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Today, the Middle East is largely a dry, sandy desert. However, many millions of years ago the scene was incredibly different. The climate was wetter and more humid, and a diversity of plants and animals prospered on the savannahs that stretched across the horizon. Only recently have scientists begun to understand this mysterious period in the geological history of the Middle East, thanks to an international team of paleontologists working in the United Arab Emirates. The bounty of seven-million-year-old fossils discovered by this team paints a remarkable picture: hoofed mammals thundering across grassy plains, hippos and stalk-legged birds wading in fast-flowing rivers, elephants and giraffes reaching high into the trees, and knife-toothed carnivores lurking in the brush watching it all. The paleontologists tell this story in this gorgeous coffee-table book. The real star of the book is the imagery: stunning landscape views of the modern desert and photos of the team doing fieldwork, interspersed with hero shots of the fossils and artistic reconstructions of how these ancient animals may have appeared. Although not an exhaustive encyclopedia, this book is the best general summary of fossils from the United Arab Emirates available, and is a useful resource for students, scientists, policy makers, and the public.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; general readers.