T.rex and the Crater of Doom (Princeton Science Library, 73) Revised Edition

by Walter Alvarez (Author), Carl Zimmer (Foreword)

182 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-0691131030

ISBN-10: 0691131031

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Non-Fiction. The story that waited 6.5 million years to be told--how a giant impact killed the dinosaurs, and how the crater was discovered.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of New York Times Notable Books for 1997"

"[D]eft and readable . . . T. rex and the Crater of Doom gets the facts across in a lighthearted, almost playful manner. But it's also solid science, a clear and efficient exposition that conveys plenty of cogent detail while keeping an eye on the subtle interplay of thought, action, and personality that makes scientific research such arresting human behavior. . . . [An] estimable account from the world's leading authority on death from above."---Timothy Ferris, New York Times Book Review

"A geologist (who happens to be a kind of working philosopher) gives a deft, readable explanation of the extinction of the dinosaurs." ― New York Times Book Review

"The book is very well written and so engrossing that a reader with little or no background in the earth's geologic history will enjoy an easy and vastly entertaining summary of how we came to our present understanding of the past. It is a wonderful adventure in science."---Dale Russell, The Los Angeles Times Book Review

"An unfolding story told by its leading protagonist. . . . Very clearly and entertainingly written, and illustrated with fascinating colour plates, it is accessible even to nonspecialists."---Arthur C. Clarke, The Times Higher Education Supplement

"A fascinating proof of a once ridiculed theory. In fitting together the puzzle of dino demise, Alvarez excitingly shapes the story for the widest audience." ― Booklist

"Every library with geology holdings will want to have this book. . . . Alvarez offers a great detective story. . . ." ― Choice

"A first-rate, swiftly paced tale of how science can propel its participants down avenues of surprising discovery to breathtaking conclusions."---Charles Petit, San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle

"This personal account of the search for a geological Excalibur makes fascinating reading. . . . [It] reads like Arthurian legend, full of temptations which lead the hero astray and distract him and his followers from the true path."---Douglas Palmer, New Scientist

"Alvarez's book recounts this scientific detective story in an authoritative yet consistently engaging manner. Once considered absurd, the idea that extraterrestrial factors were involved in some of the great crises in the history of life has become widely accepted."---Hans-Dieter Sues, Toronto Globe and Mail

"A nicely told and well-written tale of scientific discovery." ― Library Journal

"Appealing and accessible, an excellent introduction to the subject." ― Kirkus Review

"Reading Alvarez's book is a bit like reading a letter from an old friend you haven't seen for 30 years. . . . Serious passages are offset by cheeky commentary and humble asides that keep the book from becoming overly solemn or preachy."---Rachel Berstein, Berkeley Science Review

"If you love mysteries and enjoy science, this is a wonderful book to read." ― Wildlife Activist

Review

"This is the story of one of the greatest adventures of twentieth-century science, told by the central figure. Walter Alvarez relates the still-evolving story with insight, clarity, and warmth. It is a great read for both scientist and layperson."―Richard Muller, author of Nemesis: The Death Star

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Princeton University Press; Revised edition (July 21, 2008)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0691131031
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0691131030
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 0.75 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,219,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #582 in Paleontology (Books)
- #1,199 in Earth Sciences (Books)
- #1,486 in Geology (Books)

Customer Reviews:
182 ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

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Austin Scott Collins

The Very Human Drama of Science

Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2019

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A more accurate title might have been, The Search for the Crater of Doom. It's all about the drama of cutting-edge scientific research and the passionate, all-consuming drive to discover the truth. It's about the race to be the first to publish breakthrough results, the shame of having to issue retractions, the deep resistance to changing long-held beliefs within an established community, the difficulty of reaching across different fields of study that don't have the same technical language and culture, and the very human personalities behind what is supposed to be an objective process. It's a clear, relatable, interesting, modern-day scientific detective story that's ultimately more about the scientists than the science. It reveals a new interpretation of the evidence of one of the greatest extinction events in Earth's history, and contains a dire warning about the cascading domino effect of global environmental catastrophe. You will enjoy this book if you have an interest in geology, biology, paleontology, and/or astronomy. You may also, like me, find it to be a stark example of how the structure of human academic institutions create philosophical and psychological barriers to accepting new data, and the meaning of that data.

6 people found this helpful

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lcdrjjk

A Geologic Detective Story

Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2019

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I read this book after reading "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs" due to that book referring to this one. The book was a detective story of sorts as it delves into the cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs and the search for evidence of the believed cause. While very interesting, it does get very technical at times and can be difficult to follow. Unless you have a background in the subject matters involved be prepared to read sections more than one time and to become familiar with unknown territory. If prepared to do that then worth reading. If not, read "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs" and call it a day.

