Review by Choice Review
People know about dinosaurs, but there is a long history of life before the dinosaurs, and some of these long-extinct animals have important connections with animals contemporaneous with humans. Paleontologist Steyer (Natural History Museum, Paris, France) provides a rather detailed and diverse introduction to vertebrates preceding the dinosaurs as well as some contemporaneous with them, showing how the multiple types of aquatic and terrestrial forms originated and diverged. This is not a dry survey of the anatomy. Rather, the author focuses on important parts of the fossil record and shows restorations of skeletons and--equally importantly for providing a visual image--lots of multicolored artwork showing the animals discussed in their probably natural positions and movements. Beyond the animals themselves, Steyer discusses the important life-affecting changes occurring during geologic events of past years. A significant part of the text describes how paleontologists find, excavate, and prepare fossils, including techniques used to study the bones to make conclusions regarding the life activities of the past. Practically every page has a color plate, and the volume includes a geologic timetable. The coverage of French and some African and Asian paleontological material and literature should be especially useful for American readers. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above; general readers. D. Bardack emeritus, University of Illinois at Chicago
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
French paleontologist Steyer (Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris), with the help of self-described paleoartist Beneteau (L'empreinte des geants), writes of a time before dinosaurs walked the earth over 200 million years ago. The first four-footed vertebrates began to appear around 370 million years ago and faded from the record only as dinosaurs started to arrive at the 200-million-year mark. Moving from the sea to land, a parade of strange and unusual animals left fossil remains behind for paleontologists to discover and decipher as they strive to document the evolutionary history of life. As Steyer describes this fossil record, he demonstrates how certain previously accepted ideas about species evolution have proven false with these findings. The book's 154 color and 63 black-and-white illustrations are riveting and can furnish hours of careful study and rewarding perusal. VERDICT A fascinating exploration of past life forms, this book will appeal to anyone interested in paleontology and Earth's history.-Gloria Maxwell, Metropolitan Community Coll.-Penn Valley, Kansas City, MO (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
