Paleo and Geo must reads

My friend Jim is trying to come up with a seminar type class for sometime in the future and he was wondering - if you had to pick a set of books or journal articles that you felt all paleontologists should read, what would you include? Feel free to read his post here to leave any comments and suggestions you might have.


© ReBecca K. Hunt-Foster

Summer Reading List Meme

I thought I would jump on board with the Summer Reading List Meme that has been going around this month. Suvrat started it, followed by BrianR, then Eric, Silver Fox, and ITV Brian. Rules are easy: What are you reading/planning to read this summer? This is my non technical list. I am way behind on my journal reading.

In no particular order:

• the Songlines - I recently finished this book (Sunday that is). It was a great read, if a bit slow in some parts. It is a book Jimmy Buffett really enjoyed and even sings about so I thought I would give it a go. It is a sort of ethnographic sketch, something I had not read much of since I took Anthropology as an undergrad. I really liked the underlying theme of threads tying a culture to its creation, heavy on nature. It is also nice just as a rambling, traveling tail.
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• the Namesake - I saw the movie and was interested in the perspective of a Indian family moving to the US and the way they approach it vs. that of their children who are born here. They take a trip with their children back to their native India, weaving a travel tale with a cultural experience. It also seems to be a book about understanding and accepting where you come from and how that can differ from the lives of your parents, relatives and friends, making you appreciate where they are coming from and why they are the way they are. Something I pay more attention to these days in my own life. I also heard the book was much better than the movie, which can be a good or bad thing.
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• Breakfast with Buddha -My sister-in-law got me this one for my birthday and, although I have not heard of it before, my husbands side of the family have had a good record of getting me books that I like, so I am looking forward to reading it (they got me Water for Elephants for Christmas which I read in Jan./Feb., and it was a really great read). It sounds interesting and involves a few themes I am always interested in: roadtrips and buddhism.
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• Fifty Years on the Old Frontier -I picked this book up while I was doing fieldwork in Nebraska a few weeks ago. We had gotten rained out of the field and took a short trip down to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. I had been there a few times before but this time the kid (he was only in high school!) who gave the interpretive talk before their short film on the history of the area gave a really good talk! It made me interested to find out more about James Cook, the pioneer, rancher, Native American advocate, and fossil enthusiast who lived at Agate Springs and first invited paleontologist to his ranch to study the Miocene fossils found there. There are also some interesting Native American interpretations of the fossils themselves.
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• Everett Ruess: A Vagabond for Beauty - I first heard about Ruess in April when I read about him in a National Geographic Adventure article (I guess I also read about him in the book Into the Wild, but I do not remember it). I had been wanting to read more about his adventures and wanderings, and found this book in the Arches National Park bookstore when I was in Moab last week helping with one of our five-day dinosaur digs the museum does. I am looking forward to learning more about him.
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• Cinema Southwest - This is another one of those book I have intended to buy for sometime. I have seen it in many of the bookstores in and around my neck of the woods, and just never picked it up. On the drive down to Moab last week John and I were debating about a film that John Wayne & Maureen O'Hara had shot in the canyon on highway 128 - we could not decided which movie it was (it was Rio Grande by the way), so we decided to just break down and buy it. Many movies have been filmed down here, especially around the Moab area, and we visit these areas enough that we thought it would be fun to know what we were talking about for once and that it would be interesting tidbits we could work into tours and impress our friends with our never ending amount of useless knowledge surrounding fluff like film. :)

So there is my random list. I must admit that one nice thing about not being in the hard core rat race of grad school is the fact that I actually have time to read books I enjoy! And it does not always have to involve paleontology or even science. Crazy concept, but it is actually rather nice and relaxing to still be able to do what I love but also slack off and read some fun fiction every now and then. It is kind of interesting now to look up at my list and realize there is a common thread of travel in these books. Odd, I wonder why ;)

© ReBecca K. Hunt-Foster

Paleontologist in Pop Culture

Many of us who are in paleontology know that we deal with an odd assortment of people. Great people. Weird people. Narcissistic people. Down right crazy people. Border-line autistic people. Socially awkward people. Fun people. Drunk people. Smart people. Brilliant people. The guy that thinks he is a rock star. (this list could go on...and the more I think of it the more I realize there are these people in almost every venue)

But what about that one person...the one always depicted in the movies and in books. The person that represents paleontologist all over the world in popular culture. Who are they? What type of person are they commonly? 

