Product Description

This book covers mammalian evolution from the aftermath of the dinosaur extinction to the glacial climax of the Pleistocene epoch, from early lemur-like primates to giant cold-climate adapted mega-mammals, such as the woolly mammoth or mastodon.

Customer Reviews (8)

Challenging but worth the time and effort
Written for the specialist or student in evolutionary biology and paleontology this book can nevertheless be studied by anyone who has an interest in these topics. For this reviewer, the main interest in this book was in the effect of climate on mammalian extinctions, with the hopes of shedding light on the current debate on climate change/global warming. Since the book is directed towards the specialist, the non-specialist will have to deal with a large amount of terminology, this arising mostly from the classification schemes used in paleontology and zoology. This reviewer found it helpful to use a few note sheets along the way to assist in remembering some of the scientific names of the major fauna that did exist in the time frame over which the book covers. Having some background in biology and geophysics will also help in the assimilation of the material in the book, particularly in cases where the authors are discussing dating techniques.

There is no part of this book that is uninteresting, and the excellent plates and drawings in the book add to the pleasure in its perusal. And the book went beyond this reviewer's expectations regarding the effects of climate change on mammalian extinctions: there are many examples discussed in the book and a few surprises, such as the assertion that the Mediterranean was completely desiccated around 6,000,000 years ago (the late Miocene). Early on though the authors caution the reader that even though much is known now regarding the time series of temperatures and oceanic changes throughout the last 65,000,000 years, one cannot conclude that there is an exact correlation between changes in climate and changes in mammalian ecosystems.

Very interesting also is how the authors deduce the dietary habits of extinct mammals by examining their fossilized teeth and jawbones. This "comparative" paleontology allows one to ascertain what flora were more prevalent in ages past by comparing the dental arrangements of modern mammals with those that are extinct. The variability in dental morphology it seems does have a direct correlation with the floral that were present during the time frame that the mammal was alive. An excellent example of this, which the authors discuss in the book, is the presence of `hypsodonty', which is dental morphology wherein the teeth have high crowns and enamel that extends beyond the gum line. The authors explain this as an adaptation to the silica grains that would be present in the grasses of the Pliocene age. Mammals without this adaptation would face extinction pressures due to the quick abrasion of the teeth due to these grains.

Another interesting discussion in the book concerns the `Monterey hypothesis', which is an attempt to understand the "climate crisis" in the middle Miocene in terms of the sequestering of large quantities of organic carbon. This resulted in accelerated global cooling because of the drawdown of atmospheric CO2 and the end of certain warm-water circulations. The authors discuss the experimental evidence for this hypothesis.

Mammalian extinctions can therefore be caused by climate change as well as genetics. The authors however point to another cause of these extinctions, namely the rise of the homo sapiens species, which the authors characterize as being "unique" in "its ability to exterminate other species." They give evidence to support this, but also note that that modern humans also fall prey to the very mammals that benefit from human expansion, such as the rats in the Middle Ages. But as they also note, H. sapiens is a wandering species. They moved into Australia as well as North America, and of course now dominate the planet. But this species, which on rare occasions decimates its own, is insatiably curious and has shown absolute brilliance throughout its sojourn on Earth...and on other worlds where it is just getting started.

A Looong, Hard Trek...
... through 65 million years of "punctuated" mammalian evolution, based on the vast fossil record of greater Europe. If you don't have something of a fresh background in archaeological zoology, if concepts like "clades" and "radiations" are unfamiliar, if you've never been able to keep the Eocene separate from the "epicene", you'll never get past the first 5 million years. There are hundreds, possibly thousands, of words used freely in this book that are not part of our everyday vocabulary; on ONE random page, (56), I find: microchoerid, adapid, dimorphism, creodont, hypercarnivorous, sectorial, cursorial, digitigrade, miacid, canid, ursid, amphicyonid, paleothere, lophiodontid, and brachydont. And that doesn't include the italicized Genus/species names! Now many readers will be able to handle these terms, based on recognition of their Latin/Greek roots, but the onslaught of specialized vocabulary continues for 281 large pages. If you think I'm trying to scare you, you're right. I don't want you to waste your money.

