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The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs: Unearthing the Real Behaviors of Prehistoric Animals
Buried within a lost world, astonishing evidence reveals the behavior of extinct animals, giving us a glimpse at both everyday and epic events. If we look at these discoveries carefully, the untold stories of these magnificent creatures come into view, breathing new life into the prehistoric past.
The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs tells the remarkable tales of ancient animals through some of the most distinctive and unusual fossils ever found, offering an intimate, behind-the-scenes look into the story of life in deep time. Venturing hundreds of millions of years into the past, Dean R. Lomax takes us on a journey through the grand cycle of life, infused with anecdotes from his own adventures and sprinkled with a touch of dinosaur humor.
These fossils tell real-world stories of prehistoric parenting, the quest for survival, and the endless struggle between predator and prey. Unbelievable moments are saber-toothed cats clashing, mega-millipedes mating, dinosaurs swimming. From ammonite eggs to mosasaur mealtimes, and from a pregnant ichthyosaur that chowed down on a bird to the mammal that took down a dinosaur, these behaviors challenge what we thought we knew about the prehistoric world.
This book looks into the private moments of long-extinct creatures as never before, letting us see them not just as fossils in a museum but as living, breathing animals with personalities and emotions. Vivid illustrations by Bob Nicholls bring these incredible stories to life in full color.
The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs tells the remarkable tales of ancient animals through some of the most distinctive and unusual fossils ever found, offering an intimate, behind-the-scenes look into the story of life in deep time. Venturing hundreds of millions of years into the past, Dean R. Lomax takes us on a journey through the grand cycle of life, infused with anecdotes from his own adventures and sprinkled with a touch of dinosaur humor.
These fossils tell real-world stories of prehistoric parenting, the quest for survival, and the endless struggle between predator and prey. Unbelievable moments are saber-toothed cats clashing, mega-millipedes mating, dinosaurs swimming. From ammonite eggs to mosasaur mealtimes, and from a pregnant ichthyosaur that chowed down on a bird to the mammal that took down a dinosaur, these behaviors challenge what we thought we knew about the prehistoric world.
This book looks into the private moments of long-extinct creatures as never before, letting us see them not just as fossils in a museum but as living, breathing animals with personalities and emotions. Vivid illustrations by Bob Nicholls bring these incredible stories to life in full color.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 28, 2025
9 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Dean R. Lomax
22 books34 followersDr. Dean Lomax is an internationally recognized and award-winning palaeontologist, presenter, and author. He has traveled the globe excavating dinosaurs and has described several new species of prehistoric reptile. He lives in the UK.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 26, 2025
It’s one thing finding a fossil and recognizing that it’s more than just an interesting rock. But it’s another thing altogether using that fossil to understand what a life of an animal used to be millions of years ago. Making that leap from rocks to behavior is truly fascinating.
Dean Lomax here does just that — takes us from pretty rocks to prehistoric animal behavior (and I will forgive him that despite the title, it’s not all about dinosaurs). And as most life can be simplified to “eat, poop, reproduce”, that’s the picture quite a few of those fossils show us. How do you distinguish cannibalism from embryos? What did a Psittacosaurus cloaca look like? (Also, how do you pronounce Psittacosaurus?) How does a pair of mating giant millipedes make fossilized tracks as a sign of love that lasted millions of years? How fascinating is it to find fossilized croc footprints in a piece of giant fossilized poop? How big were T.rex fossilized turds? How creepy is it to find fossilized evidence of zombie ants driven by brain-invading fungus?
The illustrations by Bob Nicholls are great, bringing the stories Lomax tells to life — sometimes quite vividly, and a lot of fun and charm in this book lies in these lovely pictures.
Plus, apparently Nicholls is quite an expert on dinosaur cloaca renderings.
Lomax goes for accessible and conversational style here, with a few dad jokes and a bit of scatological humor here and there, and his enthusiasm is contagious. I’d be happy to listen to him talk about paleontology for hours.
4 stars.
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Thanks to NetGalley and Columbia University Press for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Also posted on my blog.
Dean Lomax here does just that — takes us from pretty rocks to prehistoric animal behavior (and I will forgive him that despite the title, it’s not all about dinosaurs). And as most life can be simplified to “eat, poop, reproduce”, that’s the picture quite a few of those fossils show us. How do you distinguish cannibalism from embryos? What did a Psittacosaurus cloaca look like? (Also, how do you pronounce Psittacosaurus?) How does a pair of mating giant millipedes make fossilized tracks as a sign of love that lasted millions of years? How fascinating is it to find fossilized croc footprints in a piece of giant fossilized poop? How big were T.rex fossilized turds? How creepy is it to find fossilized evidence of zombie ants driven by brain-invading fungus?
