Customer Reviews

Carving Grand Canyon: Evidence, Theories, and Mystery

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

We may never know definitively when and how the Colorado River formed and carved the Grand Canyon. This is because after its formation, the river set about removing almost all of the evidence of its early life. This well written and easy to follow new book starts by clearly laying out the history of theories about the origins of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Next is a discussion of the current ideas about the river and canyon and the most recent evidence and what direction that evidence points. Illustrations throughout the book (Some by the author and some by Bronze Black) do an excellent job of highlighting the text. Carving the Grand Canyon ends with an outline of our current knowledge, and concludes with a concise summary of that outline.

In a world where so many people think they know so much about everything, Wayne Ranney's "Carving the Grand Canyon" is a vivid reminder that coming close to the truth is coming pretty close but it is still not the truth. Truth to tell, we know more about the ice beneath Antartica than we do about how one of the Seven Wonders of the World was created-- The Grand Canyon.
To be sure many theories have been advanced by various advocates of a single theory-- deepening during an ice age, draining of ancient lakes in the Rockies etc. What Ranney, himself a geologist, has achieved is the first book to examine all the theories and find them wanting to one degree or another.
Likening the search for the true cause to three blind men touching an elephant, each finds a part that for them is the truth. But it is not the whole truth. In graceful prose, Ranney tells us that we may never know the whole truth, for as the years tumble by, evidence disappears. An ideal book for geologists and tourists alike about this fantastic, mythical place which British novelist J.B. Priestley called "a sort of landscape Day of Judgment."

My interest in geology was sparked when I had the pleasure of hearing Wayne Ranney lecture at the Grand Canyon. As a non-geologist with only a long ago, grade school Earth Science course as a base, I was excited to learn more about our earth from someone who is not only extremely knowledgeable, but knows how to get the point across to one not in the field. Carving Grand Canyon is written as Wayne speaks; it is informative, thought provoking and leaves you eager to learn more. I can not wait to return to the Grand Canyon after reading this inspiring book.

Tackling a truly difficult subject, the exquisitely complex history of the only stream canyon the world calls GRAND, this is a beautifully written and illustrated comprehensive approach. Written by a thoughtful geologist and Grand Canyon river guide, the level of discussion is just right ... not too rigorous for the amateur nor too simple for the professional. All can gain from this fine treatment. Highly recommended.

This is one of the best geology books I have every read. Not only did I learn many things about the geological history of the Grand Canyon, Colorado Plateau, and Basin and Range, but I really enjoyed it along the way!

Wayne Ranney has constructed a masterpiece of a book. He starts with a couple of overview chapters that establish the overall setting for the Grand Canyon and introduce the geological concept the reader will need along the way. Then he plunges into 150 years of geologic science introducing the major players and theories in chronological order; as he progresses through our understanding from the 1860s through now, he builds upon each contribution to paint a canvas of understanding along the way.

Once he accomplishes this, he then takes the reader back to the beginning of the story and tells it from 540 million years ago to the present as a cohesive narrative utilizing everything we learned in the previous chapter, presenting the different theories and possibilities with their strengths and weaknesses.

Finally, in the last chapter, he presents a concise summary while trying to tell the greatest truth about the origin of the Grand Canyon. Since there are still plenty of unanswered questions, he starts with the greatest truth that all geologist can agree on: "The Grand Canyon was carved by the Colorado River" and then builds upon the final story from their while explaining how he constructs this concise summary.

I highly recommend "Carving Grand Canyon" as the definitive story of the Grand Canyon's origins. And, if you ever have the chance of seeing Wayne speak or join him on one of his excursions, jump at it.

Also, since this book is not currently available from Amazon, you can get from the Grand Canyon Association (either through their website or at a Grand Canyon Visitor Center) or through Glen Canyon Natural History Association (through their website, mail order, or at Glen Canyon NRA and Grand Staircase-Escalante NM visitor centers).

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A Guide to my Book Rating System:

1 star = The wood pulp would have been better utilized as toilet paper.
2 stars = Don't bother, clean your bathroom instead.
3 stars = Wasn't a waste of time, but it was time wasted.
4 stars = Good book, but not life altering.
5 stars = This book changed my world in at least some small way.

