Amber: Tears of the Gods
The Dorling Kindersley Pocket Book of Dinosaurs
As Curator of Palaeontology at the Hunterian Museum at the University of Glasgow, Neil Clark brings dinosaurs back to life for the young and old alike.
His latest work, Amber – Tears of the Gods, spans the millenia on a journey through the fascinating and turbulent history of a natural substance that has inspired countless myths and legends. Once treasured as gold, the mysterious characteristics of amber have been admired since the earliest times. It is found in abundance along the southern shores of the Baltic seas where this fossilized tree resin has shaped the economies of the region for centuries. Amber continues to be applied across the world for jewelry and decorative crafts, as well as for medical and scientific uses.
Neil Clark delivers a highly enjoyable survey of this remarkable substance, introducing its origins and explaining its composition. He explores the folklore that has grown up around amber while tracking its movements along historical trade routes. Amber – Tears of the Gods takes the reader on a journey of discovery to learn about its many uses as an object of beauty and its significance to modern science. The book is attractively illustrated with a well constructed narrative, written for collectors, scientists, and for those who are looking to enhance their appreciation for all of the extraordinary artefacts that have been created.
1001 Facts About Dinosaurs and the Pocket Book of Dinosaurs are handy reference guides with full illustrations and pictures both of actual fossils, skeletons, and modern science reproductions of dinosaurs. They answer many questions about specific types of dinosaurs, their anatomy, and modern discoveries in the field. These pocket volumes also include resource and pronunciation guides, a glossary, and a complete index.
Dinosaurs are a huge subject, and these handy references contain volumes of information on all things relating to dinosaurs and the world they inhabited. The books are beautifully illustrated with drawings, fossils, skeletons, and realistic models. Silhouette comparisons between the dinosaurs and a modern human add perspective to these enormous reptiles. While there is still much to be discovered about these prehistoric creatures, these are great books for a well-rounded general knowledge of dinosaurs.
The books are well organized, with sections covering different types of dinosaurs and other sea and air animals. Readers are introduced to the field of dinosaur research, their anatomy, the first dinosaurs, and their eventual extinction. The reference section offers the names and addresses of many dinosaur museums and sites along with the invaluable pronunciation guide.
All of these books will delight dinosaur devotees. Younger children who are amazed by dinosaurs will enjoy this with some help, and those older than 10 years will absorb all of the facts by themselves.
Neil Clark has also written material on the subject of dinosaurs for the Encarta Encyclopedia and the Dorling Kindersley Millennium Encyclopedia. Two other books by Neil include: "A look inside dinosaurs" with Readers Digest and "The Dorling Kindersley Pocket book of dinosaurs". They can be found in most countries in numerous languages. If you discover any language versions, aside from Japanese and Greek, please let Neil know.
