The Monster's Bones by David K. Randall

Even if you have never gazed up in wonder at a dinosaur skeleton or shivered at the first glimpse of T.Rex in JURASSIC PARK you will be pulled into this account of the race for dinosaur bones especially the elusive full skeletons of giant wonders like T.Rex. The story begins in Gilded Age New York where the robber barons began to amass personal collections of art and curiosities such as dinosaur bones. They began to fund expeditions primarily to the Wild West and want to see their name chiseled in stone above the doors of huge museums. This is how the American Museum, now the American Museum of Natural History began and fought to stay alive through the dinosaur treasures they could find and claim. From little more than P.T. Barnum's curiosity collection to full displays of massive dinosaurs. this accounting highlights the few who were monumental in this race and the sheer luck of finding these remains hidden in layers of rock and covering a vast wasteland. These dinosaur hunters braved unfriendly locals, horrific storms, unbelievable heat and cold not to mention the monumental job transporting the finds weighing tons back to New York. Full of adventure, the characters behind the scenes at the museums or personal collections and the men who risked everything for that one perfect skeleton, this is an interesting look at making science available to everyone.  4 stars and one that Dinosaur George would approve of!