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An Unknown Trio of Excellent Paleontology Books
By Steve Brusatte
Through mega-chain bookstores, biblio-Websites, and book reviews in magazines, such as Fossil News and Prehistoric Times, modern-day paleofiles are keenly aware of the best fossil books on the market. However, three very excellent volumes, including one published six years ago, might have slipped through the radar of even the most acute fossil fanatic.
These three volumes, each published by the German-based Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, are to paleontology books what Picasso is to art. The three vivid books, each chock full of photos and technical information, are truly akin to fine art. Although each is quite expensive, the quality evident in these books is uniquely European. Each tome belongs on the bookshelf of any serious fossil enthusiast.
Guimarota: A Jurassic Ecosystem
This book might jog the memory of several readers. First discovered in the late 1950's, the Guimarota coal mine in Portugal has produced some of the best preserved and most important Late Jurassic fossils known to science. Among these myriad discoveries, including the teeth of dinosaurs and complete skeletons of mammals, have been specimens that have changed the way paleontology looks at the early evolution of several lineages. The most important of these fossils are photographed in vivid clarity and included in this groundbreaking book.
The Atlas of Plants and Animals
in Baltic Amber
The Atlas of Plants and Animals in Baltic Amber appeals equally to the collector and the scientist. Baltic Amber is renowned for its quality, and is famous with both paleontologists and jewelers. The amber specimens that grace the pages of this book-several hundred photos are included-are Eocene in origin, and many include entrapped insects and plants. The detailed classification and unbelievable photography makes this volume a massive research tome that poses as a coffee table book.
Devonian Fishes and Plants of Miguasha
Finally, Devonian Fishes and Plants of Miguasha is a most untraditional subject of review. This book was published in 1996, but because of its release by a German company, it is difficult to find in the U.S. and is infrequently seen by fossil enthusiasts and book collectors. Simply put, this volume centers upon the Devonian site of Miguasha in Quebec, Canada, where a glut of important lobe finned fish, including the famous Eusthenopteron, have been found. These fish reveal intriguing insights into the evolution of tetrapods.
I was impressed by each of these three volumes, both for their technical information (much of which is hard to accumulate in the U.S.) and the vivid photography, which rivals the best I have seen in any book or journal. Unfortunately, few paleontology fanatics possess these books because of their overseas publication. However, after reading them, I am convinced that they belong on the bookshelf of both the collector and scientist.
Web Links:
- Dino Land Website
http://www.geocities.com/stegob/
The world's first entirely non-commercial dinosaur webring.
- Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil
http://www.pfeil-verlag.de
Scientific publishers, Wolfratshauser Straße 27, 81379 München, Germany.
Copyright © 2003 Steve Brusatte
E-mail: brusatte@theramp.net
Reprint instructions:
This article may not be copied, distributed or reprinted in any form without the author's permission. To contact the author, please use the e-mail address provided. If you are unable to contact the author, please contact the Canadian Rockhound. Authorized reprints must acknowledge the author, original source and the Canadian Rockhound, and include the website URL address of the Canadian Rockhound.
The preceding article was first published in the September 2002 issue (Vol. 4, No. 9) of the Dino Land Dinosaur Gazette, the official newsletter of the Dino Land Website. Reprinted in the Canadian Rockhound with permission from the editor.
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How to cite this article:
BRUSATTE, Steve. An Unknown Trio of Excellent Paleontology Books. Canadian Rockhound [online]. January 19, 2003. Available from World Wide Web: <http://www.canadianrockhound.com/news_2003_paleobooks.html>.
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