Tyrannosaurus Sue: The Extraordinary Saga of the Largest, Most Fought Over T-Rex Ever Found - Hardcover

Fiffer, Steve

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0716740176 ISBN 13: 9780716740179

Publisher: W.H.Freeman & Co Ltd, 2000

Synopsis

Tyrannosaurus Sue In 1990 the skeleton of a battle-scarred Tyrannosaurus rex matriarch was found in South Dakota. This book describes the custody battle that ensued, providing a provocative look at academic versus commercial science. Full description

About this title

Review:

How much is that T. Rex in the window? Journalist Steve Fiffer looks at the most contentious paleontological find ever in Tyrannosaurus Sue. This scientific, sociological and legal study is entertaining and insightful, highlighting the personalities of the researchers, attorneys and tribal and federal authorities who struggled for years over the ownership rights to the best-preserved Rex specimen yet found. From its discovery in South Dakota in 1990 by Susan Hendrickson and Peter Larson through the tortuous court cases to decide its fate to the final auction at Sotheby's, Fiffer finds just the right words to describe the action, a particularly difficult task given the conflicting reports of contesting witnesses. Professional jealousy and academic elitism (or concern for valuable scientific material and Indian property rights) led to accusations of illegal collecting and the seizure of the skeleton by federal agents shortly after its move to Larson's Black Hills Institute. Suits, countersuits and indictments escalated the struggle into an all-out war with vast sums of money and professional reputations at stake. In the end, Larson was imprisoned as an example to illegal collectors despite his sincere belief that he had worked within the law, and Sue was awarded to property owner Maurice Williams and purchased for over $8 million by Chicago's Field Museum with the assistance of the McDonald's and Disney corporations. Tyrannosaurus Sue is a riveting tale, well-written and just unsettling enough to provoke thought and discussion. --Rob Lightner

Review:

"A short, racy nonfiction narrative, one that combines the history of science (dinosaur paleontology) with the dramatic twists of a legal thriller . . . . Fiffer's thorough account should prove irresistible to readers with even a marginal interest in the legendary lizards - or in the less-sexy topics raised by this particular find, from Upper Midwest tribal disputes to pretrial publicity and the conduct of persecutions."
--"Publishers Weekly"
"Witty, clear-eyed and down-to-earth. . . . I recommend highly that you read ["Tyrannosaurus Sue"] as the opening act to the museum extravaganza. It will help you understand how the museum (and its corporate partners, McDonald's and Disney) came to pay $8.36 million for a pile of rocks."
--"Chicago Sun-Times"
"Fiffer keeps the reader engrossed by sprinkling personal information, historical perspective, and scientific tidbits into his narrative . . . Virtually anyone with an interest in dinosaurs, paleontology, conspiracy theories, courtroom dramas, or the struggle of a little guy against incredible odds should enjoy "Tyrannosaurus Sue.""
--"BookPage"
"Professionals, armchair paleontologists, and those of us who never outgrew our childhood fascination with dinosaurs will enjoy this excursion into the recent history of a fine fossil specimen . . . . Fiffer's text is jargon-free and riveting, but his tale is sobering."
--Fatbrain.com
"A mind-boggling account of what can happen when you dig up some dinosaur bones."
--"Parade Magazine"
"This book is...witty, clear-eyed and down-to-earth. I recommend highly that you read it."
--"Chicago Sun-Times Book Week"
"In the hands of Steve Fiffer, Sue's story comes alive as a darkly fascinating, Kafkaesque tale. It is exciting and entertainingly informative, as a biography of a single fossil (Sue) and as a history of paleontology steeped in all its eccentricities and schoolboy wonder."
--"Chicago Tribune"
"A riveting tale, well-written and just unsettling enough to provoke thought and discussion."
--"Amazon.com"
"Fiffer recounts these events in compelling detail. Highly recommended."
--"Library Journa"l
"A century after the Great Bone Wars of Cope and Marsh hit the headlines, Sue emerged from the earth--only to become embroiled in another fin de siecle fossil fiasco. Steve Fiffer relates Sue's fascinating story with flair, and with sensitivity to those who took part in the saga."
--Blake Edgar, editor of "Dinosaur Digs" and co-author of "From Lucy to Language"
"A blow-by-blow account for the struggle for control of the world's most famous dinosaur - a real tour de force!"
--Kenneth Carpenter, Department of Earth Sciences, Denver Museum of Natural History
"Steve Fiffer has written a lively, must-read book that untangles the complexities of the "story of Sue" for all of those interested in something that can never happen again. Or could it?"
--Philip J. Currie, Curator of Dinosaurs at the Royall Tyrrell Museum of Palentology in Alberta
"For more than 65 million years, Sue rested in her Cretaceous coffin. She awoke to a world of legal battles and rivalry as fierce in their way as anything she faced when alive. Steve Fiffer tells her compelling story as well as it could be told. This book is a must for anyone with even the slightest interest in the interplay between science and the law."
--Dr. James L. Powell, President and Director, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History and author of "Night Comes to the Cretaceous"

A short, racy nonfiction narrative, one that combines the history of science (dinosaur paleontology) with the dramatic twists of a legal thriller . . . . Fiffer's thorough account should prove irresistible to readers with even a marginal interest in the legendary lizards or in the less-sexy topics raised by this particular find, from Upper Midwest tribal disputes to pretrial publicity and the conduct of persecutions. "Publishers Weekly"

Witty, clear-eyed and down-to-earth. . . . I recommend highly that you read ["Tyrannosaurus Sue"] as the opening act to the museum extravaganza. It will help you understand how the museum (and its corporate partners, McDonald's and Disney) came to pay $8.36 million for a pile of rocks. "Chicago Sun-Times"

