From Library Journal
Dinosaurs are in vogue these days (see also Dougal Dixon's The Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals, reviewed in this issue, p.00). In Alexander's latest, he exercises his considerable expertise in engineering; he tackles questions of dinosaur weight, gait, agility, behavior, and metabolism from a mechanical perspective, and emphasizes methods a paleontologist can use to infer or calculate whole animal structure and function from bones and trackways. Flying and marine reptiles and giant birds and mammals are also included. For the intelligent lay reader who wonders how scientific reconstructions of fossil animals can be created; and for the professional seeking an approachable version of topics covered in Alexander's more technical works.
- Margery C. Coombs, Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst
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