“The incredible fossil in question is an example of the Labrador-sized ceratopsian, Psittacosaurus, a member of the typically horned, beaked herbivorous group of dinosaurs. Before going further, it is worth a comment on the pronunciation of this dinosaur’s name. I have heard people pronounce it in all sorts of ways, including “pistachiosaurus.” But the easiest way to say the name is to omit the “P” (like in pterodactyl) so that it sounds like “sit-taco.” In this case, maybe we could refer to this dinosaur as a tacosaur. I am sure it ended up being food for plenty of carnivores.”
The illustrations by Bob Nicholls are great, bringing the stories Lomax tells to life — sometimes quite vividly, and a lot of fun and charm in this book lies in these lovely pictures.
Plus, apparently Nicholls is quite an expert on dinosaur cloaca renderings.
“Nicholls can be credited as the very first person to scientifically and accurately reconstruct a dinosaur butthole. That is definitely something to be proud of.”
“What makes this find so very rare is that we have a two-for-one fossil. Specifically, we have two different types of trace fossils preserved together, with one only existing because of the other. A trace fossil on a trace fossil. Some of the most unusual stories come from the most common behaviors yet make for some of the rarest fossils. Who would have thought that an ancient croc stepping in poop would be such a significant discovery for the Na Duong fossil site and get so many fossil fans excited over 30 million years later?”
Lomax goes for accessible and conversational style here, with a few dad jokes and a bit of scatological humor here and there, and his enthusiasm is contagious. I’d be happy to listen to him talk about paleontology for hours.
“As I am sure you will agree, coprolites present a seemingly untapped world of potential. As technologies continue to evolve and access becomes more available, ancient fossil feces will continue to reveal incredible new insights into prehistoric life. Who knew that an ancient animal taking a number two would become so invaluable to paleontology?”
4 stars.
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Thanks to NetGalley and Columbia University Press for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Also posted on my blog.
June 19, 2025
I got the arc on Netgally.
not only was the information in this book very interesting to read about but it wad written in an engaging and fun way. I love dinosaurs and the history of world before humans but I can never keep track of names and specific things. Mixed in with all the facts where a good dose of humor and comparisons to living animals today to make the reading experience fun and easy to get an idea of even if it's about creatures that are long gone. 5 stars
not only was the information in this book very interesting to read about but it wad written in an engaging and fun way. I love dinosaurs and the history of world before humans but I can never keep track of names and specific things. Mixed in with all the facts where a good dose of humor and comparisons to living animals today to make the reading experience fun and easy to get an idea of even if it's about creatures that are long gone. 5 stars
October 30, 2025
The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs by Dean R. Lomax is a fantastic and engaging compilation of scientific studies and discoveries that reveal how much we’ve learned about prehistoric animals—and how much more there is still to uncover. Lomax pulls together research spanning a remarkable range of creatures, from marine reptiles and Ice Age mammals to birds, insects, and, of course, dinosaurs. It’s a sweeping exploration of prehistoric life and behavior that feels both informative and accessible.
What I especially appreciated is how Lomax connects discoveries that might otherwise fly under the radar (okay, let's be honest - my radar)—such as those about ancient insects or small mammals—to the bigger picture of how prehistoric ecosystems functioned. These smaller stories end up shedding light on the behaviors and interactions of larger, more famous creatures, and Lomax does an excellent job showing how every discovery, no matter how seemingly minor, contributes to our understanding of life in the distant past.
Lomax’s tone is friendly and often humorous, making the book far from dry or overly technical. His use of relatable references keeps things lively and readable, even for those who aren’t immersed in paleontology every day. Complementing his writing are Bob Nicholls’s stunning full-color illustrations, which bring the creatures and their worlds vividly to life. The inclusion of photos from studies and fossil finds adds an extra layer of authenticity and wonder. Some are even charmingly awkward - there is a chapter on dinosaur poop, after all.
Readers familiar with Lomax may recognize him from his earlier work, Locked in Time, which also focused on dinosaur behavior. That one’s still on my TBR (mostly because I still need to acquire it!), but after this experience, I’m even more excited to dive into it next.
