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Bezig met laden... The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophydoor Paige Williams
Bezig met laden...
Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek. Very enjoyable book, along the lines of orchid thief. Through this one man’s story, you get introduced not only to the science of paleontology, but also to a world of international politics and a cast of passionate if sometimes morally questionable characters. The wife who works as an interior decorator on people’s yachts and questions people calling their lifestyle extravagant, so they bring friends to the Bahamas to celebrate sometimes, who doesn’ t, was a favorite of mine. The larger question of who fossils “belong” to , and what place amateurs have in the process is also explored ( ) I wasn't a fan of how this book was organized. There was a lot of jumping time periods and between different people. There were some people who were introduced and then dropped almost immediately (e.g. lawyer from Texas and the British fossil prepper). It was hard to follow. I also didn't find Prokopi all that sympathetic. The only thing that kept me going was the history that was interspersed occasionally. I really enjoyed learning about Mary Anning was especially interesting. Fascinating story of eric prokopi and the dinosaur he brought to the US only have repatriated to Mongolia. Williams' book covers a lot of ground but keeps up the pace and will hold your attention through the Florida swamps, Arizona hotels, Mongolian deserts and the auction houses of NYC. I had a great time with this book. I read very little non-fiction, but the combination of ingredients in this synopsis drew me in, particularly the many eccentric characters it would involve. The Dinosaur Artist in paperback is a daunting item in itself — 410 pages of what is by recent publishing norms, uncommonly small font. That said, the main narrative only extends 278 pages, with Acknowledgements, Bibliography, and detailed Notes and Index sections making up the remainder. The breadth and depth of investigative research undertaken by Williams is truly something to be admired, as is her ambition for the scope of this book. Williams has unearthed a wealth of fascinating examples to draw upon, with so many competing interests/motives and zealous personalities at play. No matter the element of the complex puzzle being introduced, she has taken considerable care in setting the scene and context, whether political, historical or environmental. It is in these moments, that some of her most accomplished writing is on display. Read full review >> geen besprekingen | voeg een bespreking toe
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"In 2012, a New York auction catalogue made an unusual offering: 'a superb Tyrannosaurus skeleton.' In fact, Lot 49135 consisted of a nearly complete T. bataar, a close cousin to T. rex, the most famous animal that ever lived. The fossils now on display in Manhattan had been unearthed in Mongolia, some 6,000 miles away. At 8 feet high and 24 feet long, the specimen was spectacular, and the final gavel signaled a winning bid of well over $1 million. Eric Prokopi, a thirty-eight-year-old Floridian, was the man who had brought this extraordinary skeleton to market. A onetime swimmer who spent his teenage years searching for shark teeth, Prokopi's singular obsession with fossils generated a thriving business hunting, preparing, and selling specimens, to clients ranging from natural history museums to avid private collectors like actor Leonardo DiCaprio. But there was a problem. This time, facing financial strain, had Prokopi gone too far? As the T. bataar went to auction, a network of paleontologists alerted the government of Mongolia to the eye-catching lot. As an international custody battle ensued, fueled by geopolitics, Prokopi watched as his own world unraveled. In the tradition of The Orchid Thief, The Dinosaur Artist is a stunning work of narrative journalism about humans' relationship with natural history and a seemingly intractable conflict between science and commerce. A story that stretches from Florida's Land O' Lakes to the Gobi Desert, The Dinosaur Artist illuminates the history of fossil collecting--a wildly popular, yet sometimes murky, risky business, populated by eccentrics and obsessives, where the lines between poacher and hunter, collector and smuggler, enthusiast and opportunist, can easily blur. In her first book, ... writer Paige Williams has given readers an irresistible story that spans continents, cultures, and millennia as she examines the question of who, ultimately, owns the past."--Dust jacket. Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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Google Books — Bezig met laden... GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)560.75Natural sciences and mathematics Fossils & prehistoric life Paleontology Education And Research CollectiblesLC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:
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