Review
"I think that Luis Chiappe has done an excellent job of producing a book that will be used both by researchers and those seeking to learn more about the birds they see flapping around every day. ... Will sell very well, be widely cited and go onto become a classic in the vertebrate paleontological literature." (
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, June 2008)
"Construction of the book is superb; it is well made and lavish with color photographs and figures on glossy paper. The author provides a glossary, an index, and references for specific readings in support of the dinosaurian origin of birds. The chapters are organized and well written in an authoritative tone by one of the top experts in the field." (PALAIOS, April 2008)
"Should be on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the early evolution of birds. Chiappe's acquaintance with virtually all of the Mesozoic fossils he writes about makes it a competent review of the subject which will stand for years to come." (Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, December 2007)
"Chiappe is to be congratulated on this excellent book. ... It will appeal to a wide audience." (American Scientist, November 2007)
"Chiappe's beautifully illustrated book ... is nothing more or less than a celebration of the feathered dinosaurs." (The Quarterly Review of Biology, September 2007)
"Chiappe, one of the world's leading authorities on birds, offers a thorough, careful, often exhaustive exposition on the anatomy, biology, and paleontologic record of birds and their ancestors." (CHOICE, July 2007)
"Glorified Dinosaurs is a book you won't want to miss." (Fossil News, June 2007)
"…Chiappe's breaking deep ground, escorting us across the threshold of many new and intriguing realms…the full-color illustrations are breath-taking." (Electric Review, March 2007)
"This book is bound to appeal not only to scientists, but also to anyone with an interest in dinosaurs, ornithology, evolution and natural history." (Nature, May 2007)
"...an invaluable resource for every paleontologist, ornithologist, evolutionary biologist, geology and life sciences student and professional. It is also exciting reading...for all those with a general interest in the topic." (SirReadaLot.org, March 2007)
"...the best summary yet of how dinosaurs evolved into birds." (Books-On-Line)
From the Inside Flap
Within just the last few years it has been established beyond doubt that birds evolved from dinosaurs. Glorified Dinosaurs celebrates the unfolding of this story as it tracks the recent and unparalleled rate of discoveries of early birds and their dinosaurian predecessors from all over the world. The book provides a summary of these extraordinary discoveries and discusses how modern birds evolved from fearsome meat-eating dinosaurs ak in to the celebrated Velociraptor.
Lavishly illustrated and in full color throughout, it contains more than 220 illustrations, including many reconstructions of animals and skeletons, as well as photos of fossils and fossil localities,maps, charts, cladograms, and other line drawings.
Luis Chiappe's evolutionary approach highlights the main characters in the long evolutionary saga of birds and discusses their physical changes in the context of functional advances. Much of this research and the fossil discoveries detailed in this book are new to the public and have not been published in book form previously.
"Exquisite, wonderful, engaging - what more can I ay about a book that rivets the scientist and will be enjoyed by amateur and professional ornithologists/ naturalists the world around. Chiappe has beautifully summarized in words, high-quality photographs, and excellent reconstructions the rich record of fossil birds that has exploded in the last decade. His book is simply a masterpiece presenting front-line, detailed paleontologic research in a very readable and accessible manner."
— Patricia Vickers-Rich, PhD, Director, Monash Science Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
"Glorified Dinosaurs is an Exciting and thorough survey of the revolutionary discoveries in the field of avian origins. It will be a great read for birders, paleontology buffs, and evolution enthusiasts."
— Richard O. Prum, PhD. William Robertson Coe Professor of Ornithology, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary biology, Peabody Natural History Museum, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