Anna from the blog Damned Scribbling Women ask:

• "Why do archaeologists outnumber paleontologists on bookshelves and in movies? I'm trying to make a list of fictional paleontologists beyond Ross, Bringing up Baby, and Amanda Quick's Ravished (and I decline to include any of Michael Crichton's characters). I'm sure you and your readers know waaaaay more about this, so please clue us clueless writers in at Damned Scribbling Women."
  

What do you think folks? Feel free to leave her some comments here or over on her blog where they are having a "contestosaurus". She is going to pick a winner Sunday, May 10, so feel free to get those comments in soon!

© ReBecca K. Hunt-Foster

the Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas

John and I found a new book, the Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas, when we were visiting the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History last month. This is a cute book for kids and entertaining enough for adults. It has some nice and colorful illustrations by Nathan Hale, with the story by Anne Muecke. And yes, that is Cryolophosaurus you see on the cover, although he is sadly missing from the rest of the book. Not to give anything away, but a fun sidenote - Santa-saurus is played by a ceratopsid - so that is worth something there, right?!? The back cover of the book tells me that "a portion from your purchase of this book helps support [the American Museum of Natural History] scientific and educational endeavors."

Probably the best (although best in a completely goofy and possibly eggnog intoxicated type of way - if you are into that type of thing) is the CD that comes with the book. It contains five "Dinosaur-Christmas-Holiday" themed songs, set to traditional Christmas/Holiday tunes, such as: Hey, Duckbills! (Jingle Bells), The Allosaurus Chorus ("Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah), Hark! The Pterodactyls Sing (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing), Deck the Halls with Stegosaurus (Deck the Halls with bla bla bla), and We Wish You a Dino Holiday (We Wish You a Merry Christmas). The CD also has Al Roker reading the story from the Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas.

I wish I could figure out a way to upload these songs for you to hear, but the anti-Pirate (yaarrr) people make life more difficult every day (you can hear clips here at least). So, instead, I'll just post the lyrics, and you can hum the tune in your head. I guess I will start with and post the others on days to come. Consider it my Christmas gift to all of you. Your so lucky! ;)

Hey, 'Duckbills!

Hey, 'Duckbills! Hey, 'Duckbills!
Oh, how can we say
'Why your odd-shaped cranium
Evolved to look that way?
Hey, 'Duckbills! Hey, 'Duckbills!
Oh, how can we say
'Why your odd-shaped cranium
Evolved to look that way?

'Dashing looks aside, I think
that I would dread
To have so many bony pounds
en-crested on my head!
Unless this crown would bring, along
with sinus space
Some fine survival advantage to aid my
humble race!

Oh! Hey, 'Duckbills! Hey, 'Duckbills!
Oh, how can we say
'Why your odd-shaped cranium
Evolved to look that way?
Hey, 'Duckbills! Hey, 'Duckbills!
Oh, how can we say
'Why your odd-shaped cranium
Evolved to look that way?

Hidden in your crest were chambers
full of air,
Could these extra cavities enhance
your vocal flair?
'Did they make your voice resound
so deep and loud?
Or was yoru crest just fashion fluff to
make your mate feel proud?

Oh, how can we say
'Why your odd-shaped cranium
Evolved to look that way?
Hey, 'Duckbills! Hey, 'Duckbills!
Oh, how can we say
'Why your odd-shaped cranium
Evolved to look that way?

Lyrics by Anne Muecke

I'm looking for a book....

