SKU: 59312116313

The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Science, and the Global Quest for Fossils

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The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Science, and the Global Quest for FossilsIn this 2018 New York Times Notable Book, Paige Williams "does for fossils what Susan Orlean did for orchids" (Book Riot) in her account of one Florida man's attempt to sell a dinosaur skeleton from Mongolia a story "steeped in natural history, human nature, commerce, crime, science, and politics" (Rebecca Skloot). In 2012, a New York auction catalogue boasted an unusual offering: "a superb Tyrannosaurus skeleton." In fact, Lot 49135 consisted of a

In this 2018 New York Times Notable Book, Paige Williams "does for fossils what Susan Orlean did for orchids" (Book Riot) in her account of one Florida man's attempt to sell a dinosaur skeleton from Mongolia--a story "steeped in natural history, human nature, commerce, crime, science, and politics" (Rebecca Skloot).

In 2012, a New York auction catalogue boasted an unusual offering: "a superb Tyrannosaurus skeleton." In fact, Lot 49135 consisted of a nearly complete T. bataar, a close cousin to the most famous animal that ever lived. The fossils now on display in a Manhattan event space had been unearthed in Mongolia, more than 6,000 miles away. At eight-feet high and 24 feet long, the specimen was spectacular, and when the gavel sounded the winning bid was over $1 million.

Eric Prokopi, a thirty-eight-year-old Floridian, was the man who had brought this extraordinary skeleton to market. A onetime swimmer who spent his teenage years diving for shark teeth, Prokopi's singular obsession with fossils fueled a thriving business hunting, preparing, and selling specimens, to clients ranging from natural history museums to avid private collectors like actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

But there was a problem. This time, facing financial strain, had Prokopi gone too far? As the T. bataar went to auction, a network of paleontologists alerted the government of Mongolia to the eye-catching lot. As an international custody battle ensued, Prokopi watched as his own world unraveled.

In the tradition of The Orchid Thief, The Dinosaur Artist is a stunning work of narrative journalism about humans' relationship with natural history and a seemingly intractable conflict between science and commerce. A story that stretches from Florida's Land O' Lakes to the Gobi Desert, The Dinosaur Artist illuminates the history of fossil collecting--a murky, sometimes risky business, populated by eccentrics and obsessives, where the lines between poacher and hunter, collector and smuggler, enthusiast and opportunist, can easily blur.

In her first book, Paige Williams has given readers an irresistible story that spans continents, cultures, and millennia as she examines the question of who, ultimately, owns the past.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Hachette Books
Published: 09/10/2019
ISBN: 9780316382519
Pages: 432
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 8.10h x 5.40w x 1.30d
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SKU: 59312116313

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GENE LECKNESS
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Really nice shoes. Wide enough and comfortable I’m keeping these.
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Mike
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The shoes came with the correct size and is a good fit. They were originally pretty stiff, but are much better now after breaking them in. They look good. but as other's have said, they are made of synthetic leather and in my opinion have kind of a plastic look to them. The quality is good with ridged rubbber soles. I thought they were kind of expensive, but then again I haven't purchased these type of shoes in a while. A family member told me that if they were real leather, they would have been a lot more expensive. For what the shoes are I would recommend the purchase.
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Mar Ronquillo
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I wanted to love these
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These are very good looking in person, especially the buckles and the pop of red on black. Alas, I have another pair of Marc Joseph shoes to compare comfort and fit, and this pair simply hurts my feet.
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racheli kuber
Charlottesville, US
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very poor quality
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they are a peice of garbage, within about a month since i started wearing them the outer material started pealing off within two months the upper separated from the soles so i had to go to a shoemaker to sew them back together, within some few months the insoles completely wore out rendering the shoes unwearable, now mind you that i do not abuse shoes but use them in a normal office oriented enviorment, i will for sure not be buying these shoes again
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Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2026

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