Hans Hess, William I. Ausich, Carlton E. Brett, Michael J Simms
Fossil Crinoids
Cambridge Press (1999)
ISBN 0521450241 Hardcover $74.95.

Reviewer: Danny Harlow

This book is not just for the fossil crinoid enthusiast but for anyone interested in a complete history and description of an entire class of marine invertebrates from the Ordovician to the Present. Crinoids are one of the most diverse and beautiful classes of the phylum Echinodermata. This book does a splendid job of presenting them with black and white drawings and photographs of the highest quality. There are 12 color photographs in the Introduction that show fossil and modern specimens.

The book begins with Crinoid Form and Function, Systematics-Phylogeny-Evolutionary History, Fossil Occurrences, Taphonomy and Ecological Interactions in the General Part. It then proceeds to Assemblages which describes 22 of the worlds most famous fossil crinoid localities from the Middle Ordovician of New York and Canada to the Tertiary deposits of Oregon.

The book concludes with a discussion of modern crinoids and their projected future. The book is well written, creative and very informative. It is easy to read and strikes a balance between textbook structure and pleasure reading. The authors obtained access to and photographed some of best private and museum specimens available. I highly recommend this book as a delightful and enjoyable addition to a fossil lover's library.
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