Dinosaurs in the Attic: An Excursion Into the American Museum of Natural History

by Douglas Preston

Book Overview

Dinosaurs in the Attic is a chronicle of the expeditions, discoveries, and scientists behind the greatest natural history collection every assembled. Written by former Natural History columnist Douglas Preston, who worked at the American Museum of Natural History for seven years, this is a celebration of the best-known and best-loved museum in the United States.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345347323
• ISBN13: 9780345347329
• Release Date: December 1987
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Oustanding book from an outstanding author

Dinosaurs in the Attic was an extremely well written review of the American Museum of Natural History. As someone intimately familiar with the museum, Preston did an excellent job of bringing the reader into the museum at various points throughout history. Each chapter provided comprehensive history about the museum without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary information. The book flowed from page one to the very last. Highly recommended for any Douglas Preston fans and those interested in learning the history of such an amazing museum.

A "must read" for history buffs

The book is filled with all the unheard stories of the founding, and running of the museum. Also tales about the explorers, collectors, thieves and hunters that made this museum what is today. It holds all their dirty little secrets, their untold exploits, their skeletons in the closets. It is a completely entertaining and enlightening book.

A serendipitous trip

This is a classic. Anyone who has ever visited the AMNH or plans to will want to read this book. It's a gem.

Engrossing, hilarious (sometimes) human nature book

You wouldn't think of museums as providing the stuff for comedians, but I can see not enough people know about what actually goes on in these collosal monuments to human curiosity!I came to this book by way of mystery writers (Preston and Child--Relic and Fairchild---The Bone Vault). So thanks guys for recommending this nonfiction read! Almost as quickly read as my mysteries.The need for so many people to collect items, animals and even humans (would someone please stomp on Admiral Peary's grave for a while)! Geez. You wouldn't think people would be so obtuse as to not realize that living, breathing human beings do not belong in museums as specimens of a tribe or culture we do not know. But obviously the wealthy who often did the collecting, or those 'explorers' who put fame and glory above compassion had a problem with understanding basic human rights. And yes, if tribes ask for their ancestors back, the bones should be returned and buried. How would we all feel if someone went and dug up our grandparents and put their skeletons on display without concern for our need to respect them? You don't see museum guys going to dig up white American or English cemetary plots, do you?Okay, off the soapbox. A fun read, well-written, well-researched. Preston went on to write several books using the museums as a somewhat creepy place, and frankly after reading this and other books, I don't think I'd want to be locked in the American Museum of Natural History. Pretty sure I'd freak out...too much past with too many ghosts attached to it. Besides, this place sounds like a mausoleum. Having just returned from visiting the Mutter Medical Museum in Philly with its assortment of bones, oddly shaped fetuses and a variety of other things like hands floating in some type of suspension fluid showing small pox at its worse...yikes, I don't know how much of this stuff I could take, and I took medical classes in the Morgue!The history of the museum is fascinating...the fact that we are able to see so little of this makes me yearn to do exploring down in the 'tombs' and hallways in the presence of company and full daylight, thank you.Karen Sadler,Science Education,University of Pittsburgh

You don't have to love dinosaurs to enjoy this book

More than a book about a museum, Dinosaurs in the Attic is a survey of the last two centuries' at times predatory and rapacious drive to collect. I read this book years ago, and am still recommending it to people as one of the most interesting and enjoyable books I've ever read. The story telling is marvelous and the insights about the museum fascinating.