*VAT inclusive price only applies to UK customers (excluding the Channel Islands) and EU customers without an EU VAT number. Please note, it is a guide only since VAT will be calculated on the total order, hence some minor rounding differences may occur on the final total.
|
|
|
|
Publisher
|
Palaeontology Association
|
|
Pages
|
436
|
|
ISBN-13
|
978-1444337747
|
|
ISBN-10
|
1444337742
|
|
Format
|
Paperback
|
|
Edition
|
2012
|
|
Author
|
Alan R. Lord & Paul G. Davis
|
September 2013
In the last issue, I had the pleasure of reviewing Palass’ recently published ‘Fossils of the Gault Clay’. So, you can imagine my reaction to being asked to review their equally excellent new guide to on the Lower Lias of Dorset.
As the title implies, this guide is limited to just one, admittedly famously fossiliferous strata out of many such layers of rock in Dorset (my personal favourite is the Dorset Junction Bed). Therefore, this is not just another holiday geology book on Lyme Regis. Rather, as always with the Field Guides, this is a serious book for academics and professionals, but great for those who take their fossils seriously and enjoy beautiful (black and white) illustrations of fossils.
It also has the usual, tried-and-tested format – an introductory section and one on stratigraphy, followed by a chapter on each category of fossil to be found, from microfossils to reptiles (and, surprisingly, plants). However, there are some extra sections that do not normally appear in their field guides. One is a section on the history of palaeontological work carried out in the area, which largely consists of thumbnail biographies of the leading protagonists – Mary Anning, William Conybeare and William Buckland to name but a few. Another is a chapter on the area’s unique status as a World Heritage Site. (Am I the only one who objects to it being called the ‘Jurassic Coast’, in deference to a Hollywood film? Maybe the ‘Mesozoic Coast’ doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.) Both these chapters are fascinating and entirely appropriate for such a guide.
Given the publication of two guides in such a short timescale, perhaps, now is the time to put pressure on Palass for more such guides. I know their book on the Weald was abandoned (I don’t know why), but now might be the time to resurrect it. And what about a book on the Silurian of Shropshire or on the Lower Carboniferous limestone of Britain and Ireland? Come on Palass, you are on a roll, don’t stop now!