Dinosaurs Without Bones – Book Review

Dinosaurs Without Bones

by Anthony J. Martin

Fossils. What does this paleontological word conjure up when you read or hear it? You may instantaneously get a vision of the humongous skeleton of Brontosaurus, the spine-tingling skull of T. rex, or something non-dinosaurian but memorable, such as the beautiful, coiled shells of ammonites. These are genuine fossils and there is nothing wrong with that. However, it seems that there is this strong tendency in the public mind to associate this term only with such relics of ancient life. We do need to realize it is not only body fossils (teeth, vertebrae, spikes, etc.) but also trace fossils which constitute the fossil record, the latter unfortunately appearing to be overlooked by a significant portion of the hoi polloi. Dinosaurs Without Bones by Anthony J. Martin is a book with a hugely important role to endow dinosaurian trace fossils with their well-deserved glory.

Ichnology is a branch of science that deals with traces and trace fossils, and Dinosaurs Without Bones, written by an ichnologist, covers this academic discipline with a focus on the traces that dinosaurs left in their lifetimes; a few examples of these behavioral remnants are tracks, nests, burrows, and gastroliths. With his comprehensive coverage of the subject, the author has done a great job in making the case that this dinosaurian legacy is massively important to our understanding of this incredible group of animals and that we would be indigent without the knowledge acquired from studying these prehistoric clues. Although Dinosaurs Without Bones is intended as an ichnological discussion of non-avian dinosaurs, extant dinosaurs, namely birds, have their share as well, and this book ends with a commentary of the future of dinosaurian ichnology. Dr. Martin has also suffused this book with a good sprinkling of fresh humor, which has successfully made me burst out laughing now and then. In short, this volume on ichnology is a must-read if you want to see a more complete picture of the world of dinosaurs.

There are two other points I'd like to raise before I conclude this review. Firstly, I noticed that Dinosaurs Without Bones is special in respect of science education that it can impart to its readers. I have gained valuable insight into how science works, including the process scientific papers need to undergo in order to be published in a scientific journal. Secondly (and lastly), in my opinion, Dinosaurs Without Bones is the best book I have ever read in terms of sentence complexity. So *calling out to my EFL students*, if you badly need to prepare for the IELTS Writing test, you may want to consider perusing this superlative read.

Have you read Dinosaurs Without Bones? What are your thoughts on this book? Share your opinion in the comment section below!