Rating: 
Summary: To Impact or Not Impact--That is the Question!
Review: A well written book with good intentions, but there's still reason to doubt the "impact theory" as the reason for the demise of the dinosaurs. The extensive volcanism of the Deccan Traps in India may have also formed the iridium layer. Another idea, never discussed, is that impacts of lunar volcanic material--expelled volcanic domes--may have pelted the Earth in prehistoric times. This idea is especially intriguing to me since tektites--little glassy stones often thought to be splash from an impact--appear to some geologists to be more igneous than sedimentary in origin. The late Dean Chapman of NASA Ames Research Center had the most logical theory about impact craters and tektites: craters are connate with tektite strewn fields! Thus, a massive lunar dome-meteorite impact was followed by a trail of tektites as it entered the earth's atmosphere. Microtektites--lunar in origin-- found at the K-T layer may link volcanic outbursts on the Moon with these periodic extinction causing impacts. Also, check out NASA's John A. O'Keefe (author of the 1976 book TEKTITES & THEIR ORIGIN et al) for an excellent review of this often ignored, but still very intriguing theory! Curiously, an Apollo 12 lunar sample resembled a "terrestrial" tektite so closely if it had been found on Earth, it would have passed for a javanite (tektite)!
Rating: 
Summary: Good for kids
Review: Although adults may prefer another book on the topic, such as the excellent Night Comes To The Cretaceous, this book's only real failing is in dealing with the nasty tactics used by the late Luis Alvarez (the author's father and collaborator in the formation of the theory, and a brilliant physicist). The reading level is a bit less challenging than it could be for adults, but this is a book that would be great to share with your kids, or anyone's. Teachers could read this to their class in installments (except that probably isn't done any longer).
Rating: 
Summary: a great detective story
Review: Although there are many questions that still remain about the extinction of the dinosaurs, this book does a very good job in detailing the work involved with finding the impact crater that hit 65 million years ago. This is one of the few science books that go into detail about the dead ends of the scientific quest not just the positive finds.
Rating:
Summary: I wish my science teacher had told me Science can be cool
Review: Alvarez has done what few grass roots scientists can, which is provide an intelligent and complete argument that is easily palatable by the layperson. All this and at the same time, probably do much to convince young people that science can be cool, fun, and fascinating.
Admittedly the recent sexiness of the whole dinosaur epoch adds to the momentum of uncovering the answers to one of the gretatest bio-historical questions of all time. However the book has an enjoyable amount of internal momentum, which is not compromised by the occasional necessary tangential forays into scientific proof and annoying things like that.
This is a must read for any inquiring mind of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries
Rating:
Summary: T-Rex and the K-T Event
Review: Alvarez mixes Scientific Method, paleontology, the difficulties in getting a new idea considered with an adventure story. Especially noteworthy is how Alvarez gives lots of credit to the people who contributed with advancing this theory. The reading level seems geared towards mid- to older teens. I hope to use this book in the Earth Science class I teach.
Rating:
Summary: T-Rex and the K-T Event
Review: Alvarez mixes Scientific Method, paleontology, the difficulties in getting a new idea considered with an adventure story. Especially noteworthy is how Alvarez gives lots of credit to the people who contributed with advancing this theory. The reading level seems geared towards mid- to older teens. I hope to use this book in the Earth Science class I teach.
Rating:
Summary: As the child learns, the parent learns.
Review: As the parent of a dinosaur-crazy boy, I have read nearly every juvenile dinosaur book at the library and bookstore. In preparation of future "why" questions I read this book. I was fascinated with the story of discovery. I feel much more prepared to answer questions and continue our dinosaur discovery.
Rating: 
Summary: It's a Smash
Review: Easier reading level than the Powell book, and more suitable for children and teens interested in the topic of the K-T impact extinction.This title is more of a first person memoir of the development of the theory and not as detailed or as frank about the political aspects of the struggle as the Powell book. Dewey McLean, one of the proponents of a terrestrial, gradual, volcanic cause for the K-T extinction claimed that the elder Alvarez had threatened to ruin his career, and claimed a low level of debate and personal attacks. Even from the quotes here it appears that the late Luis Alvarez took a seemingly unscholarly approach toward those that didn't accept the impact scenario from the outset. Longstanding objections to the impact extinction -- such as the Deccan Traps, which have been conclusively shown to be of the wrong date and have had little impact on the dinosaur populations nearest to it -- are examined, but see "Night Comes to the Cretaceous" by James Lawrence Powell for a better and more adult oriented book on the same topic and a more detailed examination. See also "Rain of Iron and Ice" by John S. Lewis.
Rating:
Summary: Good Read
Review: Gives an interesting and factual account of the search for the cause of mass extinction that occured 65 million years ago. Dry in a few places but written well overall.
Rating:
Summary: A french look on this book!
Review: I know Amazon since 5 months. This is the first book that I purchased. The book is very clear and can be read as a roman. The thought of the author is clear to understand. However, I am not cleaver in English, I finished it in 3 hours; It pushed me to read more about dinosaurs
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