Mark Patzkowsky

 Rereading the Fossil Record by David Sepkoski documents the rise of paleobiology from the 1940s to the 1980s as a vigorous subdiscipline of paleobiology that now informs evolutionary biology and ecology about patterns and processes in the history of life.  Every graduate student in paleontology should read this book.  My growth as a scientist took place at the end of this time period and I was fortunate to know many of the main players as mentors, colleagues, and friends. My PhD advisor, Jack Sepkoski (father of the author), figures prominently in the book.  Jack passed away before his career was done.  His contributions to the field are immense and are succinctly summarized in this book.