Customer Reviews

Dinosaurs: Under the Big Sky

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Jack Horner has written a wonderful book that every man, woman, and child who loves dinosaurs should read. I've been in the field with Jack for three years running and have often mentioned to him that I'd love to have a book that would tell me what the bones were that I found and more about the animals themselves - mainly so I wouldn't have to pester him with so many questions! I don't know whether it was because of my questions (or those of his other visitors in Montana) but he has satisfied my request in full. This is a grand book for amateur and seasoned dino-hunter alike. I eagerly look forward to carrying it with me next time in the field as I search for the elusive Big Sky dinosaurs. But even if I wasn't out looking for ancient raptor bones, I'd want this book, just for its fine writing and informative artwork. It's a treasure.
Homer Hickam (author of October Sky, Sky of Stone, etc.)

Hi, I'm just a kid but I want everybody to know how much I enjoyed this book. I was hoping to get it for Christmas but now I got it early and I'm glad. I think dinosaurs are a lot of fun and I'm glad to get this book and study up on it. I hope to someday be like Jack Horner and work with dinosaurs out in Montana. I don't live in Montana but I wish I could so I could find more dinosaurs. I found some pieces one time in North Dakota and that got me interested. I like to go to museums and look at the skeletons and all the other information on dinosaurs, especially the T-Rex. I hope my parents will take me to Montana this summer and I can go to the museum and visit with Mr. Horner. It should be a lot of fun. I will ask him to autograph my book. Thank you very much, Dr. Horner for writing this book. It is my new favorite of all my dinosaur books.

Amateur collectors and lay readers will find Dinosaurs Under The Big Sky to be an intriguing guide to the dinosaurs which once roamed Montana. From the geologic history of the state to fossil finds and techniques for collecting, Dinosaurs Under The Big Sky will appeal to a specialized but interested audience of would-be dinosaur hunters.

This was an interesting book that I enjoyed. Although I have never had the opportunity to go to Montana, I have heard much about it and about Jack Horner, the famous dinosaur man. I was very interested in reading about how a dinosaur dig was made and especially how paleontologists figured out what bones were what. This book came as close as any I've read or heard about to tell me what I would need to know if I ever actually went out to Montana and went on a dig. I have heard that Dr. Horner occasionally takes tourist paleontologists out with him. I have searched for that on the internet but never found anything. I think it would be a lot of fun to go out in the desert or the badlands and look for these bones. Dr. Horner's book also told me a lot about where to go to find museums that have more information on dinosaurs and especially those that do field research. The glossary was very helpful, too. As is obvious, I am an enthusiastic amateur and read everything I can find on the subject. I saw where Dr. Horner says that Tyrannosaur Rexes were scavengers. I also read that they were kind of slow. This changes everything I ever saw in the movies or on television about them. It was fascinating to read about how the length of the leg bones allowed Dr. Horner to come up with that idea. Anyway, I just wanted to say that this is a very good book and that it has given me many ideas on dinosaur research in the field and I hope someday I will be able to go out in the field and do some research with Dr. Horner. As soon as I find out how to do that, I will. Thank you, Dr. Horner for your very good book that I really enjoyed!

This book was OK for those who live in Montana. It seemed disjointed and incomplete. I would have liked more illustrations and MANY more examples of the fossils you could find. Some of his theories don't seem to have a lot of scientific support. (T-Rex being a scavenger, etc.)

Dinosuars/Big Sky is well written and excellently illustrated. It provides a basic history of bone hunting in Montana and a "how-to" of conducting field research. It also discusses the various geologic formations of the Mesozoic in Montana. All of this is illustrated with appropriate graphics and period and contemporary photos. As is the case with most well-written dino books of the past decade, Horner also discusses the paleo-environmental information that the geologic data provide - how paleontologists know in what setting the various dinos lived. An appendix clarifies some of the sometimes confusing anatomical terms that are used when discussing dino skeletons.
Chapter 4 and Chapter 5, at 60 pages the longest, discuss where Montana's Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous geologic formations are found and the dinos that have been found in them. It is arguable that the info on the geologic formations could have been better placed with the dinos rather than separately.
The only weak part of Dinosaurs/Big Sky lies in a couple of erratic metric to imperial measurement conversions and the pronunciations given with the descriptions of each dinosaur.
Paleontologists are not experts on classical or church Latin pronunciation or the vagaries of classical Greek pronunciation, and most paleontologists end up pronouncing the dinos' names with much inflection from their native languages, but Horner or his editor have not managed to be consistent from one page to the next in this section. Some pronunciations are incorrect by any standard. Richardoestesia gilmorei, for example, twice has its genus name butchered - both wrong.
All in all, this is an excellent introductory to mid-level book for anyone interested in North American dinosaurs and how professionals do field work.

"Dino Digging 101" for any budding paleontologist or just someone interested in this field. It is detailed to give information but not overwheming so it appeals to many age groups. The information and educaational components in these pages make a great foundation-thus the "101" listing. My family loves this book!

Big Sky is certainly a nice book, with lots of illustrations and good Montana-specific info. It would have been better if it was a bit more comprehensive, however Horner sticks to just the well known formations like Hell Creek, Judith river, Two Medicine, etc. He also skimps a bit on the contemporaries of the dinosaurs, which is a shame. Some of the appendix information would have been more useful to the layman had it been discussed earlier in the bok instead of stuck way in the back. All in all, it's worth a buy, especially if you're actually *from* Montana.

Jack Horner is one of the most important - if not THE most important - living paleontologists in the world. What a treat that he is such a great and prolific writer, too! Dr. Horner combines a laconic, easy-going humor with clear explanations of complex scientific concepts and facts. He is extremely easy to read without ever being pandering. I read this book with my seven-year old son; he and I were able to comprehend virtually everything Dr. Horner discussed. There is so much information packed into this book that we've re-read parts of it several times now.
Dr. Horner does not simply describe the dinosaurs of Montana; far from it. He also discusses all aspects of paleontological work, including geology, stratigraphy and how to approach a dig. This gives the reader a clear idea of what happens in the field. Additionally, Dr. Horner is a global, wide-ranging thinker, who makes many and subtle connections to reach his conclusions. It's fascinating to have this glimpse into his brain through this book. Dr. Horner himself stated that this is the book he wished HE had had when he was starting out as a dinosaur hunter. Indeed, he's done all of us dinosaur and fossil aficionados a great favor by writing it for laypeople.
I recommend this book for people whose interest in dinosaurs and paleontology rise above the "gee whiz" level and who are fascinated by the science of paleontology.

I LIKED THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT GAVE YOU INFORMATION ABOUT DINOSAURS.