The Dinosaur Hunters: A True Story of Scientific Rivalry and the Discovery of the Prehistoric World
The story of two nineteenth-century scientists who revealed one of the most significant events in the natural history of this planet: the existence of dinosaurs.
In ‘The Dinosaur Hunters’ Deborah Cadbury brilliantly recreates the remarkable story of the bitter rivalry between two men: Gideon Mantell uncovered giant bones in a Sussex quarry, became obsessed with the lost world of the reptiles and was driven to despair. Richard Owen, a brilliant anatomist, gave the extinct creatures their name and secured for himself unrivalled international acclaim.
‘No other narrative I know illustrates the human element in scientific discovery quite so dramatically.' Evening Standard -
'This is a tale of intrigue and deception, of burning ambition and failed dreams. The bitter clashes between the men who dominated 19th- century geology are exquisitely portrayed by Deborah Cadbury in this scholarly yet exhilarating book.' Independent -
'This is a story we should all know, a defining part of contemporary western culture. I can't think of a better introduction.'Sunday Times -
'This is a wonderful book, evoking a time when science required remarkable people to conduct it.' Observer -
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