Customer Reviews

Time Traveler: In Search of Dinosaurs and Other Fossils from Montana to Mongolia

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After Michael Novacek wrote _Dinosaurs of the Flaming Cliffs_, a very successful non-specialist account of his fossil-hunting expeditions in Mongolia, he found that readers told him that they especially enjoyed his descriptions of the expeditions and life in the field, perhaps even more than the substantial paleontology he included. With that in mind, he has now written _Time Traveler: In Search of Dinosaurs and Ancient Mammals from Montana to Mongolia_ (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux), which does not scrimp on scientific information, but still consists mostly of stories about how paleontologists do what they do. Interested in fossils even as a boy, in graduate school he got interested in extinct insectivores, which are now represented by hedgehogs, shrews, and moles, but which were much more diverse in the past. Novacek admits that these aren't the showiest of ancient animals: "they might be more aptly called vermin than beasts." But in an evolutionary sense, they have vast importance; from such shrewlike creatures came rodents, bats, elephants, whales, and of course, humans. He shows us what sort of work he has done on the creatures, and why it has been important.

The book's main attraction is his stories of field work all over the world. They are told with good humor, and occasionally with forgiveness. He starts as a novice, worried that the graduate students are going to play tricks on him, and eventually ends up leading expeditions himself, to Baja, Mongolia, the Andes, and Yemen. Reading these tales makes one realize that there truly must be a fantastically strong appeal for this sort of work, if Novacek still likes it after all the difficulties he experienced, from mildly irritating to potentially lethal. "Our hands were swollen and blistered from swinging sledges all day, and our backs were sore from cradling heavy plaster blocks as we climbed the steep slope back to the vehicles. The work was hard. But I liked the routine, I felt useful; we were a chain gang in the service of science." There are a few tales worthy of Indiana Jones, like how his party is ominously detained by the militia in Yemen. In the Andes, he is tangled in the stirrup of a horse and dragged down painfully, temporarily ruining his legs. He is bitten in the groin by the world's most deadly scorpions in Baja. He discovers that a desert can bloom into swarms of insects denser than that in a rain forest because they are attracted to sweat. There are bar fights. Shrapnel from a colleague's hammer on a specimen severs one of his arteries. "As some of my college mates would say, `It's a lot of trouble for a few old bones.'"

Novacek's animated tales and explanations of how he has done his work give genuine insight into his passion. He has included lots of real science here about plate tectonics, evolution, and much more. For those who never graduated beyond childhood dinomania, it will tell them what they missed. Best of all, this book ought to be in the hands of young people who are in the thralls of such enthusiasm, for in its pages are revealed what it is really like to be a paleontologist.

Michael Novacek must be a very interesting person, judging from "Time Traveller," which he describes as "a book not about a life, but about a life in the field." Starting from his childhood in California, he relates the story of his start as a young paleontologist (moving from a background as an indifferent student and an unsuccessful rock musician) working in the American West and Baja California. Most of the digs take place in unpleasant locations, fraught with heat, scorpions and dreadful food. As he moves up the academic ladder, the digs become much more exotic and he heads out to Patagonia (where it is cold and windy instead of hot and accidents with horses can happen, but the food is still of varying quality), then to Yemen (where there are not even any interesting fossils to make up for the sheer awfulness of the place), Mongolia and Argentina. It appears that extreme physical fitness is a prerequisite for those wishing to enter this profession.

The major fault of the book is that it appears to be written backwards. The last chapters, focussing on the extremely important discoveries made in the 1990s in Mongolia, are fascinating and move quickly. They appear to come from another, and better, book. When he writes of the importance of palaeontology and the fossil record, his prose is powerful and almost poetic. But the earlier chapters seem to meander, a collection of anecdotes about his childhood, working in the field, a bit of this and a bit of that. One has the impression that Dr. Novacek is a bit of a scatterbrain, unable to focus his attention--Looky! Old rocks! Insectivore jaws! Bikini babes! Look! Fossil fish! Ancient teeth! Yemeni bandits! Look! Picturesque Chileans! That Roy Chapman Andrews-what a guy! Hey, look! We've been in Mongolia for ten years!

The chapter on Yemen is particularly odd. It describes in great detail all the problems involved in working in this near-medieval country, the dangers and the heat, but the only scientific finding is that there is really not much there to interest a paleontologist. Nonetheless, in the next chapter he writes about possibly putting together another expedition to go back, until he is distracted by Mongolia. Is this a thirst for derring-do, in the style of Andrews?

