The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs Audiobook By Steve Brusatte cover art

The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

A New History of a Lost World

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The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

By: Steve Brusatte
Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
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About this listen

A sweeping and groundbreaking history of the age of dinosaurs, from one of our finest young scientists.

The dinosaurs. 66 million years ago, the Earth's most fearsome and spectacular creatures vanished. Today their extraordinary true story remains one of our planet's great mysteries.

In this stunning narrative spanning more than 200 million years, Steve Brusatte, a young American paleontologist who has emerged as one of the foremost stars of the field - discovering 10 new species and leading groundbreaking scientific studies and fieldwork - masterfully tells the complete, surprising, and new history of the dinosaurs, drawing on cutting-edge science to dramatically bring to life their lost world and illuminate their enigmatic origins, spectacular flourishing, astonishing diversity, cataclysmic extinction, and startling living legacy. Captivating and revelatory, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs is a book for the ages.

Brusatte traces the evolution of dinosaurs from their inauspicious start as small shadow dwellers - themselves the beneficiaries of a mass extinction caused by volcanic eruptions at the beginning of the Triassic period - into the dominant array of species every wide-eyed child memorizes today, T. rex, Triceratops, Brontosaurus, and more. This gifted scientist and writer re-creates the dinosaurs' peak during the Jurassic and Cretaceous, when thousands of species thrived, and winged and feathered dinosaurs, the prehistoric ancestors of modern birds, emerged. The story continues to the end of the Cretaceous period, when a giant asteroid or comet struck the planet and nearly every dinosaur species (but not all) died out, in the most extraordinary extinction event in earth's history, one full of lessons for today as we confront a "sixth extinction".

Brusatte also recalls compelling stories from his globe-trotting expeditions during one of the most exciting eras in dinosaur research - which he calls "a new golden age of discovery" - and offers thrilling accounts of some of the remarkable findings he and his colleagues have made, including primitive human-sized tyrannosaurs; monstrous carnivores even larger than T. rex; and paradigm-shifting feathered raptors from China.

An electrifying scientific history that unearths the dinosaurs' epic saga, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs will be a definitive and treasured account for decades to come.

©2018 Stephen Brusatte (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers
Animals Biological Sciences Earth Sciences Evolution Evolution & Genetics Outdoors & Nature Paleontology Science World Suspenseful
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Critic reviews

"Patrick Lawlor's narration injects Brusatte's enthusiasm into the informative writing.... Listeners who love dinosaurs will thrill to the latest developments in their history." (AudioFile)

Featured Article: Book vs. Movie—Jurassic Park


Michael Crichton's 1990 sci-fi best seller became a cultural phenomenon with Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster film adaptation. But what are the key differences between the novel and the movie? One of the most beloved sci-fi adventure films ever made, Spielberg's juggernaut Jurassic Park is a feat of animatronic work, impeccable casting, and wildly perfect pacing. No less incredible, still, is the novel on which it's based, Crichton's masterpiece. But just how similar are the two? If you're looking for the major differences between Jurassic Park the book and the movie, we've got you covered.

Editor's Pick

Sure to inform and delight!
"Dinosaur facts will never not be fascinating. I learned so much from this title and had a blast listening! If you’re looking for fun facts about the evolution of dinosaurs, their ancestors, and the fascinating people who study them and bring them to life, all narrated in a friendly and accessible way, this listen will win you over."
Catherine H., Audible Editor

Engaging Storytelling • Accessible Scientific Information • Enthusiastic Narration • Fascinating Evolutionary History
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loved this book. the author's writing style is informal, fun, and energetic and the narrator translates it like a pro.

the book is a nice blend of personal annecdote and intro to paleontology. should satisfy those who love layman's history and science plus the adventure book crowd.

what a great book!

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Steve knows his stuff, he goes into deep detail about who these creatures were and how they lived their lives. I especially enjoyed the section concerning the extinction of the dinosaurs. He goes into great detail speculating on the meteor impact and the immediate effects on the dinosaurs. He then writes about the days, decades centuries and millennia after the extinction.

The best dinosaur book I've read.

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Very interesting and informative. I know I will listen to this book several times. Thanks.

Excellent

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Bruatte tells am amazing story. it all flowed so we. I learned so much, and enjoyed the entire read.

steve does an excellent job at reading through the novel with a gentle flow and excitement

wowzers

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I really enjoyed listening to this book . It was full of descriptions of the earth and animals that once lived here. It was also full of stories of a young person interested in dinosaurs and that interest turned into a career . Very well done .

Great book

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exceptionally well done. maintained my interest from start to finish. sad to reach the end.

bringing dinosaurs alive

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This is fairly light reading or listening. The author doesn’t kill you with scientific jargon you can’t follow. It’s popular science but at least you’re getting it from a genuine expert. He is very generous with fellow paleontologist who have done important work in the field.

For Dinosaur Fans

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If the book had the title, "Famous People in Paleontology Who I Know and Their Place in Paleontological History" I would've given this a 5. Very interesting, but definitely strayed from the purported theme.

Some chapters felt like they talked more about the style and food choices of scientists more than dinosaurs (hyperbole, but.... yeah)

Good, but a bit misleading

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Clear and concise, I love the author's command of his words, and the excellent narration which shows it off perfectly. So happy to find a book which was written recently!

Most enjoyable book.

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quite a bit of detail of their physiology that allowed them to exist I had never heard before

good overview of history of dinosaurs

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