Fragile Giants: A Natural History of the Loess Hills (Bur Oak Book) [Paperback]

Cornelia F. Mutel (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bur Oak Book | Publication Date: November 1, 1989

The Loess Hills lie in a narrow band just east of the Missouri River and define most of the western boundary of Iowa. This is the natural history of these hills of wind-deposited silt. Some 100 illustrations (eight color and 60 black & white photos) enhance the text.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: University Of Iowa Press; 1 edition (November 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877452571
• ISBN-13: 978-0877452577
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,595,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent study of an unknown wonder, September 12, 2003

By 

Jerald R Lovell (Clinton Township, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fragile Giants: A Natural History of the Loess Hills (Bur Oak Book) (Paperback)

The loess hills of Iowa and Missouri are the gift of Ice Age dust storms, which deposited this very fertile soil in large piles on the East Bank of the Missouri River. Essentially, loess is dust that has been recompacted into soil. It is easily eroded once channel cutting starts, and the present hills are the result of these processes.

The book capably discusses these matters, and also addresses the biota and human history of the region. You will be amazed at the variety of plants, going from chestnut trees to prickly pear cacti.

The photos are helpful and pretty much follow the well written, well organized text. The book closes with an examination of the efforts being made to preserve these landforms, and a plea to continue them. I recommend this most interesting book for any traveler, geographer, or geologist, as well as anyone who lives in the Midwest.