Recommended Reading

8.4, by Hernon, Peter. The New Madrid Seismic Zone isn't something most people worry about when they worry about earthquakes. After all, it's nowhere near the dreaded San Andreas Fault or, for that matter, even in California. Deceptively quiet, it lurks instead in middle America, stretching for 140 miles over parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, and other heartland states. In 1811 and 1812, three earthquakes measuring 8 on the Richter scale ruptured an area spanning twenty-four states and a third of the land mass of the United States. What would it be like it that happened today? This thriller takes the reader into the lives of two seismologists, a man and a woman, who find themselves in a race against the clock to convince the world that their daring mission is the only way to stop the last monstrous earthquake to come. Paperback: ISBN: 0515127132, Hardback: ISBN: 0399144005.

A Civil Action: A Real-Life Legal Thriller, by Harr, Jonathan. The lawyer had not wanted the case at first -- it was too big, too complicated, too risky. It concerned a cluster of childhood leukemia victims in a small town north of Boston where the city wells had been poisoned by industrial chemicals. Two of the nation's largest corporations, each with a plant near the wells, stood accused. Against his better judgment, the lawyer found himself drawn into the case. In the end, the struggle nearly cost the lawyer his sanity. He sacrificed everything -- home, friends, and reputation -- not for money, but for what he believed to be the truth. Paperback: ISBN 0679772677, Hardback: ISBN: 0394563492.

Against the Tide : The Battle for America's Beaches, by Dean, Cornelia. Examines the issue of coastal erosion as it relates to economic issues such as land use and development. Hardcover: ISBN 0231084188.

Annals of the Former World, by McPhee, John. A collection of four McPhee books on North American geology: Basin and Range, In Suspect Terrain, Rising From the Plains, and Assembling California, plus Crossing the Craton. Hardcover: ISBN 0374105200.

Assembling California, by McPhee, John. McPhee covers the complex geological history of California, the source of much news today. As Californians daily await the inevitable great earthquake that will send their cities tumbling down like so many matchsticks, McPhee piles fact on luminous fact, wrestling raw data into a beautifully written narrative. Paperback: ISBN 0374523932, Hardcover: ISBN 0374106452.

Basin and Range, by McPhee, John. In Basin and Range, McPhee, accompanied at times by Princeton geologist Kenneth S. Dreyfuss, demonstrates how the contorted and tilted rocks seen in road cuts along Interstate 80 reveal how islands of Earth's crust have floated across Earth's surface, crashing and folding to form basin and range. This is a masterful and sometimes even poetic volume of popular writing about plate tectonics, communicating the profound satisfaction of using scientific research as a tool for understanding the world around us. Paperback: ISBN 0374516901, Hardcover: ISBN 0374109141.

Beyond the Hundredth Meridian: John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West, by Stegner, Wallace. In this book Stegner recounts the successes and frustrations of John Wesley Powell, the distinguished geologist who explored the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Powell was a prophet without honor who had a profound understanding of the American West. He warned of economic exploitation in a land of little water. Only now do we recognize how accurate a prophet he was. Paperback: ISBN 0140159940.

Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water, by Reisner, Marc. An absorbing book about ecological and economic ramifications of water control in the American West. Paperback: ISBN 0140178244.

The Control of Nature, by McPhee, John. This book describes three settings--Iceland; Louisiana; and Los Angeles--where people are trying to control nature and winning or losing to various degrees. McPhee tells the essential human side of the drama to answer the questions: Why are we doing this and Can we win? Paperback: ISBN 0374522596.

Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness, by Abbey, Edward. With language as colorful as a Canyonlands sunset and a perspective as pointed as a prickly pear, Abbey captures the heat, mystery, and surprising bounty of desert life. Desert Solitaire is a meditation on the stark landscapes of the red-rock West, a passionate vote for wilderness, and a howling lament for the commercialization of the American outback. Paperback: ISBN 0345326490.

