In Conversation with Matthew C. Lamanna, Ph.D.
Join author Ilja Nieuwland and Matthew Lamanna, associate curator and Head of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, for a lively discussion about American Dinosaur Abroad: A Cultural History of Carnegie’s Plaster Diplodocus, the untold story of Andrew Carnegie’s prized dinosaur and its influence on European culture.
In early July 1899, a team of paleontologists sponsored by Andrew Carnegie discovered the fossil remains in Wyoming of what was then the longest and largest dinosaur on record. Named after its benefactor, the Diplodocus carnegii—or Dippy, as it’s known today—was shipped to Pittsburgh and later mounted and unveiled at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in 1907. Carnegie’s pursuit of dinosaurs in the American West and the ensuing dinomania of the late nineteenth century coincided with his broader political ambitions to establish a lasting world peace and avoid further international conflict.
“Diplodocus is a Jurassic icon, one of the largest and most impressive dinosaurs ever uncovered. But it is not just that. In this detailed, thoughtful exploration, Ilja Nieuwland follows the changing cultural significance of this famous dinosaur in its role as ambassador, celebrity, and scientific catalyst, revealing how a single, spectacular skeleton can spur broader changes in the process of science and appreciation for nature. Read this book and you’ll never look at old bones the same way again.”
Brian Switek, author of My Beloved Brontosaurus and Skeleton Keys
Book Signing
A book signing will follow the lecture. American Dinosaur Abroad will be available for sale from Classic Lines.
