Peter Brannen | Harper Collins, 2017 | Book
This lively book for a popular audience covers our current understanding of the all major mass extinctions in the history of life and what they collectively mean for the future. Peter Brannen interviewed numerous paleobiologists, geologists and other investigators behind the discoveries, tagging along on fieldwork and visiting their labs. As a result, it’s part travelogue, part hard data and part sociology of science, resulting in a deep and multifaceted view of the state of the art that's also fun!
Matt Friedman and Lauren Sallan | Palaeontology, 2012 | Article
For more detailed information about gains and losses in the evolutionary history of fishes, read this synthesis of their extensive fossil record. While this article is from five years ago, most of the material is still relevant, if only for lack of workers!
John A. Long | Johns Hopkins University, 2010 | Book
For more information about the weird and wonderful fishes featured on my slides, or just more beautiful paleoart, refer to this colorful introduction by John Long (Flinders University). Prof. Long is eminent paleoichthyologist who has helped flesh out "The Age of Fishes" through numerous discoveries and a prolific author of science books for a general audience. This book is a great choice for anyone with an interest in paleontology, or life in general.
Michael Benton | Wiley, 2014 | Book
Refer to this classic textbook series for a more thorough introduction to vertebrate paleontology as it is currently practiced, and our present take on the history of vertebrate kind. Prof. Benton (Bristol) helped revolutionize the study of long-term evolution (macroevolution) and mass extinction in vertebrates. Here, he summarizes decades of breakthroughs, cutting-edge techniques and the full diversity of fossil vertebrates in an accessible way.