Re: Can you recommend a good book about dinosaurs for amateurs?

You might want to start with The Evolution and Extinction of the Dinosaurs (1996, edited by David E. Fastovsky and David B. Weishampel, Cambrige University Press). This is a basic textbook on dinosaur paleontology aimed at college undergraduates, but it's also a good armchair read -- the text is very accessible, and relatively light on scientific jargon. And when you're finished, you'll have been introduced to every major group of dinosaurs.

The Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs (1997, edited by Kevin Padian and Philip J. Currie , Academic Press) provides a more, well, encyclopedic treatment of all things dinosaur. It's a more technical work, but it summarizes the latest findings in the field of dinosaur paleontology. Lastly, Digging Dinosaurs, by John R. Horner and James Gorman (1988, Workman Publishing) offers a fascinating peek at paleontologists at work.