Paul O. (Paul Orman) McGrew

Paul Orman McGrew (1909–1983) was an American vertebrate paleontologist whose published work also reached book readers outside the classroom. Records from the University of Wyoming describe him as a faculty member from 1946 until his retirement in 1975, teaching stratigraphy and vertebrate paleontology while building fossil collections through fieldwork in Wyoming.

His bibliography shows a long interest in fossil mammals and ancient faunas, with works on subjects such as dogs, rodents, horses, and other prehistoric animals. Readers may also know him through The Geological History of Fossil Butte National Monument and Fossil Basin, a concise introduction to one of the West's richest fossil regions.

McGrew's nonfiction stands out for turning specialized paleontology into something readable and concrete. Even when the subject is technical, his work is rooted in real places, real specimens, and the larger story of life preserved in stone.