Beneath our Feet
Beneath our Feet
$66.99
USDHow much do you know about the rocks beneath your feet--the basic materials of our planet? Their variety and beauty is astounding, especially when viewed through the microscope, where crystals of different minerals and in various arrangements are revealed in exquisite detail. While surface rocks seem so solid, they flow deep inside the earth, and, in this spectacular book, you'll see what rocks that have flowed actually look like. Eminent geologist Ron Vernon reveals the incredible beauty and variety of earth rocks, both under and on the surface. Through breathtaking photographs he captures rocks formed by heating and melting inside the earth, rocks ejected from volcanoes, rocks formed by erosion on the earth's surface, and extraterrestrial rocks that have crashed into our planet. These stunning images are accompanied by clear, nontechnical explanations of the processes underlying the creation of rocks and minerals. No other current book so cogently explains the nature and origin of rocks for nonscientists. Beneath Our Feet: The Rocks of Planet Earth is destined to be a must-have purchase for a wide-ranging audience from professional scientists to amateur rock collectors--indeed anyone interested in natural history.
- Engaging, non-technical text
- Beautiful original color illustrations
- For anyone interested in rocks, minerals, and natural history
Reviews & endorsements
"In a volume as rich in photographs as it is in lucent commentary, Vernon eschews technical terms as he conducts a brisk but solidly educational discussion of the earth's amazing dynamism...effectively illustrated with striking photographs of folded rock formations in Antarctica and Australia, images that are then compared to dazzling microscopic views of the structures of various rocks." Booklist
"...beautifully illustrated...The pictures are incredible, guaranteed to make a rock lover out of anyone." The Tampa (FL) Tribune
"This is one of the most beautifully illustrated books that I have ever seen. It should be in every high school and public library." Journal of Geoscience Education
"It is great addition for the book shelf of anyone with even a moderate or passing interest in rocks. It should however be essential for the bookshelves of every school library. Even those that just pretend to have an adequate coverage of science can't afford to miss out on this one." Science Education News (Science Teacher's Ass. of News)
"This is just a wonderful book...This is not just another descriptive book about the solar system, but a book that explores the implications of that description...The book can be profitably read, I would think, by anyone from motivated high school students to professional scientist. It can most profitably be read by those who don't already understand the historial sciences." Graham Ryder Lunar and Planetary information Bulletin
"This book is a richly illustrated introduction to the rocks and minerals of planet Earth for everyone interested in natural history...This book is well written and easy to understand as it is intended for non-specialists; it will benefit any one from students to hobbyists who are interested in rocks and minerals...This book. Beneath our Feet, the Rocks of Planet Earth, will be a good resource book to add to any library and will be an excellent reference for students who are learning about Earth Materials or Earth Systems." Episodes
"This attractive book defies classification. It is pretty enough to be a "coffee table" book...but substantial enough...to deserve a place on public-library shelves as a splendid geology-for -nongeologists treatment." Science Books & Films
"The best natural history books blend science and art. Beneath Our Feet does just that...This is one of the most beautifully illustrated books that I have ever seen. It should be in every high school and public library." Journal of Geoscience Education.
Product details
January 2001Hardback
9780521790307
224 pages
262 × 210 × 23 mm
0.945kg
174 colour illus.
Out of stock in print form with no current plan to reprint
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- 1. Looking at rocks and minerals
- 2. Juggling plates
- 3. Anything flows
- 4. A mantle of green
- 5. Hot stuff
- 6. Breaking point
- 7. All washed up
- 8. Turning up the heat
- 9. In hot water
- 10. A tight squeeze
- 11. From outer space
- 12. Seen one rock …
- Acknowledgments
- Glossary
- Index.
