The Dinosaur Papers: 1676-1906 [Hardcover]

David B. Weishampel (Editor), Nadine M. White (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2003

An amazing compilation of the major historical papers and classic artwork on dinosaur paleontology.

This unique collection is a journey of discovery through one of the most exciting periods of science. Here is the history of paleontology, spanning from the discovery of the first dinosaur bone by Robert Plot (which he mistook as a leg bone from an extinct race of giant humans) to the discovery and classification of T. rex. What makes this collection truly unique is that the editors have included translations of classic European papers, giving their story a global focus. Each section of the book is accompanied by a commentary from the editors that puts each paper in context. The artwork is outstanding, containing all the classic dinosaur sketches, including the "missing link" between dinosaurs and birds: Archaeopteryx. 84 b/w illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

David B. Weishampel is widely respected as one of the best dinosaur paleontologists alive today and author of The Dinosauria and other books on dinosaurs. Nadine M. White is an award-winning television documentary producer and senior staff systems engineer at Lockheed.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 424 pages
• Publisher: Smithsonian (November 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1588341224
• ISBN-13: 978-1588341228
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,490,173 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #71 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Paleontology > Vertebrate

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A milestone publication, October 17, 2003

By 

Kellyannl (Bronx, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dinosaur Papers: 1676-1906 (Hardcover)

I was walking through the bookstore when what to my wondering eyes should appear but this volume. It was sealed, but I snatched it up despite the pricetag due to the anticipation of what the title suggested.

When I opened it, I almost dropped in shock. Here in my little hands were Mantell's paper on Iguanadon and Buckland's on Megalosaurus. And that was just two of the appetizers.

Not impressed yet? How about a salad-or-soup course of Leidy's description of Hadrosaurus? Feel like a main course of Dollo's papers on the Iguanadons of Bernissart, dressed with Seeley's discussion of Archaeopteryx? You can choose between a side dish of Marsh's reconstructions of Trike and Stego. And for dessert? Osborn on Brown's discovery of T-Rex.

These are papers of legend that you may have heard about in summaries of Dinosaur history but never thought you'd ever see released to the general public - and there are even more than those I've mentioned. Did I also mention that they also come with the original drawings included?

This is a no-brainer that everyone with more than a passing interest in dinosaurs should have in their library. The only reason I left a star off was the lack of a useful tool - there are no side or foot notes to inform you when science has proven these papers wrong, although Weishampel's chapter intros do clarify some points. But then, if this book is of interest to you, you're presumably pretty much updated anyway.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History of the study of "Dragon Bones", June 28, 2009

By 

Origins Muse "RAH" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: DINOSAUR PAPERS (Hardcover)

This is a great work in that it outlines in great historical detail how we as dinosaur vertebrate paleontologists got to where we are today. It is great to study the details of specific "Dragon Bones", but it means so much more when you can appreciate on whose shoulders we now stand. Also very richly illustrated with the original artwork. It really puts things in perspective.

4.0 out of 5 stars You must be a dinosaur fanatic to appreciate, February 21, 2011

By 

Reed J. Richmond "reader/writer" (Bellville, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: DINOSAUR PAPERS (Hardcover)

How great to have these historic documents available.

I can only emphasize what "kellyanni" said in an earlier review:

"This is a no-brainer that everyone with more than a passing interest in dinosaurs should have in their library. The only reason I left a star off was the lack of a useful tool - there are no side or foot notes to inform you when science has proven these papers wrong, although Weishampel's chapter intros do clarify some points. But then, if this book is of interest to you, you're presumably pretty much updated anyway."