Hello to all of you out there! I am in need of some advice. Can any of you recommended any good book on the Cambrian or on Trilobites (preferably Cambrian trilobites)..... we already have the old favorites:


The Cambrian Fossils of Chengjiang, China
Wonderful Life
Fossils of the Burgess Shale
The Crucible of Creation: The Burgess Shale and the Rise of Animals


Thanks for your help!

The 5-56 Meme

Brian over at Laelaps tagged me for this book meme. The rules are that you have to pick 10 books (of whatever genre, chosen any way you see fit) and transcribe the 5th sentence on page 56 of each book. Here are my books - can you guess where the passages came from?

1. "He came alongside my boat and told me the flats was still closed."
2. "The problem that concerns us here is one that has received little consideration: What happens to those incredibly numerous and vitally necessary inhabitants of the soil when poisonous chemicals are carried down into their world, either introduced directly as soil "sterilants" or borne on the rain that has picked up a lethal contamination as it filters through the leaf canopy or forest and orchard and cropland?"
3. "Such elevations are common on large neoceratopsian squamosals, Centrosaurus and Chasmosaurus usually displaying two or more."
4. "So the world of the Late Triassic had some of the same groups as we see in the Morrioson Formation but overall was rather diffrent."
5. "Their huge heads, bristling with sharp spikes and luxuriant bony frills, their solid, four-legged bodies, all suggest rhinoceros-like body plans run amok in the Cretaceous."
6. "The ossified braincase (better preserved in related forms from the later Devonian) was a relatively long and slender structure, conrasting in shape with that of arthrodires."
7. "He didn't phone, but two days later she was out walking with a friend when they bumped into Ed, who was on a training run."
8. "The buckeye, light as it was, felt like it weighed a hundred pounds."
9. "In Walcott's time, the slate of Precambian life was absolutely blank."
10. "The rock of the fossil is shaped, down to the tiniest detail, like the original bone."

I tag Silver Fox (when she gets back from her trip), Traumador, Laura, Zach and I owe one to Amanda ;)

New Book: Ancient Landscapes of the Colorado Plateau

This new book was recently brought to my attention - Ancient Landscapes of the Colorado Plateau by Ron Blakey and Wayne Ranney.

From the website:
"The Colorado Plateau is one of the world's great showplaces of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rock. The plateau's rocky landscapes are home to the greatest concentration of national parks and monuments in the world. Ancient Landscapes of the Colorado Plateau highlights the plateau's magnificent present through unique views of its fascinating past. It is a groundbreaking book featuring the geology of the American Southwest in a way you've never seen it before. This landmark book features:

more than 70 state-of-the-art paleogeographic maps of the region and of the world, developed over many years of geologic research

detailed yet accessible text that covers the geology of the plateau in a way nongeologists can appreciate

more than 100 full-color photographs, diagrams, and illustrations

a detailed guide of where to go to see the spectacular rocks of the region

Join Ron Blakey and Wayne Ranney on a trip through deep time, a trip through the ancient landscapes of the Colorado Plateau."

It is available on Amazon.com for $23.07.

Thanks to Jim for the heads up

Badlands Trip Notes: Part 3

My field work fun had come to an end. I woke up with no voice and a horrible sore throat and plugged nose. I opted to stay in that day - I just felt rotten. I went inside and crashed out on one of the bunks, then went into town (Harrison - about 10 miles to the south) later that day. Soup and hot chocolat...The next morning was the beginning of the ende helped some, but the next day I was not any better and it had moved into my nose/sinuses and set up camp. So, once again, I missed another day in the field, plus the trip to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. I had a fever and spent most of the day sleeping in the bunk house. The next day my throat was better, but my head felt miserable. This was the day the student got to take a trip to Mount Rushmore and Hill City to visit the Black Hills Institute of Geologic Research. I felt like crap on a stick but went so I could get meds and cell service so I could call the doctor to make an appointment for the day after we returned. I spent most of the day sleeping in th van, but did make it inside to see Pete Larson's cool Triceratops they are working on. Some great stuff coming from it and I can't wait to see it published! I then returned to the van for more sleeping. The next day was the last day of field work and I missed it!!! Being sick in the field sucks!!! I was none to happy about this, but I also had no energy to walk to my tent, let alone prospect. I stuck close to the bunk house, rested and read (see post on books, the best thing to come from being sick!).