Nevertheless, this is a profoundly interesting and significant study of evolution within a delimited geography, revealing better than anything else I've read the random and contingent relationship between Darwin's "descent with modification" and the "catastrophic" events of the environment. By observing the waves of equilibrium and extinction/replacement in relation to changes in sea level, opening/closing of land-bridges due to continental drift, and huge shifts of climate, one can understand "evolution" over vast epochs of time far more credibly. The latter subject - climate change - makes this book more pertinent at present than mere intellectual curiosity. Climate change has been real. It has resulted in massive extinctions... and massive evolution of new forms, "endless forms most beautiful." By studying the climate changes of the past, we do have some chance of predicting the impact of the rapid climate change now occurring (with or without the uninformed consent of the McPalin crowd) and hedging our bets about our own chances as a species. I'm delighted, personally, by the realization that global warming will stimulate the evolution of wonderful new species, even new genera, within a few thousand years, but I'm unlikely to be around to see them.

The difficulty of the text is partly relieved by excellent illustrations, including very clear drawings of key fossils and plausible re-imagining of the mammals they came from. In pictures and in words, you'll encounter a parade of preposterous critters - far more and far stranger than Noah's Ark could possibly have carried - all of which thrived and multiplied in some niche in the ever-changing environment of Europe. Among them, by the way, were monkeys, baboons, hominids, Homo erectus, Homo antecessor, Homo neanderthalis, and Homo sapiens -- all supplanted, alas, by Homo not-so-sapiens-after-all.

Eagerly awaiting a second edition
I must confess feeling a bit unfair about giving this book bad press. First, as the other reviewers have mentioned, the illustrations are breathtaking (and yes, buy "The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives" as well). You don't have to be an evolution buff to enjoy Mauricio Antón's vivid drawings of monster pig entelodons, bizarrely pronged paleomerycids or huge-headed giant creodont predators. Another reviewer mentioned machairodonts; my personal favorites are the gorilla/horse-crossbreed-like chalicotheres.
Second, the task of covering 65 myr of mammalian succession in a reader-friendly way is just about impossible; after all, we are talking about hundreds of genera known only by their latin names (and most paleontologists are oddly adverse to giving cool names like "Tyrannosaurus", sometimes they rather go for stuff like "Brachydiceratherium", "Paracynohyaenodon" or even "Parachleuastochoerus"). The book succeeds in compiling all of this chaos, and it contains an immense, invaluable amount of information. It is all in all a unique and beautiful work on an extremely interesting topic and heartily recommmended on those grounds alone.

However: Despite its popular format the text is unforgiving in its demands on the reader. Clearly one has to have a fair comprehension of geological epochs, but also quite specialized bio-jargon like "sclerophyllous", "fossorial" or "selenodont". Maybe I'm the dummy here, but sometimes I've been quite puzzled as to who exactly the intended audience is. Are there really anybody out there who on one hand can visualize "bunodont" teeth, but on the other needs explanations of terms like "artiodactyl" or "felid"? Please guys, this could have been so infinitely much better if you'd just included:

- A glossary
- Maps (it's hard to visualize the rapidly changing European geography from descriptions alone)
- Phylogenetic trees (even if one would need non-European clades to fill in the gaps)

It would also be great to have:

- Time lines
- Illustrations of salient anatomical characteristics (like the difference between Creodonta and Carnivora)

So when I choose to cut down my rating to a meagre three stars, it's more a cry to the authors to create a second edition than to actually deter buyers. Buy this book. If you know the jargon, great; if not, read it with a dictionary and a notebook. Enjoy.


PS Top reviewer John Matlock "Gunny" has written almost 4000 reviews on all kinds of books, seemingly all of which are awarded five-star ratings. According to his profile he reviewed 6 other books the same day as MSaH. Just ignore commercial reviewers, folks.

Easy to Read, but lots of Big Names
This is a fairly short, one volume introduction to sixty-five million years of life in Europe. Most of the interest, most of the books on evolutionary history seem to concentrate on the era of the dinosaurs. But when the comet hit, they were gone. Mammals took over the econogical niche previously held by the dinosaurs.

We seem to feel that the mammals jumped full blown into what we see today. This book details the history of how the mammals came to take over the top of the pyramid. At the beginning there was only the small almost rodent like mammals that had existed alongside the dinosaurs. The book begins here, but points out that there is relatively little record from that time. The mammals were small and difficult to find in fossil form. From here the book goes on to the evolution of humans during only the last couple of million years.

Well written and easy to read, the book covers a little known era. You will find though, an awful lot of new (and big) words to describe the various animals.

