Title Details

Luis M. Chiappe is Director of the Dinosaur Institute and Curator of the Department of Vertebrate Paleontology of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Dr Chiappe has conducted extensive research on the evolution of dinosaurs, particularly the origin and early evolution of birds, and is considered a world authority in the field of early bird evolution. of birds, and is considered a world authority in the field of early bird evolution. His research has been published in numerous articles as well as books, including Walking on Eggs and Mesozoic Birds: Above the Heads of Dinosaurs. He is a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the Alexander Humboldt Foundation, an Adjunct Professor at University of Southern California, and a Research Associate at the American museum of Natural History in New York City.

Preface.

Chapter One. Mesozoinc Birds and Their World.

Chapter Two. The Ancestry of Birds and the Origin of Flight.

Chapter Three: The Bizarre Mononykus and its Kin: An Evolutionary Experiment.

Chapter Four. Archaeopteryz: The Earliest Bird.

Chapter Five. Rahonavis and Other Long-tailed Birds.

Chapter Six. The Firs Short-Tailed Birds.

Chapter Seven. The Great Mesozoic Radiation: The Flying Enantiornithes.

Chapter Eight. Early Predecessors of Modern Birds.

Chapter Nine. Hesperornis and its relatives: Divers of the Cretaceous Seas.

Chapter Ten. The Beginnings of Modern Birds.

Epilogue.

Acknowledgements.

Glossary.

Index.

"I think that Luis Chiappe has done an excellent job of producing a book that will be used both by researchers and those seeking to learn more about the birds they see flapping around every day. ... Will sell very well, be widely cited and go onto become a classic in the vertebrate paleontological literature." (Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, June 2008)

"Construction of the book is superb; it is well made and lavish with color photographs and figures on glossy paper. The author provides a glossary, an index, and references for specific readings in support of the dinosaurian origin of birds. The chapters are organized and well written in an authoritative tone by one of the top experts in the field." (PALAIOS, April 2008)

"Should be on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the early evolution of birds. Chiappe's acquaintance with virtually all of the Mesozoic fossils he writes about makes it a competent review of the subject which will stand for years to come." (Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, December 2007)

"Chiappe is to be congratulated on this excellent book. ... It will appeal to a wide audience." (American Scientist, November 2007)

"Chiappe's beautifully illustrated book ... is nothing more or less than a celebration of the feathered dinosaurs." (The Quarterly Review of Biology, September 2007)

"Chiappe, one of the world's leading authorities on birds, offers a thorough, careful, often exhaustive exposition on the anatomy, biology, and paleontologic record of birds and their ancestors." (CHOICE, July 2007)

"Glorified Dinosaurs is a book you won't want to miss." (Fossil News, June 2007)

"…Chiappe's breaking deep ground, escorting us across the threshold of many new and intriguing realms…the full-color illustrations are breath-taking." (Electric Review, March 2007)

"This book is bound to appeal not only to scientists, but also to anyone with an interest in dinosaurs, ornithology, evolution and natural history." (Nature, May 2007)

"...an invaluable resource for every paleontologist, ornithologist, evolutionary biologist, geology and life sciences student and professional. It is also exciting reading...for all those with a general interest in the topic." (SirReadaLot.org, March 2007)

"...the best summary yet of how dinosaurs evolved into birds." (Books-On-Line)