Human Osteology is designed for students and professionals who wish to advance their osteological skills. It will assist in accurately identifying human skeletal remains, however isolated and fragmentary. These remains can then be used to deduce information about the original lives of the deceased individuals. Human Osteology will be the essential text for courses on the human skeleton as well as a basic reference and field manual for professional oste… More >>
In order to temper the unrestrained exuberance of the former reviews, I think it is appropriate to point out what I believe are a couple of major shortcomings of this book.
Yes the photography is very good. However, the paper it is printed on is not so good. Don’t try underlining any of the text with a pen or pencil; the line will be transferred to the following page. The thin paper combined with the ink on the opposite side forms a tracing paper when you mark on the page. For a price that completely wrecks a hundred dollar bill, I think the customer deserves more. Mr. White is surely wagging his vestigial tail all the way to the bank.
Most importantly, the descriptive sections of the text are very brief, with many bone features ignored. The Running Press reprint of the 1901 edition of Gray’s Anatomy has a much more thorough (and much much cheaper) text of bone anatomy, although many of its formerly great illustrations have been reduced to dark blots (evidently in an effort to make the text more legible). In White’s book, I would have preferred that seemingly precious text space be used for description of anatomy rather than the author spinning his (and academia’s) fairy tales of how fish turned into men.
Rating: 2 / 5
They never shipped my book and refused to give me a refund. Now Im out 50.00 and still don’t have the book i need for class!
Rating: 1 / 5
This is quite possibly the most useful book I have ever bought. “Human Osteology” is clear and complete. The photos and diagrams are clear and complete. The text is clear and complete. I have used this book in three separate classes and it has proved invaluable to me all three times.
Rating: 5 / 5
Very useful book, aimed to cover the essentials in all fields of human osteology: anatomy, determination of age and sex, pathology, measurement and even ethics, recovery of remains and so on.
The matter is some chapters (such as pathology, development) are relatively weak, but others is excellent: photo-illustrated anatomical atlas, age and sex determination.
Rating: 5 / 5
This is the only osteology book I consistently return to. The actual-size photographs are amazing.
Rating: 5 / 5