I had a blast reading The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs—it’s an excellent addition to my paleo-shelf and a highly recommended read for anyone who loves prehistoric life, science, or natural history. Lomax reminds us just how incredible our fossil record is and how lucky we are to keep discovering more pieces of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Columbia University Press for providing a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
What I especially appreciated is how Lomax connects discoveries that might otherwise fly under the radar (okay, let's be honest - my radar)—such as those about ancient insects or small mammals—to the bigger picture of how prehistoric ecosystems functioned. These smaller stories end up shedding light on the behaviors and interactions of larger, more famous creatures, and Lomax does an excellent job showing how every discovery, no matter how seemingly minor, contributes to our understanding of life in the distant past.
Lomax’s tone is friendly and often humorous, making the book far from dry or overly technical. His use of relatable references keeps things lively and readable, even for those who aren’t immersed in paleontology every day. Complementing his writing are Bob Nicholls’s stunning full-color illustrations, which bring the creatures and their worlds vividly to life. The inclusion of photos from studies and fossil finds adds an extra layer of authenticity and wonder. Some are even charmingly awkward - there is a chapter on dinosaur poop, after all.
Readers familiar with Lomax may recognize him from his earlier work, Locked in Time, which also focused on dinosaur behavior. That one’s still on my TBR (mostly because I still need to acquire it!), but after this experience, I’m even more excited to dive into it next.
I had a blast reading The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs—it’s an excellent addition to my paleo-shelf and a highly recommended read for anyone who loves prehistoric life, science, or natural history. Lomax reminds us just how incredible our fossil record is and how lucky we are to keep discovering more pieces of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Columbia University Press for providing a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
September 21, 2025
I received an e-arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book was really good and interesting, though admittedly much less about dinosaurs than I expected given the title. Instead, it was about a multitude of prehistoric animals (and one section sort of about a plant), including but not limited to plesiosaurs, mammoth, and bugs. However, while it wasn't just about dinosaurs, it did deliver on behavior in ancient animals, and really that's what mattered to me.
The author also has an unusual style of writing. At times it feels less like reading a book and more like attending a lecture. While I would have enjoyed it like that, as a book I was not a big fan of the writing style. To me, at times it comes across as talking down to the audience, though the rest of the book makes it clear that was not the intention.
One of the things I really liked about this book was that the author made comparisons between present day organisms and past ones, both to show how paleontologists come to their conclusions and to make it easier for the reader to understand. I feel like I learned a lot both about modern organisms and the actual subjects of the book through this, and understand more than if he just tried to explain what animals once did with no context.
For the science itself, while I am sure the author is correct about the vast majority of the book, there is a small section regarding orcas that I know may not be blatantly wrong but is misinformed/overly simplified. In short, he phrases it as orcas will eat anything, however this is not true. Orcas are actually divided into subgroups/cultures that only hunt specific organisms in specific ways. An orca that hunts whales will not hunt fishes, not will it breed with an orca that does in the wild. This distinction is so strong that scientists believe they will become subspecies, if the process has not already begun. For the book overall this might be minor, however it made up a decent amount of one section so I wanted to comment (for more information on orcas, Listening to Whales by Alexandra Morton is good. I have a couple books on orcas on my to-read list and might update this later to include them).
Overall, this book was really informative about a variety of prehistoric animals and is well worth the read for anyone interested in animal behavior, both for modern animals and in the past.
This book was really good and interesting, though admittedly much less about dinosaurs than I expected given the title. Instead, it was about a multitude of prehistoric animals (and one section sort of about a plant), including but not limited to plesiosaurs, mammoth, and bugs. However, while it wasn't just about dinosaurs, it did deliver on behavior in ancient animals, and really that's what mattered to me.
The author also has an unusual style of writing. At times it feels less like reading a book and more like attending a lecture. While I would have enjoyed it like that, as a book I was not a big fan of the writing style. To me, at times it comes across as talking down to the audience, though the rest of the book makes it clear that was not the intention.
One of the things I really liked about this book was that the author made comparisons between present day organisms and past ones, both to show how paleontologists come to their conclusions and to make it easier for the reader to understand. I feel like I learned a lot both about modern organisms and the actual subjects of the book through this, and understand more than if he just tried to explain what animals once did with no context.
For the science itself, while I am sure the author is correct about the vast majority of the book, there is a small section regarding orcas that I know may not be blatantly wrong but is misinformed/overly simplified. In short, he phrases it as orcas will eat anything, however this is not true. Orcas are actually divided into subgroups/cultures that only hunt specific organisms in specific ways. An orca that hunts whales will not hunt fishes, not will it breed with an orca that does in the wild. This distinction is so strong that scientists believe they will become subspecies, if the process has not already begun. For the book overall this might be minor, however it made up a decent amount of one section so I wanted to comment (for more information on orcas, Listening to Whales by Alexandra Morton is good. I have a couple books on orcas on my to-read list and might update this later to include them).
