Items related to Prehistoric Life: The Rise of the Vertebrates

Prehistoric Life: The Rise of the Vertebrates - Hardcover

Norman, David

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9780671799403: Prehistoric Life: The Rise of the Vertebrates

Synopsis

A beautifully illustrated tracing of the evolution of life from the earliest organisms to the advent of the human race clearly explains the important concepts behind evolution, showing how environmental factors influenced its course.

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About the Author

David Norman is director of the Sedgwick Museum and lectures on paleontology and evolution at the University of Cambridge.

Reviews

This sequel to Norman's successful Dinosaur! (LJ 11/1/91) is an ambitious attempt to draw a broader picture of the evolution of vertebrate animals and to trace the threads of human ancestry from the first primitive organisms (the first page shows the Milky Way and the last, a group of people). It examines questions about the advantages of various evolutionary adaptations that allowed vertbrate animals to live on land, adapt to different environmental conditions, and compete with one another. The book is especially good at showing prehistoric animals in the context of their environments, and color illustrations by John Sibbick bring the creatures to life. The focus on mammals sometimes gives them undue prominence over other types of animals, and the theme of human evolution occasionally gets sidetracked. Still, this is an interesting, well-written, and thoughtful treatment of a very complex topic for general readers.
Amy Brunvand, Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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