The student who had found the two oreodont skulls the first day seemed to have a good eye. He found a weird skull on one of the days that I was sick (left). We think it is maybe a bear dog (Daphoenodon) or a creodont. After I got it prep'ed I am now leaning toward creodont (see below). The teeth look off to me if it were a bear dog. Would anyone out there like to venture a guess (or just tell me the answer??).






The students had to take their final exam in the bunk house this year because we were having quite a bit of rain. Every day that I missed field work it rained. All the students had studied pretty hard for the test and they did pretty well. Some students also opt to write a paper over an aspect of the White River Badlands (picked from a list we have), for more credit. This was a really good bunch of students. They were all very nice, sober (for the most part) and well behaved (especially compared to past years) and it was a nice change! I didn't feel like I was babysitting!
The next day we headed back to the real world. The wind in Nebraska was horrible, out of the southeast, and we had Yakama racks on top of the vans, so it was awful trying to keep the vans on the road (and scary at times!) Come to find out there had been straight-line winds and tornadoes the day before and we saw some of that damage. When we stopped for dinner in Des Moines we were disturbed to see that they racks had actually been moved by the wind! They had been on the right side of the van but were now in the center! Not a fun thing to discover. I was happy to be home, but it was rather bitter sweet, since I had missed so many days of field work and knew it would be my last trip as Hammer's research assistant. He and I get along really well and it has been really nice working for him.

Book reviews: the result of two weeks without internet

When I was in the field this past week (almost two) I had the chance to read (alot, more on that tomorrow). I had taken two new books with me, which I plowed through in less than 13 days. So I thought I would tell you a little bit about them in case you were interested.

Swine Not?: A novel, by Jimmy Buffett
This is a cute story about a pig and her family. She lives in a fancy New York City hotel and is constantly being hid from the hotel cook who hates animals and wishes to cook her. The pig is one a mission to find her brother, and the story is told from the pig and one of the children in the family's point of view. The official summary is: "When Southern belle Ellie McBride moves her twins from Vertigo, Tennessee to New York City, they wouldn't dream of leaving behind the family pig Rumpy. But the posh hotel where Ellie has found work (and living space) has "No Pets" writ large on its portal. So hiding Rumpy from the hotel staff---especially the ultra-carnivorous hotel chef, who would like nothing better than to transform their pet into pork roast---becomes imperative." (link)

I decided to read this book for the obvious reason - it is written my Jimmy Buffett, of whom which I am a loyal fan. It was no where near as long as his past books (256 pages, at least it felt shorter) and the chapters were very short. The story was easy to follow and almost reminded me of a young adults book (not that that is a bad thing, it was just an easy read), and was adapted, in part, from his friends true troubles of hiding her pet pig in a fancy NYC hotel. I am an animal lover, so I understand how the family in the book feels like it must go to great lengths to protect their hoofed family member. This book is an easy read for anyone, and would be a great story to read to kids, since the chapters are short, the tale is fun, and the characters are easy to relate with. It is not your typical Jimmy book however with drunk sailors/cowboys, tropical places, and lyric references dropped in random places. Still a good read however.

Forget Me Not, by Jennifer Lowe-Anker
"In September 1999, climbing legend Alex Lowe lost his life in an avalanche on Tibet’s Shishapangma, leaving behind his wife Jennifer and three sons. In the months that followed this devastating tragedy, Jennifer and Alex’s climbing partner Conrad Anker, who survived the avalanche that killed Alex, found solace in each other and were married in 2001. Now, Jennifer Lowe-Anker’s new book Forget Me Not, A Memoir, offers a portrait of Alex Lowe through letters and expedition notes, spanning continents to tell the story of three people whose lives intertwine to a degree they could never have imagined." (link)