Overall, this book was really informative about a variety of prehistoric animals and is well worth the read for anyone interested in animal behavior, both for modern animals and in the past.
September 17, 2025
Discover the surprising intimate lives of prehistoric animals, from parenting to predator-prey interactions. Vivid illustrations and engaging anecdotes bring these creatures to life, challenging our understanding of the prehistoric world. Full of fun facts about dinosaurs and other prehistorical animals, this fascinating book is written in a casual, easy-to-read style.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
July 30, 2025
The secret lives of dinosaurs is an incredibly delightful book about behaviours and stories of dinosaurs, with wonderful and stunning artwork from Nichols (inter alia the dinosaur cloaca, one of my personal favourites).
My wonted experience with non-fiction about dinosaurs is having to look up terminology very often and repetitively, but this book was a great exception. Lomax’s storytelling is very humorous and effortless to read and the phraseology isn’t too complex for a beginner to read and understand without too much struggle.
In his masterfully written book Lomax takes us on an enchanting and engaging journey across different paleontological periods. His insights on these dinosaurs' lives and his own experiences while studying them along with his cheesy dinosaur jokes makes an enthralling read that leaves you with a lot of trivia (perfect for impressing friends and family at gatherings).
I would recommend “The secret lives of dinosaurs” by Dean R. Lomax to a variety of people, for instance nerds of all kinds, but also to anyone who wants to learn about dinosaurs or brag about their knowledge to acquaintances.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and am voluntarily writing this review.
My wonted experience with non-fiction about dinosaurs is having to look up terminology very often and repetitively, but this book was a great exception. Lomax’s storytelling is very humorous and effortless to read and the phraseology isn’t too complex for a beginner to read and understand without too much struggle.
In his masterfully written book Lomax takes us on an enchanting and engaging journey across different paleontological periods. His insights on these dinosaurs' lives and his own experiences while studying them along with his cheesy dinosaur jokes makes an enthralling read that leaves you with a lot of trivia (perfect for impressing friends and family at gatherings).
I would recommend “The secret lives of dinosaurs” by Dean R. Lomax to a variety of people, for instance nerds of all kinds, but also to anyone who wants to learn about dinosaurs or brag about their knowledge to acquaintances.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and am voluntarily writing this review.
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August 14, 2025An interesting look at a bunch of fossils and what they can teach us about behaviors. Lomax choses some very interesting and illustrative examples. One track he talks about heavily implies that the dino that dragged it's feet in this mud was swimming and just barely scraping along the bottom, thus adding to the evidence for the fact that at least several dinosaurs swam. Looking at some fossils that died just after eating sometimes gives an idea of diet if the fossil happens to have the final meal preserved. Others, such as a huge graveyard of one species shows that they definitively lived as a heard and had a massive die out, probably because of a hurricane or other weather phenomena. This was a fun and pretty approachable book.
July 7, 2025
When I was a kid, I loved looking at the dinosaur illustrations in my grandpa’s encyclopedia. This amazing book took me back to that moment. Of course, technology has improved so much that most of the information that we have about our predecessors has changed considerably, and Dr. Lomax compiles much of the knowledge we’ve gained in the last few years. By studying fossils and existing animals, he can deduce the daily lives of not only dinosaurs, but many extinct creatures. It is fascinating to know how they reproduced, took care of their offspring, fought, ate and even pooped. Wherever we have limited information, the author is clear about it. He doesn’t shy away from speculation but makes educated guesses. The really cool part is the photographs and reconstructions of what we’re looking at. The illustrations by Robert Nicholls are amazing! The text is approachable, not overly scientific, and understandable for laypeople like me, or even probably younger readers. This is a fresh look into a fascinating subject.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Columbia University Press.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Columbia University Press.
October 31, 2025
I still can’t quite wrap my head around how much we actually know about creatures that lived millions of years ago. That immense stretch of time, and the fact that most of our knowledge comes from fossils found in rocks, can sometimes make the topic feel a bit dry or overly academic. But Dean R. Lomax manages to present it in a truly engaging way, complete with fun little references that keep the reading lively. It feels like sitting in a class and suddenly thinking, Wow, maybe learning is fun!
The illustrations throughout the book enhance the narrative beautifully, helping to paint a vivid and realistic picture that deepens our understanding of these ancient creatures.