7 people found this helpful

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Scott D

Location, timing and megatons. Exit dinos. Enter ...

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2020

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The search was on. It took a while, but eventually the story was told. And a grand story it was. Unless you were a T. rex or cousin. Combining this book with David Montgomery's "The Rocks Don't Lie", Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies", David Reich's "Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past" and a few others will reinforce that life is both fragile and tenacious. What a tale to tell.

3 people found this helpful

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S. SloanTop Contributor: Knitting

What a treat!

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2017

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This book has been around for awhile, but I only now got around to reading it. What a treat! I really enjoyed Walter Alvaerz's insights into the scientific process of discovering what killed the dinosaurs, but what delighted me was his tale of how academic orthodoxy was challenged, derided, but eventually overcome by interdisciplinary collaboration. The big takeaway message for anyone who works in academic circles is this: Don't be so wedded to your view that you cannot learn from others. Contributions and insights can come from anywhere if you are humble enough to listen.

4 people found this helpful

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Laurie Fletcher

This is the one that started it all...

Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2005

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This is the book that started it all: Dinosaur extinction by bolide from outer space. Catastrophic tsunamis. Intercontinental ejecta layer. Geologic evidence everywhere you look once you know where to look. And the laughingstock of serious geologists everywhere until the evidence started mounting up to where it couldn't be ignored.

This is the story of Walter Alvarez and his colleagues and their careful science that yielded ideas, insights, and then, whammo! the Big Idea that there might be an external component to the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago. It is a forensic mystery worthy of "CSI" except this is the real deal, and the slog work of doing research took this band of scientists all over the world in search of enlightenment. Leveraging new developments in dating techniques and the best minds in the field and out of it (did I mention that Walter Alvarez is the son of Luis Alvarez, the Nobel Award winner for physics?), the adventure is somewhat stalled until the discovery of oil company drilling cores from the Chixulub region of Mexico that confirm evidence of an impact in that region. It is an eleventh-hour discovery just as interest is waning and funding is running out - a development worthy of the "Nova" episode that it eventually became.

As much fun as it is to read mysteries, it is equally fun to read about the real-life trials and tribulations of a band of intrepid individuals who have a hypothesis and then are able to methodically test it, with startling results. One of the joys of this book is Alvarez's generosity toward those whose work supported him and propelled him forward, as well as his occasional head-scratching humility. This really isn't a vanity piece but it is a definite good read.

8 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

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H. G. G. Nevill

Excellent first hand account

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 25, 2020

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Excellent first hand account of the discovery and accumulation of the evidence for the meteor/asteroid impact theory of the mass extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous,66 million years ago which wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs.

Eric le rouge

1 day read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 14, 2011

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A fast read. It is possible to read this book in a day because it is short but mainly because the author keeps you interested all the way long.
The first chapter describing armagedon is breathtaking. The other good thing is that the author also talks about his failures.
The only thing is that the author digress on some of his personal details but it stays relatively short and concise which actually helps the story anyway.

One person found this helpful

Flynn

Pleased

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 10, 2018

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great reading

BurningInHell

YES!

Reviewed in Canada on August 26, 2016

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Exactly as described. Well, almost. "...limited signs of wear and tear..." is being a bit generous, but it's a relative statement, so I won't deduct any stars for what is very likely my own overexpectation of its condition. The pages are in very good shape and the spine is definitely not broken.
...oh yeah - and it was $0.01, so even if it was in significantly worse shape, but still readable, I'd still give it 5 stars because it actually arrived!
Very much looking forward to reading it!
Thank you Walter Alvarez!

Honi soit qui mal y pense

Un magnífic relat cientific per a qualsevol persona

Reviewed in Spain on January 23, 2017

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Aquest llibre relata el procés de generació d'una hipòtesi científica en el terreny de la geologia i el llarguissim esforç requerit per a confirmar-la.
Com, quan i per què van desapareixer els dinosaures del planeta Terra. Aquí hi ha la resposta exquisidament descrita.
Si vas gaudir de "A Short Story of Nearly Everything" del Bill Bryson, aquest llibre et delectarà. No te'l perdis. Tan si ets un ciutadà allunyat del mètode científic com si vius en el món de la ciència, estic segur que devoraràs el contingut d'aquest magnífic document en que es combina el pensament i l'acció de diversos premis Nobel.

One person found this helpful

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