Yeah, I thought that title would get your attention (!)
What a remarkable gem of a book. I have to second the 9 rave reviews for this title.
The author is a local boy who studied geology through a MS in AZ and put it to good use in his own backyard. I appreciated the way he covered both the geochronology of GC geologic events and the chronology of geologists who took a stab at unraveling the remarkable geologic history. That timescale appears to end with the participants who wrote Colorado River: Origins and Evolution (2000). Another must read.

Creationists would do well to take a look at the geoscience, and, the unsolved mystery in this book that Noah and a christian god had no part in. Unfortunately Vail's GRAND CANYON: A DIFFERENT VIEW appears to be the rock on which they're willing to stand: superficial and supernatural.

The only negative comment I have is not finding GRAND CANYON GEOLOGY by Beus and Morales in the bibliography. Available at the GC bookstore where this title certainly deserves to be.

Unlike most great geologic landmarks--Yosemite, Kilauea, Uluru, Kilimanjaro--the Grand Canyon is a stubborn, long-standing mystery. In "Carving Grand Canyon: Evidence, Theories, and Mystery," geologist and longtime Canyon guide Wayne Ranney relishes this fact: "I am glad to have lived a good portion of my life in a time when the canyon is not fully understood."

Today the canyon is carved by the Colorado River, running westward through it. Yet 60 million years ago, rivers here ran eastward on a low plain. This unique canyon was made in some extraordinary sequence of events involving rivers, landforms and geologic processes: faulting, uplift, erosion, plate tectonics. We cannot yet spell out that sequence, because the canyon has eroded away much of the rock evidence. In the cycle of science, new ideas spark new research to test them. Each generation of researchers has added ideas, but we need more.

Ranney begins with sketches of the canyon, the basic physiographic elements to be explained, and the processes that dig canyons. Then he details the long scientific conversation about the Grand Canyon from John S. Newberry's first sight of it in 1858 to the ferment of this century. Ranney's close study of the literature underlies an unusually deep treatment of the science. A working scenario of the canyon's evolution follows, the best picture we have these days. And speaking of pictures, this well-produced book has wonderful illustrations historic and new.

On my site, I gave this book five stars.

If geology had a face, it would probably be Grand Canyon. No other landscape on Earth offers such a familiar and powerful image of time, rock formation, and erosion. Grand Canyon has been a magnet not just for tourists but for many of America's most brilliant geologists. It may come as a surprise, then, to learn that geologists are still trying to figure out how the canyon got there. It's like our understanding of the origins of the Moon: Apollo was supposed to solve the mystery, but instead it left geologists more puzzled than ever. At least for awhile. It turns out that it was easier to understand the moon than Grand Canyon, for erosion on Earth has removed much of the evidence geologists need.

"Carving Grand Canyon" is the first book to explore the 150-year-long sluething into the formation of Grand Canyon. It stars the geological dectectives who've pursued this puzzle and lets them speak in their own (often eloquent) words. It shows how new evidence has been discovered, and how theories have emerged and been modified and sometimes eroded away. It brings us right up to date with today's cutting edge theories.

The author, Wayne Ranney, has the advantage of having led geology tours of Grand Canyon for years, and thus he knows how to communicate potentially confusing concepts to the public. This book is also well-endowed with illustrations and charts and maps that make it easier to visualize these concepts. In the end Ranney leaves us with a large sense of mystery, but then maybe this will inspire some young reader to become the geologist who will finally put all the puzzle pieces together.

Well done with good graphics, pictures and dialog that is not too technical. Visited the Grand Canyon after reading this book and found it to be quite adequate for beginner or one who may want more detailed evidence of the happenings millions of years ago. The writer has lived there, led hikes and has spent much time researching the latest theories.

For the casual observer of geologic formations, this book is a masterpiece! I have lived many years in the Colorado Plateau area and this book really helps the average person be able to understand how the Grand Canyon was formed. I recommend this book to many people I meet when they come to visit and want to know more about the area's formation.