Sleuthing Fossils: The Art of Investigating Past Life (Wiley Science Editions)

By Alan M. Cvancara

Book Overview

An introduction to the fascinating world of investigating fossils, an activity enjoyed worldwide by thousands of paleontologists. Brings to life the colorful history of the development of life on Earth and shows you where to find fossils and how to interpret them. All technical terms are clearly explained. Considers theories of the extinction of dinosaurs, including asteroid impact and punctual versus gradualistic evolution.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471620777
• ISBN13: 9780471620778
• Release Date: January 1990
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 203 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Great book, but don't let the title mislead you

When I ran across this book my first thought was a practical guide for the amateur fossil collector. At worst maybe an overview of collecting with some good tips. Neither is the case. This book is the author's perspective and recount of the science of paleontology and his experiences. It seems to be geared towards those who may be a considering a degree and/or career in paleoscience. While I find a lot of the content interesting it really is limited use for me. What I found most helpful was the pronunciation and naming areas. I'm am sure that Dr. Cvancara is an excellent instructor and a well qualified professional. His writing style is easy to understand given the technical material and he does an admirable job relaying it without dumbing it down. I would have preferred a better description on the cover or in the listing. But nonetheless, I gladly add it to my growing collection and feel better educated in the subject.