Pulse en una miniatura para ir a Google Books.
Cargando... The First Dinosaur: How Science Solved the Greatest Mystery on Earthpor Ian Lendler
Ninguno Cargando...
Inscríbete en LibraryThing para averiguar si este libro te gustará. Actualmente no hay Conversaciones sobre este libro. sin reseñas | añadir una reseña
"Dinosaurs existed. That's a fact we accept today. But not so long ago, the concept that these giant creatures could have roamed Earth millions of years before humans was unfathomable. People thought what we know as dinosaur bones were the bones of giant humans. Of large elephants. Of angels, even. So, how did we get from angel wings to the T-Rex? The First Dinosaur tells the story of the idea of dinosaurs, and the chain of fossil discoveries and advances in science that led to that idea. Be prepared to meet eccentric men and overlooked women who uncovered the pieces to a puzzle so much bigger than themselves, a puzzle far stranger and more spectacular than they could have ever imagined"-- No se han encontrado descripciones de biblioteca. |
Debates activosNinguno
Google Books — Cargando... GénerosSistema Decimal Melvil (DDC)560.9Natural sciences and mathematics Fossils & prehistoric life Paleontology Biography And HistoryClasificación de la Biblioteca del CongresoValoraciónPromedio:
¿Eres tú?Conviértete en un Autor de LibraryThing. |
Along the way, Lendler brings in historical context, dinosaurs in fiction, politics, and the early creation of academic research into the past history of the world. He deals respectfully but honestly with religion, showing how many of the early scientists were also ministers who struggled to reconcile their faith with their scientific discoveries. The book is peppered with sidebars, illustrations, and other fascinating bits of information.
An epilogue gives more detail about the careers and fate of the main players, including places, animals, and fossils, starting with Nicolaus Stend, who died in 1686, and ending with the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, which are currently being renovated and restored for a new generation to enjoy and wonder at. The book includes a bibliography, acknowledgments, credits, and index.
There is one glaring error, which I suspect is a result of the printers, not the publishers. On page 182-183, the illustration of a titanosaur stretches across the page, and a chunk of text at the bottom of the page of 182 is missing. The text reads, “It just so happened that the only three dinosaurs that had been discovered back” and continues on the next page “of the carnivorous Megalosaurus, genuinely terrifying). I would guess the illustration bumped it off the page and somehow nobody noticed.
Verdict: Despite this error, which I hope will be rectified in future editions, this is one of the best narrative nonfiction books I’ve seen in a long time. While centering on England and the scientific development there, it doesn’t shy away from the cultural context, mentioning the exclusion of women and the class struggle that left many unrecognized, even when they had done the work of discovery. It’s a riveting account of the rapid way scientific discoveries changed the world and the way we think. Highly recommended.
ISBN: 9781534427006; Published October 2019 by Margaret K. McElderry; Purchased for the library