I devoured this book!! I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it to anyone. It was a nice read, and it surprisingly did not make me cry as much as I was afraid it would (Maria Coffey's Where the Mountain Cast Its Shadow made me pretty much cry through the entire book). Very interesting, touching story. I really enjoyed hearing about how she and Alex met, fell in love, all of the adventures they shared together, and how she handled her life while her husband was away doing what he loved while she continued to do what she loved (she is an accomplished artist). It was also fun to find some similarities between herself and I, on personal life experiences we have both had. It was sad knowing how he died and how hard it must have been for her to break the news to her children, that part really got to me, along with all of the other loss she has had to bear. Overall I think it shows just how strong of a woman Lowe-Anker is - how she lost her true love but was able to keep going forward and putting one foot in front of the other and was able to find love again. Great story, you should really check it out!

Here is an interview clip:



Whats next? Not sure. I have several books I would like to read: The Songlines, Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time, The Namesake, and Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living. Not sure which one will come first....any other recommendations out there?

Books part 3: What I might read next

Here is a list of books I plan to read in the near future:

Books part 1: What I have recently finished

I have been meaning to do this for a while. This past year or so has really been the first time in many years that I have been able to read, just to read. For fun even. So here are the books I have recently finished. In blogs to follow will be the books I am currently reading and books waiting to be read.

Where is Joe Merchant?
by Jimmy Buffett
Synopsis: Five years ago, the rock star Joe Merchant committed suicide, yet he keeps popping back into the tabloid headlines like a piece of toast. Spotted everywhere from Cincinnati to Atlanta, the dead guitarist is now more famous than ever. Could he actually be alive?

Where is Joe Merchant? For Frank Bama, the quest to find him is just one more excuse to flee Key West and change latitudes. For Trevor Kane, the hemorrhoid-ointment heiress, it is an attempt to unravel the mystery of her brother's death. For Desdemona, Joe Merchant is another missing link in her communication with space aliens as she tries to build a rocket ship, and for yellow journalist Rudy Breno, Joe Merchant makes better headlines than Elvis.

This was a really fun book! I was sad to finish it! The setting kept me warm through this past winters never ending snow and the story kept me completely entertained. The characters were really colorful and it always felt like I was watching a movie in my brain as I read along. Buffett talked once about turning this book into a movie. In a way, I hope they do. It could be really fun! I would totally recommend this one if you enjoy "cat and mouse" stories set against a tropical background.

The Knot Complete Guide to Weddings in the Real World
by Carley Roney
Synopsis: Planning for the big day? Here are the most up-to-date answers to all of your questions in the book from the editors of the acclaimed wedding website, The Knot. Overwhelmed by the countless questions and details your wedding entails? Don’t despair! The Knot Complete Guide to Weddings in the Real World takes you step-by-step from your engagement to the big day, from the reception to the honeymoon. Inside you’ll find checklists, worksheets, insider advice, and in-depth sections on: How to personalize your wedding, updated wedding etiquette, Creating a realistic budget, Sneaky cost-cutting tips, Dress shopping advice, Tips for working with florists, caterers, officiants, and others, Invitation wording, Vows and ceremony details, and Unique wedding customs.

I let myself buy one book for the wedding. After an hour in Borders I picked this one for the sheer amount of information that was in it. It has been a good investment, as I have gone back to it many times for advice since I read it front to back in January. I call it my "wedding manual" and it is consulted often. It was a fun read with lots of good information for a variety of people with different taste and budgets. Good book for anyone who is planning to take the plunge.

A Pirate Looks at Fifty
by Jimmy Buffett
Synopsis: In this intensely personal book, popular singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett leaves his barstool in Margaritaville and does some soul searching. The result is a hilarious account of the funny, adventurous odyssey of Buffet's life.