Fiffer keeps the reader engrossed by sprinkling personal information, historical perspective, and scientific tidbits into his narrative . . . Virtually anyone with an interest in dinosaurs, paleontology, conspiracy theories, courtroom dramas, or the struggle of a little guy against incredible odds should enjoy "Tyrannosaurus Sue." "BookPage"

Professionals, armchair paleontologists, and those of us who never outgrew our childhood fascination with dinosaurs will enjoy this excursion into the recent history of a fine fossil specimen . . . . Fiffer's text is jargon-free and riveting, but his tale is sobering. "Fatbrain.com"

A mind-boggling account of what can happen when you dig up some dinosaur bones. "Parade Magazine"

This book is...witty, clear-eyed and down-to-earth. I recommend highly that you read it. "Chicago Sun-Times Book Week"

In the hands of Steve Fiffer, Sue's story comes alive as a darkly fascinating, Kafkaesque tale. It is exciting and entertainingly informative, as a biography of a single fossil (Sue) and as a history of paleontology steeped in all its eccentricities and schoolboy wonder. "Chicago Tribune"

A riveting tale, well-written and just unsettling enough to provoke thought and discussion. "Amazon.com"

Fiffer recounts these events in compelling detail. Highly recommended. "Library Journal"

A century after the Great Bone Wars of Cope and Marsh hit the headlines, Sue emerged from the earth--only to become embroiled in another fin de siecle fossil fiasco. Steve Fiffer relates Sue's fascinating story with flair, and with sensitivity to those who took part in the saga. "Blake Edgar, editor of Dinosaur Digs and co-author of From Lucy to Language"

A blow-by-blow account for the struggle for control of the world's most famous dinosaur a real tour de force! "Kenneth Carpenter, Department of Earth Sciences, Denver Museum of Natural History"

Steve Fiffer has written a lively, must-read book that untangles the complexities of the "story of Sue" for all of those interested in something that can never happen again. Or could it? "Philip J. Currie, Curator of Dinosaurs at the Royall Tyrrell Museum of Palentology in Alberta"

For more than 65 million years, Sue rested in her Cretaceous coffin. She awoke to a world of legal battles and rivalry as fierce in their way as anything she faced when alive. Steve Fiffer tells her compelling story as well as it could be told. This book is a must for anyone with even the slightest interest in the interplay between science and the law. "Dr. James L. Powell, President and Director, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History and author of Night Comes to the Cretaceous""

"A short, racy nonfiction narrative, one that combines the history of science (dinosaur paleontology) with the dramatic twists of a legal thriller . . . . Fiffer's thorough account should prove irresistible to readers with even a marginal interest in the legendary lizards - or in the less-sexy topics raised by this particular find, from Upper Midwest tribal disputes to pretrial publicity and the conduct of persecutions." --Publishers Weekly

"Witty, clear-eyed and down-to-earth. . . . I recommend highly that you read [Tyrannosaurus Sue] as the opening act to the museum extravaganza. It will help you understand how the museum (and its corporate partners, McDonald's and Disney) came to pay $8.36 million for a pile of rocks." --Chicago Sun-Times

"Fiffer keeps the reader engrossed by sprinkling personal information, historical perspective, and scientific tidbits into his narrative . . . Virtually anyone with an interest in dinosaurs, paleontology, conspiracy theories, courtroom dramas, or the struggle of a little guy against incredible odds should enjoy Tyrannosaurus Sue." --BookPage

"Professionals, armchair paleontologists, and those of us who never outgrew our childhood fascination with dinosaurs will enjoy this excursion into the recent history of a fine fossil specimen . . . . Fiffer's text is jargon-free and riveting, but his tale is sobering." --Fatbrain.com

"A mind-boggling account of what can happen when you dig up some dinosaur bones." --Parade Magazine

"This book is...witty, clear-eyed and down-to-earth. I recommend highly that you read it." --Chicago Sun-Times Book Week

"In the hands of Steve Fiffer, Sue's story comes alive as a darkly fascinating, Kafkaesque tale. It is exciting and entertainingly informative, as a biography of a single fossil (Sue) and as a history of paleontology steeped in all its eccentricities and schoolboy wonder." --Chicago Tribune

"A riveting tale, well-written and just unsettling enough to provoke thought and discussion." --Amazon.com

"Fiffer recounts these events in compelling detail. Highly recommended." --Library Journal

"A century after the Great Bone Wars of Cope and Marsh hit the headlines, Sue emerged from the earth--only to become embroiled in another fin de siecle fossil fiasco. Steve Fiffer relates Sue's fascinating story with flair, and with sensitivity to those who took part in the saga." --Blake Edgar, editor of Dinosaur Digs and co-author of From Lucy to Language

"A blow-by-blow account for the struggle for control of the world's most famous dinosaur - a real tour de force!" --Kenneth Carpenter, Department of Earth Sciences, Denver Museum of Natural History

"Steve Fiffer has written a lively, must-read book that untangles the complexities of the "story of Sue" for all of those interested in something that can never happen again. Or could it?" --Philip J. Currie, Curator of Dinosaurs at the Royall Tyrrell Museum of Palentology in Alberta

"For more than 65 million years, Sue rested in her Cretaceous coffin. She awoke to a world of legal battles and rivalry as fierce in their way as anything she faced when alive. Steve Fiffer tells her compelling story as well as it could be told. This book is a must for anyone with even the slightest interest in the interplay between science and the law." --Dr. James L. Powell, President and Director, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History and author of Night Comes to the Cretaceous

About this edition

• Publisher: W.H.Freeman & Co Ltd
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0716740176
• ISBN 13: 9780716740179
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288