It is his work at the Flaming Cliffs that Novacek is most famous for, and if reading Time Traveler whets your appetite to learn more about Mongolia you can read Novacek's 1996 book, Dinosaurs of the Flaming Cliffs.
I thoroughly enjoyed Time Traveler. In addition to Novacek's personal accounts of his many adventures (good, bad, dangerous and painful) in the field, he provides many illustrations about what he is discussing. He also does a great job in describing and explaining geological and paleontological concepts to the lay reader. He sets the stage for his adventures by explaining what happened millions of years in the past to produce the landscapes in which he works.
The only complaint that I had about Time Traveler is that Novacek's boyish enthusiasm sometimes causes him to jump into a story midway through it. While this keeps the reader on the edge of his seat wondering how Novacek is going to get out of the situation, it can be a bit confusing. I found myself wondering how Novacek was suddenly being held at gunpoint by Yemeni soldiers when he had been in the Andes only a page before. Novacek also does this with his personal life -- we only get one passing comment about his wife as he describes preparing to go into the field before beginning his PhD studies at Berkeley. I found myself saying, "Huh, wife? When did that happen?" To Novacek, the fieldwork is obviously the most important part of his life.
I would highly recommend Time Traveler for anyone who is interested in paleontology. The book is written to be understandable by scientists and lay readers alike and would also be great for budding young paleontologists of high school age.
For more information about Dr. Michael Novacek and Time Traveler: In Search of Dinosaurs and Ancient Mammals from Montana to Mongolia, be sure to read "Whales on Mountaintops," a book excerpt from Time Traveler in the December 2001 issue of Smithsonian.
