Pat Relf

Like many, I've been fascinated by dinosaurs since I was young. My first trip to the New York City Natural History Museum for a school trip when I was ten, was scary, and amazing.

Looking at the darkened room where elephants were in the middle, surrounded by glass enclosed stuffed animals in their original African surroundings, was mesmerizing. I felt so small.

Yet, I truly felt tiny when the group traveled to the fourth floor where the dinosaur bones were exhibited. I admit to being scared and in awe at the same time.

And, now, these years later, the near complete structure of the world's largest T-Rex calls me back to the days of seeing dinosaurs in a room that echoed the sound of excited voices as we walked in a line to observe what seemed to me to be impossible. Many of those exhibited had white castings were bones were missing.

And, now years later, I read books about the largest, most complete and best preserved T-Rex known to exist. This book contains a plethora of information about Sue, named for Susan Hendrickson, a woman known for uncovering many wonders.

This is not a book about the huge bidding war and the arguments regarding who really owned the T Rex bones. Was it the America Indians whose land it was discovered? Or, did it belong to the people who discovered Sue? Or, did Sue belong to the person whose South Dakota land owned where Sue was discovered in the Bad Lands of South Dakota, USA?

In the end, the cost was 8.36 million dollars, paid by donations, but primarily funded in a joint venture by McDonalds and Disney. Most exciting is that the discovery occurred in our lifetime, and the huge, megaton T Rex is housed at the Chicago Field Natural History Museum. I do hope to see this colossal dinosaur some day!

This book is not about the biding wars, but it focuses on how the bones, once discovered, were sheltered and moved where they could be examined, and amazing here to fore amazing details were discovered.

The process of carefully cleaning by hand with the assistance of tools that when used microscopically, would uncover incredible details. Putting the puzzle pieces together was a grueling process of examining every small and large piece of the 67 million year bones. Making even a tiny mistakeable move could destroy this rare gem forever.

This book is the story of how the T Rex was excruciatingly put together. When the head was way too large to mount on the neck, a model was made, and the original was displayed in a large case for all to see.

Learning about the trucks that were needed to bring the bones from different locations until finally, it was carefully mounted and displayed for many to examine.… (altro)