Fossils: A Fully Illustrated, Authoritative and Easy-To-Use Guide

"Fossils: A Guide to Prehistoric Life"", by Frank Rhodes, H. Zim & Paul Shaffer, St. Martin's Press, NY 2002, ISBN: 1-58238-142-9, PB 100 pgs., Index 4 pgs. Inveiglements include 481 full-color illustrations of fauna & flora fossil, and museum quality diorama of extinct creatures. 6" x 4". This pocket-sized book is handy to carry, provides a clear overview with hundreds of colorful illustrations by Prof. Raymond Perlman (Univ. of Ill.) of plant & animal fossils and contains useful notations of species found at various timelines. The lead author Rhodes, President of Cornell University, had ready access to some of the finest specimens and documents available. As an introduction and pocket guide this primer is to be recommended, and useful for full spectrum of age groups to all wanting ready access to reliable basic information on paleontology. Unfortunately, the list of nine textbooks and references tabulated on page 25 is outdated (1936 to 1962) and no mention, even in passing, is made of DNA. Nonetheless, as a pocket primer it is not excelled and the price is right. finis

I own a fossil quarry and this book explains better about our fossils than the other books that the fossil stores carry around here. I recommend this book very much.

I can remember pouring over the pictures in this book,using my book light,long after the final lights out call from my parents. I traveled back in time, imagining dinosaur growls and prehistoric seashells. By day, I would wander the acreage on my Grandma's farm, scouring the weedy earth for the slightest hint of ancient rock or dinosaur footprint. I wanted my school-age children to enjoy the imaginative art of archeology and paleantology and immediately remembered my favorite book, Fossils: A Guide to Prehistoric Life. I was delighted to see that it was still in print with the same exciting drawings. I immediatley ordered my copy! I then decided to order a copy for my kids! This is a great book that will encourage your children to look beyond the video games and satellite channels and into the fascinating world of the ancient past.

This little guide is the best choice for beginners and children. Book gives the reader an idea about what a fossil is, where and how they can be found, and some information about major fossils. All the pictures are hand drawn illustrations, so that they are not very detailed but still OK for kids and beginers. (I liked it when I was young!)