Time Traveler: In Search of Dinosaurs and Other Fossils from Montana to Mongolia

by Michael Novacek

Hunting for fossils with a preeminent guide and teacher

Michael Novacek, a world-renowned paleontologist who has discovered important fossils on virtually every continent, is an authority on patterns of evolution and on the relationships among extinct and extant organisms. Time Traveler is his captivating account of how his boyhood enthusiasm for dinosaurs became a lifelong commitment to vanguard science. He takes us with him as he discovers fossils in his own backyard in Los Angeles, then goes looking for them in the high Andes, the black volcanic mountains of Yemen, and the incredibly rich fossil badlands of the Gobi desert.

Wherever Novacek goes he searches for still undiscovered evidence of what life was like on Earth millions of years ago. Along the way he has almost drowned, been stung by deadly scorpions, been held at gunpoint by a renegade army, and nearly choked in raging dust storms. Fieldwork is very demanding in a host of unusual, dramatic, sometimes hilarious ways, and Novacek writes of its alluring perils with affection and discernment. But Time Traveler also makes sense of many complex themes - about dinosaur evolution, continental drift, mass extinctions, new methods for understanding ancient environments, and the evolutionary secrets of DNA in fossil organisms. It is also an enthralling adventure story.

Genres: Science, Palaeontology, Nonfiction, Dinosaurs, History, Natural History, Biography

352 pages, Hardcover

First published February 10, 2002

Reviews

[Peter Tillman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice memoir by a well-known paleontologist at the AMNH in New York. I found the most interesting part to be his account of his early years, as a student and would-be rock guitarist in SoCal, until he discovered the pleasures and challenges of fieldwork. And who could deny the advantages of working outside, rather than "in some sickly-green, fluorescent-lit chemistry laboratory?" Especially since that's exactly what I noticed, when I was an undergraduate chemistry major, back in the day.

Later on, when he embarks on international expeditions -- well, there are still some good stories, but some of them turn into so-so travelogues and (for example) discussions of the epipubic bones of fossil marsupials. The technical stuff can easily turn into fine sleep aids, unless that's your field.

Cautiously recommended to those interested in vertebrate paleontology. Feel free to skim.

[Kathryn]

I doubt I'll finish this--not through any flaw of the book but simply because I'm increasingly busy and not so passionate about the subject that I'll wipe everything else off my schedule to finish it; but the 100-ish pages I read were an interesting memoir/natural history lesson that is surprisingly entertaining, interesting and energetic. Touches not only on palentology, but also other aspects of science, including geology.

[Vasha7 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This makes a nice addition to the literature of field paleontology. Novacek certainly has good stories to tell, since the search for vertebrate fossils took him to some of the most barren deserts and mountains on Earth, whose spectacular beauty he describes (I was particularly taken with the mental images of Patagonia and the Chilean Andes -- what a country). He also has a pretty good knack for telling of the human encounters on these trips, whether it be hospitable residents everywhere or the repeated encounters with threatening armed men in Yemen. Naturally, the desert encampments brought plentiful discomforts and occasional dangers. This is adventure with a capital A, and as Novacek points out, paleontologists nowadays have one of the few compelling reasons that remain for adventuring -- he unfavorably compares the contrived feat of sportsmen who try to cross the Gobi on a motorcycle just because.

The second aspect of this book, which is written in the form of an autobiography from boyhood on, is for Novacek to try to convey what field paleontology offers him, why he does it. He does indeed create a very good picture of what's involved in doing that sort of work; however, he says almost nothing about the other aspects of his job, the studying and publishing specimens he finds, and what his duties as curator at the AMNH might involve. True, he indicates that he is fascinated by what the fossils tell us about ancient life, and does include a lot of such information; although he presents some reasoning as to how they reached these conclusions, he goes lightly over the methods of study. It's inevitable, I guess -- lab work and measuring and such just aren't as entertaining as tales from the field.

Novacek is not really a great writer, and sometimes trips himself up by straining for effect and missing the mark, but on the whole this is well-told, clear, and very engaging.

[Corinna Bechko]

Really enjoyed this memoir about field work and the importance of taking the long view of the history of life on Earth, including the ways in which humans are currently impacting it. Part adventure yarn, part fascinating account of ancient ecosystems, Novacek's passion for his work shines through on every page.

[Beau · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book for anyone particularly interested in the topic. It gives the reader a very good idea of what a life in paleontology is like and how research really works. On the other hand, it was less imaginative than the title would indicate. The author never really puts you in the world of the really cool dinosaurs he finds. It instead deteriorates into a kind of attempted travel-writing-novelization in the last one hundred pages or so, which I did not find very grabbing in the first place but was made more awkward since the accounts were written 10-20 years after the experiences.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a geologist myself, I obviously enjoy this book. What makes this book unique is the humor that seems to be inherent in learning geology and field geology. Though I have a collection of rocks, minerals, and fossils (my own personal museum) the real joy is the adventure of travelling to a location and collecting. Michael Novacek obviously enjoys the adventure and relates it wonderfully in his book.

[Elizabeth]

As seen in The Rise and Reign of the Mammals.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nicely written Biography by Michael Novacek. Contains some basic paleontological tidbits.

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but a bit of a slog.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time Traveler is a career biography/memoir of Dr. Michael Novacek, world renowned paleontologist at the American Museum of Natural History. Dr. Novacek has had some wonderful opportunities in his career to do field work in some amazing places as well as actual research on the fossils he has found. Though my personal experience with paleontological field work is not so glamorous, the feelings of excitement, disappointment, adventure, and discovery are well known to me. Dr. Novacek doesn't pull any punches and talks about all the dangerous and difficult aspects of field work, but maintains that it's all worth it for the thrill of the science.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In case you ever thought it sounded fun to hunt for fossils in Mexico, Chile, Mongolia, or Yemen... this book will cure of that insane notion. Maybe for some people this would be great adventure, but Novacek's descriptions of his work made my hair stand up and scream. The paleontology stuff was interesting, but Novacek really has a talent for travel writing too.

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic. Not so much about paleantology, there's a little bit about the bones, but about the adventure of the find. The remote locations, strange illnesses, and all the good stuff. Not that different from the archaeologists lifestyle.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A portrait of the scientist as a young man. I really enjoyed this look at how someone would wind up excavating in the Gobi, partly by nature, partly by chance. It was filled with great stories, good science, excellent illustrations, and humor.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love those dinosaur books. This is good, but maybe not as gripping as some others because it covers many different dinosaur digs in many different places. It also covers how the author became a paleontologist in the first place.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, I loved the life and the adventure found between the cover of this book. It held enough humor and adventure to capture anyones attention.

[LibraryBookGroup]

I'm trying to get ideas of book(s) on dinosaurs for adults (to tie-in with upcoming Summer Reading Program). Not sure if this might be it, until I see it...

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A desert expedition is only as strong as its weakest member, or rather its weakest member's feet, as we all knew".

Novacek is the kind of person you want to hang out with at a bar. Remote locations and hunting for bones that are millions of years old will come with its share of adventure, and Novacek offers a nice blend of humor, science, geography and travel. I found myself reading parts of it out loud to my husband, usually with a chuckle at some of the harrowing situations the author gets himself into.