The Dinosaur Hunters - Deborah Cadbury


Published by Fourth Estate Limited: London, 2000.

This non-fiction book follows the lives of some of the early fossil-hunters of England, the first individuals to begin uncovering evidence of the existence of the ancient world. Four of these individuals are highlighted enough to feature on the cover illustration (Richard Owen, Mary Anning, Gideon Mantell and Reverend William Buckland), but two in particular are focussed on in depth: Mantell and Owen. 

Mantell is presented as a somewhat tragic figure, devoting his life to the ancient world to the detriment of his own personal and financial security. He is the one who discovers and names two of the three earliest dinosaurs known to the Victorian world (Iguanadon and Hylaeosaurus), and he is instrumental in presenting these creatures to the public, yet he continually fails to gain the recognition he deserves, or the financial benefits he needs in order to truly be labelled a success. Misfortune also has its hand in Mantell's life, with a serious carriage accident also derailing many of his hopes and dreams.

Owen, on the other hand, is a fairly unlikeable and devious individual, yet through his ruthlessness and determination becomes lauded for his scientific contributions - many of which he in some way plagiarises or steals from others, including Mantell. The rivalry between these two grows in intensity throughout their lives, and yet is so often very petty on Owen's side. When Owen begins to face his own opposition later in life, and finds his own aims blocked in the way he so frequently blocked Mantell's, there is some level of comeuppance felt, even as Owen becomes himself a more tragic figure.

Meanwhile, a subplot of The Dinosaur Hunters centres around the development of evolutionary and long-age beliefs among the scientific world of the Victorian era. Prominent figures on both sides of the argument emerge, and as various discoveries are reported the divide between religious thinking and science a strain is begun to be felt. As what is known as a Young Earth Creationist myself, I find this element of the book fascinating and somewhat sad. With the tools that were available to them and the evidence that had been found at the time, it is clear to me why such theories were developed. They do make sense of a lot of the evidence. However, from a modern perspective I still do find them lacking somewhat (not that mainstream science would agree with that assessment).

I mostly enjoyed The Dinosaur Hunters. It is a fairly tragic story - most of the main figures have somewhat depressing ends - and yet also highlights a fascinating period of history, along with talking about dinosaurs (a topic I've always enjoyed). Informative and interesting.

Completed 8 October 2020.

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