Triceratops is best. There. I said it.
October 30, 2011 8:14 PM Subscribe
Book identification: dinosaur edition.
As a kid, I had what I remember being an oversized, hardback book about dinosaurs. There was a two-page full color illustration of the dinosaur, and then two pages of info, including a little size comparison graph in the corner (comparing the dino to a human). It had a dustjacket, and I remember the jacket being primarily grey or blue shades with probably a t-rex on the cover? And then after it got through the dino section there was another section on history and fossil finds and such. Book might've been an inch thick or so?
Bonus question: what's the best television series out there on dinosaurs? Preferably one already on DVD, with a high ratio of coooool animated dinosaurs to talking paleontologists. I'm thinking something like Planet Earth: 65 Million BC Edition.
As a kid, I had what I remember being an oversized, hardback book about dinosaurs. There was a two-page full color illustration of the dinosaur, and then two pages of info, including a little size comparison graph in the corner (comparing the dino to a human). It had a dustjacket, and I remember the jacket being primarily grey or blue shades with probably a t-rex on the cover? And then after it got through the dino section there was another section on history and fossil finds and such. Book might've been an inch thick or so?
Bonus question: what's the best television series out there on dinosaurs? Preferably one already on DVD, with a high ratio of coooool animated dinosaurs to talking paleontologists. I'm thinking something like Planet Earth: 65 Million BC Edition.
I read this question out loud to mr. hgg and he immediately said, "The How and Why Wonder Book of Dinosaurs." Is that it?
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:36 PM on October 30, 2011
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:36 PM on October 30, 2011
Response by poster: HGG: sorry, not that one. I should add that I would've read this book sometime in the mid 80s to early 90s, and I think it was fairly new. And, again, full-color illustrations inside. The illustrations were also REALLY detailed; I have a clear-hazy image of dino talons of some kind stepping in entrails (I think I tried to draw this at one point, which might be why it stuck with me).
posted by curious nu at 8:42 PM on October 30, 2011
posted by curious nu at 8:42 PM on October 30, 2011
From your description, it sounds like this may have been a Dorling Kindersley book. They've put out several titles about dinosaurs, and I don't know them well enough to say whether any is likely to have been yours, but this might be a place for you to look.
posted by Perodicticus potto at 9:00 PM on October 30, 2011
posted by Perodicticus potto at 9:00 PM on October 30, 2011
Seconding Walking with Dinosaurs for shows.
The sequel, Chased by Dinosaurs, is a bit goofier, what with the wise-cracking time-traveling scientist, but very very good too.
posted by pantarei70 at 9:04 PM on October 30, 2011
The sequel, Chased by Dinosaurs, is a bit goofier, what with the wise-cracking time-traveling scientist, but very very good too.
posted by pantarei70 at 9:04 PM on October 30, 2011
I was sure this was it: http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Book-Dinosaurs-Paul-Dowswell/dp/0752584480/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320035280&sr=1-2
But publishing dates aren't right.
posted by purenitrous at 9:30 PM on October 30, 2011
But publishing dates aren't right.
posted by purenitrous at 9:30 PM on October 30, 2011
Could it have been one of several books by William Stout? He does fairly detailed dinosaur drawings, and The New Dinosaurs (it's an updated edition of a book that was just titled "Dinosaurs" in the 80s and 90s) sounds similar.
posted by zombieflanders at 6:59 AM on October 31, 2011
posted by zombieflanders at 6:59 AM on October 31, 2011
Maybe A Field Guide To Dinosaurs, or another book published by the Diagram Group?
posted by box at 7:19 AM on October 31, 2011
posted by box at 7:19 AM on October 31, 2011
Response by poster: After digging around last night and this morning, following up various leads from here, I think it might be this but I can't find any internal shots of the book; I have it on interlibrary loan request now and will see in a couple of weeks, I guess!
posted by curious nu at 7:45 AM on October 31, 2011
posted by curious nu at 7:45 AM on October 31, 2011
I have a feeling it is this, the Nat Geo Dinopedia.
Here is an inside view with the human/dino size comparison box you mentioned.
Bonus: it was written by my dad.
Bonus Bonus: The NOVA Dinosaur dvds are the best
posted by rmless at 8:30 AM on October 31, 2011
Here is an inside view with the human/dino size comparison box you mentioned.
Bonus: it was written by my dad.
Bonus Bonus: The NOVA Dinosaur dvds are the best
posted by rmless at 8:30 AM on October 31, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by empath at 8:18 PM on October 30, 2011