"Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska provides a thorough review of the current state of early mammalian paleontology presented through the unique historical filter of someone who was at the foremost of the field for over half a century."
"Mesozoic mammal fossils are the focus of this fascinating book, which reviews both the fossils themselves and the history of their discovery. Paleontologist Kielan-Jaworowska . . . is uniquely qualified to synthesize the state of this field with its history; she has worked with various international collaborators for 50 years . . . Highly recommended."
(Choice)
"Overall, this book provides an excellent description of the Mesozoic mammals. In addition to the author's personal experiences, she provides an overview of today's knowledge, with excellent illustrations, readable and up-to-date, and accompanied by a wealth of information on the people who have helped to further our knowledge. The reviewer is not aware of a similar work by another author. The book is recommended for anyone who is interested in the early history of the mammal . . ."
(Zentralblatt für Geologie und Paläontologie)
"Part textbook, part personal narrative, this book succeeds in blending genres because of the warmth of the author. Whether she's talking about how mammals evolved their distinctive ear bones, or how she built a cabin out of plywood during a particularly cold field season in the Gobi, you know that a remarkable, passionate person is telling a story of science and adventure in her own words."
(Priscum) "Nobody is better suited or more qualified to summarize how research on early mammal evolution has made its numerous breakthroughs than Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska. No one alive has had her kind of long and rich experience and her very diverse collaborations with scientists worldwide. . . . In my view, in the whole area of studies on Mesozoic mammal evolution for the past 100 years, only the late American paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson would be her equal."
(Zhe-Xi Luo Carnegie Museum of Natural History)
"A fascinating window into the development of the field . . . The perspective of an individual at the center of these developments is captivating, informative, and has never before been published . . . An excellent starting point for any student interested in this field and for laymen interested in the path of scientific discovery."
(Gregory P. Wilson University of Washington) About the Author
Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska, Professor Emerita at the Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, is a world-renowned specialist on Mesozoic mammals. She is author of Hunting for Dinosaurs and (with R. L. Cifelli and Z.-X. Luo) Mammals from the Age of Dinosaurs: Origins, Evolution, and Structure. Between 1963 and 1971, Kielan-Jaworowska organized eight paleontological expeditions to the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. These expeditions assembled an impressive collection of dinosaurs and Cretaceous mammals. Her research has focused on the study of the detailed structure of the brain and musculature of early mammals and their evolutionary relationships.
