I’ve reviewed the previous two books by co-authors Dr. Adam S. Smith & Jonathan Emmett, The Plesiosaur’s Neck and The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers, both of which I rather liked. I was therefore delighted when Jonathan offered me an advance copy of their latest book, Great Dinosaur Mistakes.
Great Dinosaur Mistakes is all about our evolving views of prehistoric creatures, and the mistakes that were made along the way as we learned more about them. The book starts off by introducing its two hosts. A present-day paleontologist suddenly finds herself vistied by “the Ghost of Paleontology Past” (who bears a suspicious resemblance to Bone Wars legend Edward Drinker Cope), and together they embark on a tour of the past, comparing and contrasting their views on what different prehistoric creatures looked like.
This book is broadly similar to Smith & Emmet’s previous book, The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers, though it perhaps has more in common with Sean Rubin’s The Iguanodon’s Horn, as it goes into more of the historical detail behind the changing views it presents. Despite the title, the book doesn’t focus exclusively on dinosaurs, as it also includes pterosaurs and several varieties of extinct sea creatures.
A case could be made that the focus on “mistakes” invites a disparaging view of the work of past paleontologists, though I don’t think any ill will is meant here. That being said, check out this article on the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs by Darren Naish’s for some nuance on what can be considered “accurate” paleoart.
Stieven Van der Poorten returns as illustrator, and his artwork really helps make the book what it is. Both the “accurate” and “inaccurate” animals have been rendered in careful detail, all while still in Van der Poorten’s signature art style.
Great Dinosaur Mistakes makes for an interesting look back on the past, and the comparisons really illustrate how far paleontology has come. I’m a sucker for the history of paleontology, and I personally enjoyed this look back on the ideas and illustrations of the past. I give Great Dinosaur Mistakes my Dino Dad Stomp of Approval, and recommend you pick it up for itself when it releases on August 6th.
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