His attempt to write "popular science" often feels clumsy but cannot hide the fact that many of his discoveries are significant and have contributed to many serious scientific debates. I particularly liked his writing about how the Mongolian dinosaurs may have died. Originally accepting the idea that they were buried in soft sand, he carefully describes recent work by geologists that suggests instead that heavy rains resulted in mudslides that caught the animals in the gullies where they lived. It is clearly and elegantly expressed and ultimately helps make this book worth reading. It probably would be a better book with less rock-smashing and more such thoughtful analysis.

And so does Novacek's book. So right away we know that TIME TRAVELER is not merely a recounting of paleontological studies. They certainly remain as one of the main topics of discussion and the trips to Mongolia, Yemen, and Chile read like adventures rather than scientific expeditions. Interwoven throughout is Novacek's personal story and recollections. There was nothing to indicate that the ten year old who was "more of a Beaver Cleaver type than a young Indiana Jones" would eventually go on to become one of our foremost paleontologists. Novacek recounts a fairly normal, middle-class life, growing up in suburban Los Angeles. His admission that he "liked crawling around in the dirt and mud, turning over rocks, and looking at things through binoculars and microscopes" is however insufficient evidence of a budding scientist. Didn't we all do the same? The difference perhaps is that when the opportunity arose to loose himself in the world of girls and music, Novacek remained enthused with the fossilized world.

His enthusiasm is still there and it's captivating. The thrill he gets from discovery, the joy of the outdoors, and the sense of adventure are all reminiscent of our own simple childhood pleasures. Novacek's willingness to share these feelings with us and the writing style which enhances it, makes this a very refreshing reading experience. It's not all fun and enjoyment however. He tells of illness and infections, insect bites and stings, and injury. Deadly places and dangerous people provided their own challenges.

Science remains the serious subject connecting all the personal stories and travel adventures. As such Novacek delves into current topics in paleontology such as extinctions and loss of biodiversity, continental drift, and dinosaur and mammalian evolution. In the debate about the origins of birds he comes down firmly on the side of a dinosaurian origin. He adds his own support to the view that dinosaurs are not extinct by saying "the survivors were of course birds." On another subject where the majority of recent writers are in agreement (Bjorn Lomborg excepted), Novacek agrees that the loss of biodiversity is a critical issue. Near the end he offers a view that is far from cheerful and refreshing and as such jangles with the joie de vivre which characterized so much of the book. His statement that "paleontology should not be the only biological science in the future - the science of a dead planet" is no doubt informed by a life spent in realities of science.

After reading Dinosaurs of the Flaming Cliffs (Dr. Novacek's vivid account of his Mongolian expeditions), I was eager for more. Happily, Time Traveler does not disappoint and I devoured every page of this exuberant romp through the world of fossil hunting. Follow Novacek around the globe as he escapes a cave full of poisonous snakes, gets dragged over rugged mountains by a skittish horse, attends a rather curious party in the middle of Yemen, and, oh yeah, finds some incredible fossils along the way. His adventures as a paleontologist are sure to inspire anyone, young or old, to travel to the far corners of the globe in search of the past and the present. The illustrations and especially the maps are extremely useful, and always seem to pop up right when you need them. Although the book focuses primarily on Novacek's expeditions, he takes great care describing in layman's terms the scientific ideas behind his pursuits. I would recommend this to anyone with a taste for adventure - especially those who fear there is nothing left to discover on our planet. Time Traveler is sure to excite both armchair and professional explorers alike.

This is a great book if you want to understand life as a paleontologist. Novacek goes into detail about his career, the struggles in the field, and adventures. This book is great for a younger person considering going into paleontology to be aware of the highs and lows of the field. It is also interesting for those of us who are older and always dreamed about going into paleontology.

The one warning I have is that the book is a bit long. While Novacek writes well, it is over 300 pages.

My freshman year in college, I decided to indulge my interest in dinosaurs and earth history by taking a *rocks for jocks* geology class. It was fascinating. I learned (and sadly haven't really retained) all kinds of info on rock formations, evolution, and paleontology. When I read the excerpts of this book a few months ago, I noted the author and bought the book when it came out. Novacek is a world famous paleontologist who takes us on a journey of his past field work and interweaves that with info on the animals whose bones he uncovers along with the geology of the sites he's worked. He also throws in some hilarious stories of adventures in fossil hunting that make me quite happy to stay home and leave the actual travels to him.


"Time Traveler illuminates some of the most exciting issues in current paleontology-- dinosaur and mammal evolution, continental drift, mass extinctions, and new methods for understanding ancient environments and the geologic time scale. By revisiting our planet's past and his own, Novacek teaches us how to understand the prospects for the future not only of paleontology but of our global ecosystem."

