This summer, we’re inviting readers to Unearth a Story—and some of the most fascinating stories are buried beneath our feet. This theme highlights the joy of discovering new worlds through books and engaging with nature, paleontology, archaeology, and hidden local histories.
From dinosaur fossils and ancient civilizations to archaeological discoveries and long-lost treasures, the search for the past has inspired countless works of nonfiction and fiction alike.
Join us as we explore a collection of adult reads available with your Livingston Library card, that bring fossils, excavations and digs, ancient cultures, and remarkable discoveries to life—proving that every artifact, bone, and buried object has a story waiting to be unearthed.
Nonfiction
The Dinosaurs Rediscovered : How a Scientific Revolution is Rewriting History by M. J. Benton
Discover how new fossil finds and cutting-edge technology have transformed our understanding of dinosaurs. From feathered dinosaurs and giant fossils to insights into their appearance, behavior, and growth, this engaging book explores how modern paleontologists uncover the secrets of prehistoric life.
Dinosaurs at the Dinner Party : How an Eccentric Group of Victorians Discovered Prehistoric Creatures and Accidentally Upended the World by Edward Dolnick
This engaging history recounts the early discovery of dinosaur fossils in the 19th century and the scientists who struggled to understand them. From fossil footprints in Massachusetts to massive bones uncovered in England, it traces how these finds transformed ideas about Earth’s past and led to the birth of modern paleontology.
Life Sculpted : Tales of the Animals, Plants, and Fungi that Drill, Break, and Scrape to Shape the Earth by Anthony J. Martin
Paleontologist Martin explores the remarkable creatures that dig, bore, burrow, and reshape our planet. Blending modern wildlife with fossil discoveries, he reveals how these behaviors have influenced evolution, Earth’s landscapes, and the history of life over millions of years.
Lost Cities, Ancient Tombs : 100 Discoveries that Changed the World
From long-lost cities and royal tombs to shipwrecks and buried treasures, this richly illustrated book showcases 100 of archaeology’s most significant discoveries. Spanning thousands of years and cultures around the globe, it reveals how these remarkable finds have transformed our understanding of history and the ancient world.
The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann
In 1925, the legendary British explorer Percy Fawcett ventured into the Amazon jungle in search of a fabled civilization located deep in the deadly wilderness. He never returned. In this narrative nonfiction, journalist Grann tells the epic story of Fawcett’s quest for this ‘Lost City of Z,” and unravels the greatest exploration mystery of the twentieth century.
The Lost Tomb and Other Real-Life Stories of Bones, Burials, and Murder by Douglas J. Preston
What’s it like to be the first to enter an Egyptian burial chamber that’s been sealed for thousands of years? What horrifying secret was found among the prehistoric ruins of the American Southwest? Who really was the infamous Monster of Florence? From the jungles of Honduras to macabre archaeological sites in the American Southwest, Douglas Preston’s explorations have taken him across the globe. Here he brings together a compelling collection of true stories about buried treasure, enigmatic murders, lost tombs, bizarre crimes, and other fascinating tales of the past and present.
The Lost World of the Dinosaurs: Uncovering the Secrets of the Prehistoric Age by Armin Schmitt
Through firsthand experiences and groundbreaking research, paleontologist Schmitt delves into the lives of these ancient creatures, showcasing global excavations and remarkable discoveries. While familiar favorites like Tyrannosaurus rex make appearances, Schmitt also addresses intriguing questions, such as the excavation process, the survival of birds during extinction events, the evolution of paleontology since the Bone Wars era, and parallels between past climate changes and contemporary environmental challenges.
The Mesopotamian Riddle : An Archaeologist, a Soldier, a Clergyman, and the Race to Decipher the World’s Oldest Writing by Joshua Hammer
This fascinating history follows the nineteenth-century race to decipher cuneiform, the world’s oldest written script. Blending archaeology, adventure, and ancient history, it tells the story of the explorers and scholars who unlocked the secrets of Mesopotamia’s lost civilizations.
Otherlands : A Journey Through Earth’s Extinct Worlds by Thomas Halliday
Mining the most recent paleontological advances, a paleobiologist recreates sixteen extinct worlds, rendered with a novelist’s eye for detail and drama, showing up close the intricate relationships of these ancient worlds.
The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth’s Ultimate Trophy by Paige Williams
This narrative nonfiction follows the true story of a nearly complete Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton sold at auction and the fossil dealer behind it. As scientists and the Mongolian government challenge its sale, the case sparks an international dispute over fossil ownership, science, and the ethics of collecting prehistoric remains.
Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion Years of Life, from Ancient Fossils to DNA by Neil Shubin
In this accessible exploration of evolution, Shubin explains how major transformations in the history of life—from single-celled organisms to fish, birds, and humans—have shaped the living world. Drawing on the latest discoveries in paleontology and genetics, he reveals the deep connections shared by all life on Earth.
The Story of Evolution in 25 Discoveries : The Evidence and the People who Found it by Donald R. Prothero
Through 25 landmark discoveries, paleontologist Prothero traces the evidence for evolution and the scientists behind it. Combining fascinating fossil finds with stories of groundbreaking research, he reveals how these discoveries have transformed our understanding of life on Earth.
Fiction
Artifacts by Natalie Lemle
When attorney Lena Connolly takes on a case involving a looted Roman artifact, she is forced to revisit the archaeological dig in Italy that changed her life. Told in dual timelines, this suspenseful novel blends archaeology, mystery, and buried secrets as Lena uncovers the truth about the past.
The Bone Thief by Vanessa Lillie
When Native teen girl disappears and ancient skeletal remains are stolen, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker uncovers a decades-old mystery tied to a powerful historical society. As she digs deeper, long-buried secrets and a legacy of violence begin to surface.
The Collector’s Daughter: A Novel of the Discovery of Tutankhamun’s Tomb by Gill Paul
Lady Evelyn Herbert, daughter of the Earl of Carnarvon, defies society expectations to join her father and Howard Carter on an archaeological expedition in Egypt. In 1922 she becomes one of the first people to enter the newly discovered tomb of Tutankhamun, a life-changing moment followed by personal tragedy. Decades later, questions about what truly happened in the tomb resurface, threatening to reopen long-buried secrets.
Diablo Mesa by Douglas J. Preston
When a billionaire funds an archaeological dig at the Roswell UFO crash site, archaeologist Nora Kelly reluctantly leads the excavation—only to uncover two murdered bodies hidden in the desert. As FBI Agent Corrie Swanson investigates, both women are drawn into a dangerous web of secrets, conspiracy, and violence tied to the infamous incident.
Digging Up Love by Chandra Blumberg
When a dinosaur bone discovery brings together baker Alisha Blake and paleontologist Quentin Harris in her rural Illinois hometown, both Alisha and Quentin must weigh their future plans against their budding relationship.
Dragon Teeth: A Novel by Michael Crichton
Set during the late 1800s “Bone Wars,” this story follows rival paleontologists competing across the American West to uncover dinosaur fossils. When a young Yale student becomes entangled in their feud, he is left to navigate betrayal, danger, and a major fossil discovery that could change everything.
Excavations : A Novel by Kate Myers
At an archaeological site in Greece, four very different women uncover an artifact that should not exist, suggesting something has gone seriously wrong. As tensions rise among the team and secrets surface, they must work together to uncover the truth behind the discovery—and their own lives.
The Fossil Hunter by Tea Cooper
The story of how a fossil discovered at London’s Natural History Museum leads one woman back in time to nineteenth-century Australia and a world of scientific discovery and buried secrets.
The Last Animal: A Novel by Ramona Ausubel
A scientist working on a project to revive woolly mammoths travels to Siberia with her two teenage daughters, where a remarkable discovery—a perfectly preserved baby mammoth—upends her research. As professional tensions rise, the family is drawn into a globe-spanning adventure that challenges both scientific ambition and personal loyalties.
The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths
When the body of an archeology student, who went missing in 2002, is found during the renovation of a café, Dr. Ruth Galloway and DCI Nelson uncover a tangled web of relationships between the archeology group and the café.
Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
When Mary Anning uncovers an unusual fossilized skeleton in the cliffs near her home on the English coast, she sets the religious fathers on edge, the townspeople to vicious gossip, and the scientific world alight. Luckily, Mary finds an unlikely champion in prickly Elizabeth Philpot, and in the struggle to be recognized in the wider world, Mary and Elizabeth discover that friendship is their greatest ally.
The Sleeping Land : A Novel by Ella Alexander
In post-Soviet Siberia, three archaeology graduate students join their adviser on a remote cave excavation that quickly turns unsettling. As tensions rise and the dig reveals unexpected discoveries, the team begins to question both their leader’s motives and whether something ominous is lurking in the wilderness.
–Archana, Adult Services & Acquisitions Librarian