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Second, this book focuses specifically on North American fossils, which means that you get more concise information. Many other fossil guides attempt to cover fossils of the world in the same size book (or smaller), which is doubtless a very ambitious project, but probably impossible to do successfully in the form of a fieldguide. So with the National Audobon guide, you get more pertinent information. Granted, not everyone is looking for an American-specific guide. But if you
want information on, say, European or Morrocan fossils, the same concept applies: Purchasing a more specific guide gives you more specific information for your money.

Third, the photos in this guide look like fossils as they occur in nature (as opposed to some fossil guides picturing specimens that have been prepped and polished and perfectly repaired). This is an obvious advantage when trying to identify a specimen that you have just brushed the soil off of. (In fact, most "serious" paleontologists recommend that the natural condition of a fossil be altered as little as possible.)

Fourth, the book diagrams and labels the different parts of the major fossil types. So by studying the diagrams, one can learn the paleontological names for the parts.

I will say that the book focuses mainly on invertebrate fossils, so if you're interested specifically in vertebrate paleontology this would not be the book for you. But again: Purchasing a more specific guide gives you more specific information for your money.

In conclusion, I very highly recommend this book to someone that is interested in identifying and learning more about invertebrate fossils. I have yet to find a guide that tops it!


Great Field Guide... but it cant have everything....   October 9, 2001
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

It would be impossible, I'm sure, for a field guide to North American Fossils to provide us with every single fossil that can be found on our continent. No doubt the Audobon Society did not have in mind for a user of this guide to be able to identify everything they find, but to at least highlight the more common fossils, and to guide the reader to look for answers to all the rest. For instance, in Nebraska there are at least 3 types of horn coral that can be found near the Omaha region alone, and there is doubtless many more species that can be found. The guide helps you find the most common and to surmise what you have found by those examples.

Furthermore, no book to be placed in the back pocket of us fossil enthusiasts could possibly be made very thin if it included every illustration, and every detailed description of every type of fossil.

If I have one complaint about this book, its that the maps are difficult to read, and could have been simplified a bit more.. and printed clearer. But, that is a small complaint as I am able to get further detailed maps, and descriptions from the State of Nebraska Geological Survey and other sources.

Get this book if you want to seriously hunt for fossils.. and identify them.


If you only have one fossil book, this should be it!   July 13, 1998
The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American fossils was the first and best book on fossils I ever purchased. The pictures and maps have helped me may times to find locations to dig for fossils. Hundreds of beautiful drawings and complete descriptions help to identify the fossils you find. Highly recommended.