Dinosaur in a Haystack: Reflections in Natural History, by Gould, Stephen J.. A collection of 34 essays, most originally published in Natural History magazine, in which the renowned evolutionary biologist and paleontologist muses on evolution, time, change, and history. Some intriguing topics addressed include why images of snails were printed backward in 17th century treatises on conchology and why schoolchildren are falsely taught that in the Middle Ages people thought the earth was flat. Paperback: ISBN 0517888246, Hardcopy: 0517703939.

Dionsaur Lives: Unearthing an Evolutionary Saga, by Horner, John and Edwin Dobb. Well written and accessible account of both the life of a leading paleontologist and the lives of his subjects. Gives the reader an opportunity to wrestle with discoveries and come to his/her own hypotheses before encountering those of the author. Paperback: ISBN 0156006073, Hardcover: ISBN 0060174862.

Extinction : Bad Genes or Bad Luck?, by Raup, David M. Thought provoking book on what we know (and don't know) about evolution and extinction. Paperback: ISBN 0393309274.

Hiking Colorado's Geology, by Hopkins, Ralph Lee and Lindy Birkel Hopkins. Explore the traces of the rise and fall of Colorado's mountains, volcanic eruptions, shifting seas, wind-blown deserts, and dinosaur haunts! Written for people with little or no background in geology, this guide breaks Colorado down into 11 geographic regions and highlights several hikes within each region, 52 hikes total, that help hikers see evidence of the most interesting geologic events. Paperback: ISBN 0898867088.

In Suspect Terrain, by McPhee, John. Interesting book about the complex geology of the Delaware Water Gap area. Examines the ability of current theories to explain the geology. Part of the Annals of the Former World Collection. Paperback: ISBN 0374517940, Hardcover: ISBN 0374176507.

The Mismeasure of Man, by Gould, Stephen J. This book deals with how you successfully turn limited data into a picture of the world. Before we make mountains out of molehills of data, we need to carefully examine what our date measures and how it relates to the hypotheses we are chasing. Paperback: ISBN 0393314251, Hardcover: ISBN 0393039722.

Night Comes to the Cretaceous: Dinosaur Extinction and the Transformation of Modern Geology, by Powell, James L. Powell is a geologist and the president and director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. He reports on the semi-accidental discovery by the distinguished physicist Luis Alvarez and his son, Walter, of the evidence indicating that the extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by the impact on Earth of an asteroid the size of Mount Everest. Paperback: ISBN 0156007037, Hardcover: ISBN 0716731177.

Our Stolen Future: Are We Threatening our Fertility, Intelligence, and Survival?, by Colborn, Theo, Dianne Dumanoski, and John Peterson Myers. The subject of front page headlines and evening news broadcasts, this groundbreaking book first revealed that chemicals in the environment have affected human reproductive patterns in way that may threaten the survival of the species. Paperback: ISBN 0452274141.

Plate Tectonics, edited by Naomi Oreskes. The definitive history of plate tectonics, told by the scientists who developed and assembled evidence for the theory. The theory, research, data collection, and analysis that came together in 1967 to constitute plate tectonics is one of the great scientific breakthroughs of the 20th century. Scholarly books have been written about tectonics, but none by the key scientists-players themselves. In Plate Tectonics, editor Naomi Oreskes has assembled those scientists who played key roles in developing the theory to tell - for the first time, and in their own words - the stories of their involvement in the extraordinary evolution of the theory. ISBN: 0813341329.

Preserving Nature in the National Parks: A History, by West, Richard. An enlightening portrait of federal resource management in the national parks. Deals with the balance between tourism and natural resource protection and management. Paperback: ISBN 0300075782, Hardcover: ISBN 0300069316.

Questioning the Millennium: A Rationalists' Guide to a Precisely Arbitrary Countdown, by Gould, Stephen J. This book looks at the concept of a millennium and examines how this concept has changed over time. Hardcover: ISBN 0609605410.

Raptor Red, by Bakker, Robert T. As this story begins, a fierce fight pitting a female raptor and her mate against a giant astrodon sets the stage for a gripping odyssey related from a dinosaur's point-of-view. With Raptor Red's mate killed in the attack, she embarks on a year-long test of survival. Paperback: ISBN: 0553575619, Hardcover: ISBN 0785799729.