Tough to Read
"Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids" describes the evolution of mammals in Europe over the past 65 million years, an immense stretch of time that this humble reader still struggles to comprehend.The author describes in detail the creatures that once lived in Europe, from the small and archaic, e.g. multituberculates, to the large and more modern, e.g. mammoths.Some mention is also made of non-mammals such as the killer birds and crocodiles.The book is lavishly illustrated with several full color plates in the center and numerous black-and-white sketches throughout the text.Mauricio Anton's pictures alone make the book worth owning for any prehistoric mammal enthusiast.The downside to this work, and why I only rate the book 4 stars, is that it's rather tough to read for someone who's not well-versed in the jargon of biology and paleontology.A glossary would have been really helpful.A hefty bibliography is supplied for those who wish to immerse themselves in the scholarly literature.I must admit that I had to start over a couple of times to grasp the material.This book isn't quite the readable account of mammalian evolution I was hoping for, having just recently been inspired to learn more about the subject by "Walking with Prehistoric Beasts".Students and grad-students in the field will certainly enjoy it, however. ... Read more

Product Description

Shawnee legend tells of a herd of huge bison rampaging through the Ohio Valley, laying waste to all in their path. To protect the tribe, a deity slew these great beasts with lightning bolts, finally chasing the last giant buffalo into exile across the Wabash River, never to trouble the Shawnee again. The source of this legend was a peculiar salt lick in present-day northern Kentucky, where giant fossilized skeletons had for centuries lain undisturbed by the Shawnee and other natives of the region. In 1739, the first Europeans encountered this fossil site, which eventually came to be known as Big Bone Lick. The site drew the attention of all who heard of it, including George Washington, Daniel Boone, Benjamin Franklin, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and especially Thomas Jefferson. The giant bones immediately cast many scientific and philosophical assumptions of the day into doubt, and they eventually gave rise to the study of fossils for biological and historical purposes. Big Bone Lick: The Cradle of American Paleontology recounts the rich history of the fossil site that gave the world the first evidence of the extinction of several mammalian species, including the American mastodon. Big Bone Lick has played many roles: nutrient source, hallowed ground, salt mine, health spa, and a rich trove of archaeological and paleontological wonders. Natural historian Stanley Hedeen presents a comprehensive narrative of Big Bone Lick from its geological formation forward, explaining why the site attracted animals, regional tribespeople, European explorers and scientists, and eventually American pioneers and presidents. Big Bone Lick is the history of both a place and a scientific discipline: it explores the infancy and adolescence of paleontology from its humble and sometimes humorous beginnings. Hedeen combines elements of history, geology, politics, and biology to make Big Bone Lick a valuable historical resource as well as the compelling tale of how a collection of fossilized bones captivated a young nation.

Customer Reviews (3)

A locality, both real and mythical
At the entrance of Big Bone Lick State Park, Kentucky, one can reads
that this is the place where American vertebrate paleontology began.
This book offers a detailed historical overview of the area since the
18th century, and of the work done there, combining several scientific approaches, history, geology, biology and, of course, paleontology. It is more than a revision of Willard Rouse Jillson's 1936 classic book of the same title.

Great historical read, but needed more...
Hedeen's "Big Bone Lick: The Cradle of American Paleontology" is a great review of the historical significance that Big Bone Lick played in American paleontology and science.

It was refreshing to read how our early American forefathers, including Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin, were truly renaissance men who not only had interests in politics and world affairs, but also natural history and science issues (so different from many of our current politicians). I also enjoyed learning about how the Lick was an interface between our forefathers as well as some of the world's leading scientific minds.

The book was wonderfully quick and fascinating lead, but felt like it was lacking something.

Personally, I would have liked to learn more about the ecology of the extinct animals that were found at the site, or at least more in-depth information about the animals themselves.The content of the book really focused more on the major players who were involved in discoveries at the site, or naming and identifying the species found at the Lick, but spent little time talking about how those animals may have lived and died at the site (though did mention some speculations made by some of the people involved).Likewise, it would have been nice to learn more about the habitats and environments around the lick when these extinct animals were alive, and what may have actually caused their extinction (presumably climate change and the end of the ice age?).

Lastly, it would have been interesting if Hedeen could have expanded on the history of Native American groups at the Lick.

Overall, it's a great book and will be especially of interest to those who have visited the Lick, are familiar with the Ohio River Valley, or have an interest in early American paleontology.