I will say that if you only have a glancing interest in this type of material, this book would probably bore you to tears but if it's something that intrigues you, you might find it as fascinating as I did.

This book is a must-read for any aspiring paleontologist. Novacek's clarity is unparalled in science narrative. He tells his stories in the same lively manner that you would expect to hear from an old friend around a camp fire. You feel as if you are on expedition with Novacek himself.

Unlike many accomplished scientists who are not professors (Novacek is with the American Museum of Natural History, not a university), he is able to pontificate in a relevant manner for the scientist and the lay-person alike.

This book is less about dinosaurs and more about being a dinosaur hunter. If this perspective interests you, you can't beat this book.

Most shocking, is the fluid and crisp prose with which you are engaged. Career writers and authors should envy Novacek's writing abilities. I recently finished _Prey_, a novel by Michael Crichton, and its writing was inferior to Novacek's. This alone should earn him a nomination for one of the yearly science-writing awards.

I picked up Time Traveler completely on a whim the other day. Normally I am a reader of fiction and poetry, but the cover caught my eye and I decided to take a chance on a scientific writing. Was I surprised? Yes. Thrilled even, by the fantastic, ebullient style, the interesting tales and the creative manner in which Dr. Novacek integrated science and adventure. For the most part you'll
feel like you're reading a great novel, then you remember that all of the events really happened and the author is here to tell the tale... his brushes with death are numerous and never fail to get the heart pounding (a great workout in itself!!) Best of all, I came away with a basic scientific understanding of the expeditions themselves - how to pick a location and the reasons why certain fossils are (or aren't) found there (I can't wait to start
searching in my own backyard!) The geography of remote places like the Chilean Andes and Yemen is clarified by maps interspersed throughout the book. Dr. Novacek writes in a way that presents information to the novice and the professional alike - and the reader is left neither confused nor thirsting for more... A great read whether you're in the biz or not.

Not a bad book, could have had more illustrations and examples of fossils found in different parts of the world.

Novacek's "attachment" for lithics and fossil evidence has led him to remote places. Raised in the urban sprawl of Los Angeles, he was introduced to the wild, quickly finding excuses to return. Paleontology is easily the best excuse available for travel and exploration. He invites us to join him as he tours the North American West - into mountains, canyons and plateaus where fossils have emerged before. From this familiar territory he goes on to more exotic sites. His explorations reach from Andean highlands through Arabia deserts to the mysterious Mongolian plateaus. It was the latter that gave Novacek the greatest rewards and kept him occupied for more than a decade. This autobiography of a professional paleontologist provides interesting insights into the researchers depicting the prehistoric realm.

Before the rewards came the trials. The first was the decision to take up paleontology when a music career dangled enticing rewards. His father was a competent guitarist. A chance to learn field work offered new opportunities and challenges. Fresh creek water proved polluted leading to "highly volatile" digestive tracts. In the Andes, Novecek's horse bolted with one boot caught in a stirrup. Walking was impossible and riding little better. Desert scorpions and rattlesnakes were added threats. In Yemen, it was overzealous military staff. The hazards of scrambling over cliff faces seeking fossil or fording rain-swollen rivers recede as serious threats and become part of daily expedition fare.

All these mishaps failed to quell his desire to travel. The travel wasn't entertainment, but his quest for fossils. The search wasn't always rewarding, but the promise or the need kept him going. His misadventure in the Andes was off-set by a string of rewarding finds. Glorious to behold and thrilling to experience, the Andes are now considered the fastest rising mountains in the world. Fossils that had no business being at the altitudes Novacek's team encountered show how rapidly the mountains have been constructed by plate tectonics.

This mix of life experiences and scientific endeavour is richly enhanced by the graphics sprinkled through the text. Some of the most interesting are diagrams of fossil assemblages as found in situ. These provide a good indication of the complexities of retrieval and reassembly. His maps are a bit spare, but give the general location of campsites and fossil finds. Security, an issue of increasing concern in Mongolia, demands no more detail than necessary. Some photos of the campsites themselves might have personalised the account. His bibliography verges on the bizarre, being a mix of scholastic papers and general accounts. Some of these are worth pursuing. The knowledgeable will applaud his inclusion of John McPhee [although one volume is inexplicably omitted]. Novacek is forthright in his account of the tribulations of this career, but depicts as vividly the many rewards paleontology has to offer. As he concludes in this fine account: "there's still so much to know". [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]