definitely learned some interesting things about dinosaurs (pteradactyls were NOT dinos!), and the chapter all about how today's birds are, literally, dinosaurs was awesome. The book did a good job of contextualizing their timeline as it related to other dinosaurs and pangea and such, but what I wish I could get more of is some relation to what's happening today--if dinosaurs went extinct over a matter of "a few thousand years," is this akin to the extinctions we're seeing over the historical record of humans? I guess I'm left with more questions than I knew I had after reading this.