Big Bone Lick
Stanley Hedeen does a nice job pulling together a wide variety of reference materials into a very readable account of the history of paleontological investigations at Big Bone Lick, Kentucky. I knew something about Thomas Jefferson's interest in the site, both before and after Lewis and Clarke's expedition to the American west, and how his paleontological interests partially motivated his desire for western exploration, but I was unfamiliar with the many others who visited the site and came away with magnificent fossils. The book highlights how this site helped raise the consciousness of people about distant times and the concept of species extinctions in general. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

A shame it's out of print . . . highly, highly recommended
Starting with a 36,000-year-old bison mummy washed out of ancient permafrost by a gold miner, zoologist and paleontologist R. Dale Guthrie discusses the events that led to Blue Babe's death and the preservation of his carcass.

That's what a bare-bones summary of this book would be, but that doesn't do it justice. In a clear, readable (but not grammar-school) style, Guthrie wanders through related subjects such as frozen mammoths, the ecology and behavior of "Ice-Age" steppe bison, wild horses, mammoths and even Alaskan lions, and how Blue Babe probably looked in life -- and makes them fascinating.

Readers may have trouble understanding chapters 8 and 9 of this book if they haven't read "Paleoecology of Beringia", another out-of-print gem which anthologizes the work of several paleontologists. Guthrie is a proponent of the "Mammoth Steppe" theory, which holds that during the Pleistocene most of Alaska and Siberia were not covered by soggy tundra or coniferous trees but by a cold, dry steppe or brushland that could support mammoths, horses, bison and other large grazers. In these two chapters, he turns away from Blue Babe to tackle and refute the objections raised by two other scientists in "Paleoecology..." (successfully, in my non-scientist opinion).

I suspect most readers will find this the dullest part of the book, but it's hard to discuss the big animals of the Pleistocene without talking about why they could exist then but are extinct or much rarer in our warmer modern world.

A superb look at the excavation, history of an ice-age bison
Written in a clear and enjoyable style, this book's description of the discovery, excavation, and the background of Blue Babe, a 35,000-year-old bison from Alaska's late Pleistocene is complete with many color and B&W photos as well as explanatory line-drawings.The discovery was made in 1979 about 15 miles north of Fairbanks, Alaska, at a goldmining operation. For the reader interested in ice-age mammals, how such specimens are found, recovered, and prepared for exhibition, this book is a good general guide through those stages.Dr. Guthrie has a long and outstanding career studying the Pleistocene mammals of Alaska,and his expertise and experience in explaining such topics to the lay-reader comes through well. ... Read more

Product Description
Who were the first humans to reach North America? When did they arrive? How did they get here? Some evidence suggests that they walked across the land bridge that once connected Siberia and Alaska. A growing number of archaeologists now believe that at least some, if not most, of our forefathers arrived by boat along the northwest coast of North America. They may have originated from Japan or Southeast Asia and stuck to the shorelines. A few archaeologists note similarities between early North American stone tool technology and specimens found in Europe. They speculate that early humans reached the continent by boat, crossing the frigid North Atlantic waters. With archaeological field photographs and realistic illustrations by Richard Hilliard, David L. Harrison explores the various theories of North America s first people. He shows how scientists are like detectives investigating mysteries that took place more than one hundred centuries ago. Includes maps, glossary, sources, index. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Book of Dinosaurs review
We purchased this book for our three year old son.He loves the pictures in the book.He carries it around with him from morning thru bedtime and when he goes to sleep he takes it to bed and sleeps with it right next tohim.He loves dinosaurs and knows many of the names of them.Thru thisbook he has learned not only more dinosaur names but specific informationabout the dinosaurs in this book.Though some of the text is a littleadvanced for him and there are certain parts my husband and I change whenwe read it, we still read this as his bedtime book at night.My two yearold son is starting to become interested also.I thought my sons wouldnever be interested in reading.They really are now, we just needed tofind the right subject.They are very interested in dinosaurs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

a valuable assetfor all mammoth-lovers
For 13 years now I have been a fanatic in collecting mammoth-related objects and studying myths and extinction-theories of the Mammuthus Carnivaorus . It pleases me to see that on a scientific level the mystiquethat surrounds these creatures is enhanced, not so much in the offering ofnew theories, but by the detail in Mol's descriptions that provide atransparance and valuable surplus of information essential for in depthunderstanding of mammoths, their origin and habitat.

Dick Mol one of the greatest paleonthologists this century
Having a great inclination towards the former existence and actual extinction of hairy mammals, I was amazed by the great fascination of the author. This books leaves only few details unrevealed, and sucks the readerinto the inspiring but highly secretive world of long gone species. Dutchresearcher,Dick Mol, although from a small country, proves once and for allto be one of the greatest paleonthologists this century offered to mankind.