Rising from the Plains, by McPhee, John. Well-written book which interweaves the geologic history of Wyoming with stories of contemporary Wyoming life. Part of the Annals of the Former World Collection. Paperback: ISBN 0374520658, Hardcover: ISBN 0374250820.

Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life, by Gould, Stephen J. An interesting book which examines the split between science and religion. This book is especially interesting in light of the recent Kansas School Board decision. Hardcover: ISBN 0345430093.

A Sand County Almanac: With Essays on Conservation from Round River, by Leopold, Aldo Classic introduction to ecology, conservationism, and environmentalism. In the vein of Thoreau and Muir. Paperback: ISBN 0345345053.

The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinction, by Quammen, David A highly compelling account of island or island-like habitats as they relate to modern ecosystem fragmentation. Candidly explores species extinction and the human relationship to ecosystem destruction. Paperback: ISBN 0684827123.

Startide Rising, by Brin, David. Global warming, black holes, plate tectonics, scanning of Earth's interior are prevalent throughout this science fiction novel. Against the backdrop of an ancient spacefaring conglomerate, whose shared traditions have not halted their wars, the upstart Earthlings humans, dolphins, chimpanzees also stand divided. Paperback: ISBN 055327418X, Hardcover: ISBN 0785787380.

Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things, by Ryan, John C. and Alan Thein Durning. "...A lively and mind-boggling investigation of what goes into the 120 pounds of resources we each consume every day. You can read it and be horrified by the impact of our consumption or read it and marvel at the complexity of modern commerce, depending on your outlook." From our morning cup of Columbian coffee to our South Korean-made sneakers, the book traces the environmental impact of the consumer decisions most of us make without thinking.

T. rex and the Crater of Doom, by Alvarez, Walter. This is a basic description of the investigations leading to the concept that a meteorite impact on what is now the coast of Mexico caused the extinction of dinosaurs and other organisms. Paperback: ISBN 0375702105, Hardcover: ISBN 0691016305.

Terra Incognita: Travels in Antarctica, by Wheeler, Sara. Chronicles the author's trip down to Antarctica. Also weaves in stories of past Antarctic explorers. Paperback: ISBN 0375753389, Hardcover: ISBN 067944078X.

The Bonehunters' Revenge : Dinosaurs, Greed, and the Greatest Scientific Feud of the Gilded Age, by Wallace, David Rains. A well written look at the feud between two eminent paleontologists, which was placed in the public eye by the New York Herald. Explores the ramifications of human nature coming into conflict with the myth that science is inherently objective and reasonable. Hardcover: ISBN 0395850894.

The Dating Game: One Man's Search for the Age of the Earth, by Cherry Lewis. Lewis's biography of Arthur Holmes; author of the great textbook, Principles of Physical Geology; is her first book. Yet it's already evident that she has found her own voice, and that she knows her geology. She tells Holmes's story with just enough physics, chemistry, and geology to set the scientific scene. Her extensive quotes from Holmes's letters and writings bring alive the realities of a career in science at the start of the past century. Hardcover: ISBN 0521790514.

The Earth around Us: Maintaining a Livable Planet, by Schneiderman, Jill S. (ed). The Earth Around Us is a unique collection of 31 essays by a diverse array of today's foremost scientist-writers. Sharing an ability to communicate science in a clear and engaging fashion, the contributors explore Earth's history and processes especially in relation to today's environmental issues and show how we, as members of a global community, can help maintain a livable planet. Hardcover: ISBN 0716733978.

The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory, by Greene, Brian. Elegantly-written book dealing with the reconciliation of the theories of general relativity and quantum mechanics in superstring theory. Accessible to a general audience. Hardcover: ISBN 0393046885.

The Hammer of God, by Clarke, Arthur Charles. When astronomers in the year 2110 spot a planet-sized chunk of rock hurtling toward Earth, scientists search desperately for a solution. The race to protect Earth from imminent destruction begins. An asteroid is on a collision course with Earth, and while a starship tries to redirect it, religious fanatics engage in sabotage to ensure that their predicted Apocalypse will come. Paperback: ISBN: 055356871X.

