“The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us” explores the wild mammal lineage from the Triassic period to present day. (Image credit: Mariner Books, Courtesy Steve Brusatte)

Live Science has a new book review… “The Rise and Reign of the Mammals”.  Looking for some summer reading material?  Steve Brusatte, who hails from Ottawa, IL, has a new book out.  This one tracks the rise of mammals from the synapsids of the Carboniferous (like the sail-backed Dimetrodon) up to modern day mammals.  His previous book “The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World” was a New York Times bestseller!

In his new book, Brusatte dives into the mammalian lineage dating back to the synapsids, a bizarre group of animals that lived during the Carboniferous period (359 million to 299 million years ago) that eventually evolved into the mammals. He traces the evolution of mammals up to the present day, sharing quirky facts (did you know that mammals’ ear bones were once part of the jaw?) and introducing readers to the scientists who have made the study of mammals what it is today.

But don’t take it from us. You can learn more about his new book from Brusatte himself, in an email Q&A with Live Science about his work. Brusatte’s responses have been lightly edited for clarity.