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Rating: 
Summary: Worthwhile Reading if you are Interested in this Collection
Review: I bought and read this book prior to a trip to New York City. One of the attractions I wanted to visit while in New York was the American Museum of Natural History to see their fossil collection. When I read the book I was even more excited about traveling to the American Museum of Natural History to see this great fossil collection. Well, I wasn't disappointed. There are nearly twice as many fossils on display in the museum than are contained in the book. After visiting the museum I was slightly disappointed in the book because it could have contained so much more information and photographs about this world class collection. The fossils in this museum are pictured and describe in so many other books that looking at them in real life I felt like a kid in a candy store. I didn't realize just how many of the fossils I have read about were contained in the American Museum of Natural History. If you have the chance I would highly recommend visiting this great museum to see its collection. Overall the Next Of Kin is very good and provides an excellent overview of some of the fossils found at the American Museum of Natural History. If you are planning on traveling to the American Museum of Natural History to view the fossils, or if you want an overview of the great fossils contained in this museum, this book is worthwhile reading. Next Of Kin provides one of the better introductions to cladistics and scientific approach to the fossil record. It challenges the reader to not just accept scientific theories as facts but to have a healthy dose be skepticism based on the actual evidence of the fossil record. It is a better book than most when it comes to identifying what can and cannot be scientifically proven from the fossil record. My overall rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 reflects my disappointment in the book for having left out so many of the fossils on display to the public at the museum. Still, it is currently the best book available about this world class collection and worthwhile reading.
Rating:
Summary: Worthwhile Reading if you are Interested in this Collection
Review: I bought and read this book prior to a trip to New York City. One of the attractions I wanted to visit while in New York was the American Museum of Natural History to see their fossil collection. When I read the book I was even more excited about traveling to the American Museum of Natural History to see this great fossil collection. Well, I wasn't disappointed. There are nearly twice as many fossils on display in the museum than are contained in the book. After visiting the museum I was slightly disappointed in the book because it could have contained so much more information and photographs about this world class collection. The fossils in this museum are pictured and describe in so many other books that looking at them in real life I felt like a kid in a candy store. I didn't realize just how many of the fossils I have read about were contained in the American Museum of Natural History. If you have the chance I would highly recommend visiting this great museum to see its collection. Overall the Next Of Kin is very good and provides an excellent overview of some of the fossils found at the American Museum of Natural History. If you are planning on traveling to the American Museum of Natural History to view the fossils, or if you want an overview of the great fossils contained in this museum, this book is worthwhile reading. Next Of Kin provides one of the better introductions to cladistics and scientific approach to the fossil record. It challenges the reader to not just accept scientific theories as facts but to have a healthy dose be skepticism based on the actual evidence of the fossil record. It is a better book than most when it comes to identifying what can and cannot be scientifically proven from the fossil record. My overall rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 reflects my disappointment in the book for having left out so many of the fossils on display to the public at the museum. Still, it is currently the best book available about this world class collection and worthwhile reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Great guide to the Museum of Natural History exhibits
Review: This is the next best thing to being there! A readable, accessible history of the Musuem of Natural History itself; or rather of its world famous halls of dinosaurs and mammals. After a multimillion dollar facelift the exhibits reflect the latest theories in vertebrate science--and there are some major revisions made. The chapter on Horses is worth the price of the book. Black and white photos of the older mounts are juxtaposed with brilliant color shots of the new, revised versions. The Apatosaurus gets a new head and longer tail, the Tyrannosaurs goes for a run, and the Horses develop in groups. The book's tone reflects the pride the Museum's staff feel in their accomplishments, and it is enough to make one book an immediate flight to New York just to see these marvels--if not 'in the flesh' at least in the round. Highly recommended
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