Dinosaurs in the Attic: An Excursion into the American Museum of Natural History

Name: Dinosaurs in the Attic: An Excursion into the American Museum of Natural History
Price: 3.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.5 (286 reviews)
Author: Douglas J. Preston

by Douglas J. Preston

Nonfiction Biography Memoir

4.5 (286)

4.5 stars from 286 reviews

308 pages~5.1 hr readPublished by Ballantine BooksPublished 1988-01-01

$3.99Deal73% off peak

Last checked: Jun 20, 2026

Price history: $2.99 – $14.99

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Price range: $2.99 – $14.99

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Perfect for you if...

You love museums and natural history but want to know the messy, human stories behind the exhibits rather than just reading plaques.
You're drawn to adventure narratives about real people doing dangerous fieldwork in the early 1900s, from dinosaur digs to Arctic expeditions.
You enjoy narrative nonfiction that blends biography, history, and science without being textbook-dry or overly technical.

Maybe not for you if...

You want a rigorous scientific deep-dive into palaeontology or geology; this is about collectors and curators, not methodology.
You prefer memoirs centred on a single compelling person rather than institutional history told through multiple characters.
You're after a conventional museum guidebook or introductory natural history text.

About this book

Dinosaurs in the Attic chronicles the expeditions, discoveries, and scientists responsible for assembling one of the world's greatest natural history collections. Douglas J. Preston, who spent seven years working at the American Museum of Natural History and served as a Natural History columnist, offers an account of the museum's history and significance. The book explores the institution widely recognized as the best-known natural history museum in the United States.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$2.99 – $14.99

Currently on sale at $3.99 — 73% off peak. Price has dropped 6 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 66 days. Typically stays discounted for 2 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently #7,564 in the Kindle store — a top-10K bestseller. Sales have softened 36% recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.5★ from 286 reviews

Gaining approximately 1 new review per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.5 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $3.99. It typically returns to around $14.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.