King Tyrant: A Natural History of Tyrannosaurus rex

Paleontologist and artist Witton (Univ. of Portsmouth; Life Through the Ages II: Twenty-First Century Visions of Prehistory) sums up the history of the much-studied Tyrannosaurus rex. He organizes this extensive overview of one dinosaut species into chapters on the creature’s habitat, habits, senses, anatomy, ancestry, and present-day popularity. The book’s figures and charts make helpful anatomical comparisons and highlight T. rex’s place in dinosaur evolution. Witton specifically comments on how the fossil record provides insight into how dinosaurs such as T. rex looked and moved and, therefore, how to create faithful visual representations. He also details changes in understanding in the field of paleontology over time and explains how long-standing public fascination with the T. rex affects research budgets and museum collections. Witton writes with expertise and enthusiasm in a way that is informative to both newbies and dinosaur aficionados, and his engaging book features more than 150 illustrations, photos, and diagrams.