Lost World, by Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic adventure follows a scientific expedition deep into the Amazon jungle and back in time. Cut off from the outside world on a primeval plateau, they discover a place where dinosaurs have evolved beside ape-men and the fate of the human race hangs in the balance. Paperback: ISBN 0140367489.

Story That Stands like a Dam: Glen Canyon and the Struggle for the Soul of the West, by Martin, Russell. Well written story about the building of the Glen Canyon Dam. Beautifully depicts the complex politics encountered over controlling natural resources. Paperback: ISBN 087480597X.

Time's Arrow/Time's Cycle: Myth and Metaphor in the Discovery of Geological Time, by Gould, Stephen J. In this historical account of the discovery of geological time, the author reexamines three British classics of geology: Thomas Burnet's Sacred theory of the earth (1690), James Hutton's Theory of the earth (1795) and Sir Charles Lyell's Principles of geology (1833) in the light of the two conceptions of time (sequential and cyclical) evoked by the book's metaphorical title. Paperback: ISBN 0674891996.

Trilobite!: Eyewitness to Evolution (American), by Fortey, Richard. Trilobites — woodlice-like creatures that dominated the world's oceans long before the time of the dinosaurs — are, arguably, the most beautiful animals that have ever been chipped out of the fossil record. Fortey certainly seems to think so. His enthusiastic, almost loving explanations of the anatomy, ecology, and long evolutionary history of these fascinating vanished creatures carry the reader on an inspirational journey into Earth's distant past. But the book is much more than a technical treatise on trilobites. We learn about Fortey himself, his formative years as an amateur then professional paleontologist, about his much-loved teachers and colleagues, and above all, about that strange but addictive pastime known as science. You may not find arthropods as charming as Fortey does, but you will not fail to be charmed by the author. A delightful read. Hardcover: ISBN 0375406255.

Tyrannosaurus Sue: The Extraordinary Saga of the Largest, Most Fought Over T-Rex Ever Found, by Fiffer, Steve. How much is that T. Rex in the window? Journalist Steve Fiffer looks at the most contentious paleontological find ever in Tyrannosaurus Sue. This scientific, sociological, and legal study is entertaining and insightful, highlighting the personalities of the researchers, attorneys, and tribal and federal authorities who struggled for years over the ownership rights to the best-preserved Rex specimen yet found. Hardcover: ISBN 0716740176.

Where the Sky Began: Land of the Tallgrass Prairie, by Madson, John and Dycie Madson. Madson describes the American prairie landscape, its seasons, people, animal and bird life, and impact on the first explorers and settlers. He writes of the experiences of those who adapted to a land without trees, broke the tough prairie sod with plows and found the deep fertile soil the perfect medium for corn. He describes the violent weather of the prairie and the early wildfires which ravaged it. Paperback: ISBN 0813825156.

Why the Earth Quakes: The Story of Earthquakes and Volcanoes, by Levy, Matthys and Mario Salvadori. The authors examine famous instances of exploding volcanoes and devastating earthquakes, reliably giving the figures on casualties and Richter magnitudes and leavening the grimness with notes about why, for example, a Frank Lloyd Wright hotel withstood the 1923 Tokyo earthquake. Paperback: ISBN 0393315274, Hardcopy: 0393037746.

Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History, by Gould, Stephen J. This book is about the Cambrian explosion of life and the Burgess Shale, a rock formation containing the fossilized remains of a large number of marine creatures that no longer exist, and also the remains of some that do. The nonsurvivors appear to have been as well equipped to flourish as their contemporaries. Why didn't they? This is an account of the studies, the misinterpretations, and the revisions of opinion arising from the Burgess Shale material. Paperback: ISBN 039330700X, Hardcover: ISBN 0735100314.

The above reviews represent the opinions of the recommending GSA members,
and do not necessarily reflect the mission and ideals of the GSA organization.

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