A 'Mammoth' book!
Fantastic!

Netherlander Dick Mol is one of the world's foremost Mammoth researchers. "Mammoths"is very insightful and well written, but is far from the dry academic treatise one might expect. Itincludes nice, easy to find, soft 'touching' parts as well as morescientific, technical and empirical analyses and discussions of the greatextinct beast.Mol's favorite Mammoth is obviously Mammuthus primigenius -the Woolly Mammoth, but he does give a equally vivid account of the variousMammoths' existence all over the Northern Hemisphere. This book was like adream for me!

Great book!!!
Netherlander Dick Mol is one of the world's foremost Mammoth researchers. "Mammoths"is very insightful and well written, but is far from the dry academic treatise one might expect. It includes nice, easy to find,soft 'touching' parts as well as more scientific, technical and empiricalanalyses and discussions of the great extinct beast.

Mol's favoriteMammoth is obviously Mammuthus primigenius - the Woooly Mammoth, but hedoes give a equally vivid account of the various Mammoths existence allover the Northern Hemisphere.This book was like a dream for me! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Charles Knight:Megafauna Master
Anyone who has ever picked up an illustrated text dealing with dinosaurs is probably already familiar with Knight's work.He is the father of modern paleo-biological illustration.
Some of his images may be somewhat dated or anthropomorphic, arguably, but he is to this day a respected science illustrator.Stephen Jay Gouldemployed Knight's illustration of Cambrian marine fauna for the cover of his, at one time, definite work on the epoch "Wonderful Life."

Dinosaurs, Mammoths & Cavemen is the perfect cursory overview of Knight's career illustrating megafauna of the past and gives a decent and economical account of the man himself.But it's far from a biography and appropriately dedicates pages and pages solely to the presentation off Knight's illustrations.His images are lively, vivid and detailed.This book is a prized piece of my personal library both as a recreational distraction and as reference.

Dinosaurs, mammoths, and cavemen: The art of Charles R. Knight
A wonderful book. Covers in beautiful detail the age of dinosaurs, prehistoric mammals and early man. Heavily illustrated with incredible plates. The original paintings of many of these images are in the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Field Museum in Chicago, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D. C., the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in L.A. and many other museums around the world. They are reproduced brilliantly. It is a significant work covering these topics in terms that non-palentologists and dinosaur, prehistoric mammal and early man fans can appreciate. It is a book I am proud to own. It was available in both soft and hardcover. The softcover tends to come apart at the binding, so great care is needed in handling. The hardcover has no such problems. If you can find it, buy it! ... Read more

Product Description
Avocational paleontologist Mark Renz stumbles onto an ancient graveyard of mammoths, mastodons, sloths, horses, llamas, deer, peccaries, saber-toothed cats, jaguars, bears, wolves, snakes and alligators. Was it a major storm, flood, drought of plague that killed so many creatures at once?What signs do scientists look for to determine cause and time of death?What are the ethical considerations for amateurs who come across such a site? Do you keep the bones for yourself, sell them on e-bay, or donate them to a museum of the greater public good?Close to 800 field photos offer readers a rare glimpse at the final moments in the lives of these animals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A giant of a book!!
After reading Doug's Ark, I had to read Giants in the Storm. Once again, Mark Renz pulls through offering up yet another dose of fascinating and entertaining literature. The book, Giants in the Storm, explains in great detail the extensive labor and excitement that many paleontologists (both amateur and professional) expend for this area of science. This book complements Mark's previous book, Doug's Ark. Coupled with fabulous photographs depicting the actual unearthing of these once thriving animals and the timeline of the excavation, Mark Renz writes about the ups and downs of the recovery process of such a scientifically important site. Happened upon by fate, the La Belle Highway Pit was fortunate enough to be discovered by a caring individual. Because of Mark and numerous unselfish and dedicated paleontology lovers, Floridians have a richer knowledge of their Paleontological past. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will turn to it in the future as a reference. I recommend this book to anyone who has a fascination for paleontology.

Fossil graveyard -- Unsolved mystery
As any keen fossil hunter knows, Florida seems to have more than its fair share of fossil material. While finding that perfect mammoth tooth can be an exhilarating experience, finding a "graveyard" of fossils yielding specimens from multiple species would be the ultimate experience. Author Mark Renz was lucky enough to discover such a site. After four years of red tape, Renz got permission to excavate a highway retention pond near his stomping ground of LaBelle, Florida. His instincts about the scientific significance of the site paid off as he and volunteers recovered more than 2,000 fossil specimens which are now housed at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. Giants in the Storm is a colorful real-life story about the struggles and achievements the group experienced during the expedition and it's an imaginary tale of how these species might have perished in such close proximity to one another.