Yet another biography. I was on a bio kick there for a while (I also read George Harrison's bio a year a go). I am a huge Jimmy fan, so this was a nice read for me. I really enjoyed his tales and stories. It was fun to see the winding trail that has been his life. I started this book a year ago and did not finish it until December. It was interrupted by field work and the two books below. It was (luckily for me) the kind of book you could pick up, read a chapter, and then wait a week (or more) before you pick it up again, and not miss a beat. The book was written during his big 50th birthday trip bouncing around the Caribbean and parts of South America, so there are many characters and plenty of flash backs that fill in his past. It was a good read, and I appreciated its form (perfect for the reader with limited time). My favorite memory of reading this book was while sitting on the beach in Negril, it was warm, the ocean was in front of me, and I the sky was blue. It was a perfect moment.

Clapton: The Autobiography
by Eric Clapton
Synopsis: With striking intimacy and candor, Eric Clapton tells the story of his eventful and inspiring life in this poignant and honest autobiography. More than a rock star, he is an icon, a living embodiment of the history of rock music. Well known for his reserve in a profession marked by self-promotion, flamboyance, and spin, he now chronicles, for the first time, his remarkable personal and professional journeys. Clapton is the powerfully written story of a survivor, a man who has achieved the pinnacle of success despite extraordinary demons. It is one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.

Ya. I don't like Clapton as a person much anymore. I appreciate his candor in the book, but this is a guy who has some issues. Sure, I feel bad that his mom (who he thought was his sister growing up) did not let him call her mom. And sure, he had some rough patches and he is an alcoholic and all. But when it comes down to it the guy is a dog. He treated the women around him like crap, especially his wife who he had fought so hard to get. And the story about how he met his current wife (he dated her AND her friend for a while, at the same time) is just bewildering to me. He might be a musical genus, but he is not a common sense genus. He is kind of an clueless, selfish asshole in his personal life, for someone who claims to be shy and reserved! But I give him credit for writing the book himself and facing the wrong he has done. If you love his music, it is worth your time to read (if your into bios). I am glad he seems to be coming to his senses with age.

Wonderful Tonight: An Autobiography
by Pattie Boyd
Synopsis: An iconic figure of the 1960s and ’70s, Pattie Boyd breaks a forty-year silence in Wonderful Tonight, and tells the story of how she found herself bound to two of the most addictive, promiscuous musical geniuses of the twentieth century and became the most famous muse in the history of rock and roll. For the first time Pattie Boyd, former wife of both George Harrison and Eric Clapton, a high-profile model whose face epitomized the swinging London scene of the 1960s, a woman who inspired Harrison’s song“Something” and Clapton’s anthem “Layla,” has decided to write a book that is rich and raw, funny and heartbreaking—and totally honest and open and breathtaking. Here is the truth, here is what happened, here is the story you’ve been waiting for.

I did not really know who Pattie Boyd was until I read George Harrison's bio. I really did not know THE story about the Harrison-Pattie-Clapton love triangle until last summer to even begin with. Then I was curious and her book came out right after I finished his so I just moved right along into it. I was sort of hesitant to read it, thinking it might just be alot of dirt and smut on George Harrison and Eric Clapton; a groupie book. However, it is a really good book from Boyd's perspective of the events going on around her while also reminding one how important it is to not loose one's self in a relationship. How awesome would it be to go through life knowing that you inspired songs like "Something" and "Layla." I thought it was funny to find out that "Wonderful Tonight" was written when Eric was frustrated with her taking to long to get ready for a party. After that I have new lyrics that always go through my head when I hear the song now.

She led an interesting young life in Africa only to move to England as a teenager. She rubbed shoulders with alot of interesting people and I got a nice history lesson on 60s and 70s fashion and music that I did not know that much about before. The lowdown is that 1) she never stopped loving Harrison and should have stayed with him, 2) she felt bad that she let Clapton seduce her, and 3) alcoholics are bad people to be around. I wish she would have talked more about her time with George, but the book is dominated by her time with Eric and their troubles. It was a very good read and I would suggest it to anyone who might be curious.

All images are from Barnes & Noble.com. Check out their fast and free delivery! (please don't sure me B&N)