If you’re curious about the lives of prehistoric animals, from how they reproduced to evidence of their swimming abilities, this book is a fantastic choice. Don’t be put off by the cover (it didn’t really appeal to me either); what’s inside is definitely worth it.
The illustrations throughout the book enhance the narrative beautifully, helping to paint a vivid and realistic picture that deepens our understanding of these ancient creatures.
If you’re curious about the lives of prehistoric animals, from how they reproduced to evidence of their swimming abilities, this book is a fantastic choice. Don’t be put off by the cover (it didn’t really appeal to me either); what’s inside is definitely worth it.
December 27, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
A book about dinosaurs by a paleontologist for the layman? Sign me up!
I don't know anything about dinosaurs, and was never a dinosaur kid, but dinosaurs are cool, so I decided to check out this book. It's very much popular science, so the reader shouldn't expect a thick academic tome, but for someone like me, who just thinks dinosaurs are neat but does not have much previous information on dinosaurs, this is the perfect book. It has fun facts (such as information about dino penises!), it has illustrations (made by a real human!), and it has lots of information about various dinosaur species, so I'd say this did its job perfectly, and would recommend it to any fan of dinosaurs who is not currently pursuing a degree in paleontology (and maybe also people who are, as I am not educated enough to say how much of the information in this book might still be relevant).
A book about dinosaurs by a paleontologist for the layman? Sign me up!
I don't know anything about dinosaurs, and was never a dinosaur kid, but dinosaurs are cool, so I decided to check out this book. It's very much popular science, so the reader shouldn't expect a thick academic tome, but for someone like me, who just thinks dinosaurs are neat but does not have much previous information on dinosaurs, this is the perfect book. It has fun facts (such as information about dino penises!), it has illustrations (made by a real human!), and it has lots of information about various dinosaur species, so I'd say this did its job perfectly, and would recommend it to any fan of dinosaurs who is not currently pursuing a degree in paleontology (and maybe also people who are, as I am not educated enough to say how much of the information in this book might still be relevant).
July 10, 2025
Publishing date: 23.09.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and Columbia University press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
If you like looking at dinosaur illustrations or want a more informal exploration of their lives, you should read this.
The language is easy to understand and written in a more engaging way. Less essay-like, more encyclopedic. I think even young readers from maybe 12-13 could digest this.
We also get stunning artworks from Nicholls. One little piece of worry from me as an aspiring artist in rough times for lots of artists, the cover may raise a lot of eyebrows and make people question if it is AI. I think a lot of the other works could work fine for a cover and create less suspicion. It isn't AI, but has the very common hazy and blurred style that AI seems to enjoy so much.
Giving this 4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Columbia University press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
If you like looking at dinosaur illustrations or want a more informal exploration of their lives, you should read this.
The language is easy to understand and written in a more engaging way. Less essay-like, more encyclopedic. I think even young readers from maybe 12-13 could digest this.
We also get stunning artworks from Nicholls. One little piece of worry from me as an aspiring artist in rough times for lots of artists, the cover may raise a lot of eyebrows and make people question if it is AI. I think a lot of the other works could work fine for a cover and create less suspicion. It isn't AI, but has the very common hazy and blurred style that AI seems to enjoy so much.
Giving this 4 stars
September 21, 2025
Funny, engaging and informative. If you like popular science and want to learn many surprising facts about ancient creatures (not only dinosaurs, they are “joined by a myriad of other exquisite animals”), this is a book for you. As in his previous work, “Locked in time”, the author focuses on “fossil forensics” - uncovering behavior of long extinct species, written in their bones and other scientific evidence.
Highly recommended to any natural history buff.
Thanks to the publisher, Columbia University Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book
Highly recommended to any natural history buff.
Thanks to the publisher, Columbia University Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book
November 14, 2025
The secret lives of Dinosaurs is great non-fiction book for all the people who are interested in dinosaurs.
This was a very educational read, easy to follow and explained in understandable language for people who know nothing about paleontology. The photos and illustrations were an added value in my opinion and the added humor made this a very pleasant read for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
This was a very educational read, easy to follow and explained in understandable language for people who know nothing about paleontology. The photos and illustrations were an added value in my opinion and the added humor made this a very pleasant read for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
November 17, 2025
We usually don’t think of the fossil record as revealing much about behavior. But this book describes and explains remarkable fossils that reveal glimpses of the behavior of dinosaurs and other ancient creatures. The text is clear without being dry and full of humor. The illustrations are gorgeous. Each chapter is relatively short, making this a perfect book to dip into fora quick read. Highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews