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My Beloved Brontosaurus
- On the Road with Old Bones, New Science, and Our Favorite Dinosaurs
- Narrated by: Brian Switek
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
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Publisher's Summary
Paleontology meets pop culture in a talented young author’s journey into the lives of dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs, with their awe-inspiring size, terrifying claws and teeth, and otherworldly abilities, occupy a sacred place in our childhoods. They loom over museum halls, thunder through movies, and are a fundamental part of our collective imagination. In My Beloved Brontosaurus, the dinosaur fanatic Brian Switek enriches the childlike sense of wonder these amazing creatures instill in us. Investigating the latest discoveries in paleontology, he breathes new life into old bones. Switek reunites us with these mysterious creatures as he visits desolate excavation sites and hallowed museum vaults, exploring everything from the sex life of Apatosaurus and T. rex’s feather-laden body to just why dinosaurs vanished. (And of course, on his journey, he celebrates the book’s titular hero, “Brontosaurus” - who suffered a second extinction when we learned he never existed at all - as a symbol of scientific progress.)
With infectious enthusiasm, Switek questions what we’ve long held to be true about these beasts, weaving in stories from his obsession with dinosaurs, which started when he was just knee-high to a Stegosaurus. Endearing, surprising, and essential to our understanding of our own evolution and our place on Earth, My Beloved Brontosaurus is an audiobook that dinosaur fans and anyone interested in scientific progress will cherish for years to come.
Includes a bonus interview between Brian Switek and Amanda Moon, managing editor of the Scientific American imprint at Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
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What listeners say about My Beloved Brontosaurus
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Orrin
- 05-18-13
Self-inflicted wounds mar otherwise very fun read
Any additional comments?
Like the author, Jurassic Park really inspired me to pay attention to dinosaurs as fascinating animals instead of stop motion monsters, and this book was generally a fun ride through a lot of dinosauria's newest discoveries. A lot of it I already was aware of based on general interest news stories, but the book covered those things in further depth, which was great.
There were two problems with the book, though. First, the author felt the need to completely unnecessarily toss in some political jabs, making him look small and closed-minded (hardly attributes you want in any scientist). I don't have any patience for Creationists, but why go out of your way to attack them, particularly in a way that comes off as an attack on all religion? That carries over to contempt for past generations of scientists who got things wrong, but were working within the paradigms and the technological limitations of their times. A failure to understand why a different scientist may have - in good faith - come to a different conclusion is again the mark of a limited imagination, which limits his own scientific credibility. Sometimes I agreed with him and sometimes I didn't, but in all instances it was distracting, and those little windows of bitterness (that's how they came off) sadly reduced what is otherwise great joy in learning new things.
Second, the author should not have read the book himself. I have no doubt he's passionate about the subject, but his affect was flat, almost bored. There is an irrepressible, child-like joy in learning about dinosaurs, and that didn't come through. There's no shame in hiring professionals to more accurately convey the emotion of one's story, and that would have been an improvement here.
12 people found this helpful
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- J. D. Botet
- 06-16-13
Good story, bad reading!
A very interesting story,but, I became very upset as the reader goes too fast and sounds uninterested in the subject. Ruined by the wrong reader! Couldn`t finnish it.
6 people found this helpful
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- Atila
- 04-21-13
A passionate update on Dinosaurs
Ever since I left my dinomania behind, I still love dinosaurs, but don't have the time to read all the new science that has been produced in the last years about them. And it is so much new stuff. Brian Switek does exactly this, puts us up to date to what is currently known about dinos. He is a great science writer that I have followed for many years thorough the blog Laelaps and is completely qualified for this role.
Narrated by himself, you can hear how he came to love dinosaurs and kept this passion until adulthood, and how much about what we thought about dinosaurs changed. How they evolved, what colours they had, what sound they maid, how they behaved, how they grew so much, how they made sex and more. Well written, well explained and citing scientific sources, a great reading. My only complain is that it left me wanting more.
3 people found this helpful
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- Gram1950
- 04-22-21
Reminiscences of a Scientist
Remembering the fun of growing up and not out growing a boys love of exciting, enormous, extinct dinosaurs makes informative and nostalgic reading. The author takes you through the new discoveries that have changed what we know about dinosaurs. I think he must about the same age as my sons. I remember taking them to museums and to see dinosaur prints. His narration doesn’t do justice to his enthusiasm. It might be a better read than listen.
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- BrendaMT
- 03-14-18
Great book, but....
A great book about dinosaurs, but sadly also a great example of why authors should NOT read their own books.
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- JURANDYR
- 05-29-16
A Comprehensive and Engaging Update on the Field
The title and much of the book's content pretty much express the mixed feelings that old timers like me have trying to reconcile the old portrayal of the titanic beasts with everything researchers all over the globe have been bringing to light about peacock-like little dragons - and explains why we can't avoid the transition. Masterful work, a pleasure to read/listen.
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- Adam
- 01-16-16
Great book. Poor performance.
I thoroughly enjoyed the content of the book but had trouble staying with it because of what seemed like an uninspired performance. I was surprised when I realized that the reader and the author are one and the same. The person reading the book just doesn't sound interested in dinosaurs or paleontology. Go figure. Being only the casual dinosaur enthusiast, I learned a lot.
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- diocletian9
- 08-11-19
Not just about dinosaurs but about us & dinosaurs.
I loved this book and simply tore through it. A wonderful and concise overview of all aspects of dinosaurs and a history of our relationship with these amazing creatures; scientifically and in popular culture.
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- Doodlesaur
- 02-22-18
Must Have For Dino Lovers
If you could sum up My Beloved Brontosaurus in three words, what would they be?
Dinosaur Love Letter would probably be the most ap.
Who was your favorite character and why?
I guess the dinosaurs, who doesn't love a good dinosaur? Because if there is anyone, there is clearly something wrong with them.
What does Brian Switek bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
The passion Brian has for his chosen subject shines on through out the book. It's full of little anecdotes and sound scientific research. Plus, the fact he is reading his own words adds a lot to the experience of the book. You can hear it in his voice is awe and wonderment at these animals of the past. There is also a very enjoyable radio interview at the end of the book.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I could quite happily listen to this all in one sitting, it isn't very long, but I'm a dinosaur fanatic so it's very easy for me to say that.