While the 800 photos serve as an excellent field guide for the inveterate fossil hunter, the book offers as much inspirational value as it does paleontological value. Renz's four year quest to explore a site which he felt had potential shows that persistence pays off. Secondly, Renz reminds us that hoarding fossils doesn't serve the common good. The next time we stash away our fossil finds, we might consider if we have taken something that might be of scientific value for generations to come.I highly recommend this book.

An exciting introduction to the world amateur archaeology
Giants In The Storm is the true story of a vocational paleontologist Mark Renz's discovery of a half-million year-old Florida river bed and dozens of partial skeletons preserved within it, from capybara rodents to bull-size ground sloth's, primitive wolves, saber-toothed cats and more. Exploring questions pertaining to the animals' cause of death, whether their accumulation of skeletons represents natural extinction or an immediate catastrophe, and the ethical questions concerning fossil bone disposal posed to an amateur hunter (keep the bones for oneself, donate them to a museum, or sell them on ebay?) Giants In The Storm addresses common scientific curiosity and supplements its text with over 800 black-and-white field photos of discovered bones. An exciting introduction to the world amateur archaeology and the lives of animals that lived many thousands of years ago.

Giants InThe Storm Tells Great Paleo Story
This is a richly-illustrated tale told by an avid paleontologist who weaves the story of a single dig site into an interesting blend of scientific documentation and cracker-barrel conversation. The third paleo publication by this writer-illustrator team, GIANTS IN THE STORM follows an in-depth evacuation of a single Florida Department of Transportation holding pond.

The book opens with a story about an ancient storm that may have led to the demise of horses, large wooly mammoths and other animals that once made Florida their home. Following the story, the book addresses the discovery and documentation of an ancient riverbed site where fossilized remains of dozens of creatures were preserved in their final moments of life.

Newly 150 pages of explanatory text, photographs and captions detail the various fossil species - alphabetical from alligator to wolf - that were excavated from the site known as the "La Belle Highway Pit." The book also documents the dedicated cooperation between a state agency (FDOT) and the public as well as the extremely inclusive nature of the academic world (University of Florida) and local fossil enthusiasts.

Renz noted the illustrations document only part of the thousands of fossils recovered at the site and turned over to the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. "In all, representation of at least a dozen mammoths and mastodons were found along with an equal number of horses and short-legged or long-legged llamas. Multiple peccaries, turtles and tortoises also turned up, and isolated bones or teeth belonging to alligators, bears, saber-toothed cats, jaguars, beavers, birds and wolves."

Dr. Richard Hulbert, Jr., the Museum's Vertebrate Paleontology Collection Manager, acknowledged the site's contribution "has paid off bountifully in fossils from an interval of geologic time that was previously poorly known in Florida. Thanks to them (Mark and his crew) we know much more than we did before about the animals that lived in Southwest Florida approximately 500,000 years ago."

In addition to detailing the excavation sites' development and operations (during a fairly narrow timeframe), the reader is presented with a coffee-table format allowing numerous, larger and detailed images. A chapter entitled "Digging Outside The Box" acknowledged contributions made by the volunteer paleo collectors and supporters at the site, often spending hours on end in waist-deep water, mucky dirt, soupy clay and blazing sun.

This book is highly recommended as a solid addition to any Ice Age fossil collector's paleo library for its images and detailed text.GIANTS IN THE STORM is also a great read for any one interesting in the many details associated with a real fossil dig site.

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Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

bison definitely needed a heavier coat....
i am an avid paleontology enthusiast.i have read lots of books on the subject.i had gotten this back in the early 1990's and still,i pick up and read some of the passages of the finding of blue babe and other fossils.once you start reading this book, you won't want to put it down!it is scientific and amazing. it reads like one of the best alaskanstories.it is from the teller of the adventure and, almost from the animal's point of view.without giving anything away, i get a kick out of what miners were hanging their lamp on--not realizing what it was they were hanging it on! if you are a pleistocene faunal fan like i am---get this book!! and, as a side note, the bison was colored blue! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

The early days of US paleontology
This book is a journey to the dawn of paleontological fieldwork in North
America, with emergence of scientific concepts. Indeed a pleasant trip in time and space, when everything was there, in the soil, waiting to be discovered. The reading offers also a lot of colorful events and characters, too.
... Read more