Customer Reviews

Pages of Stone: Geology of the Grand Canyon & Plateau Country National Parks & Monuments

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

 

 

Halka Chronic's "Pages of Stone" is a well-written introduction to the geology of the Colorado Plateau. Her book, following a general introduction to the geological formation processes of the plateau landscapes, is organized around the numerous national parks and monuments in this remarkable area. These include the biggies, like the Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Mesa Verde, as well as lesser known locations like Sunset Crater, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Wupatki. Each park and monument is treated with a detailed description of its principal geological features, how these features fit into the overall geology of the plateau, and is illustrated with black and white photographs (there are a number of color photos in a center insert). I have only one complaint about Chronic's book, but it was enough to knock off a star from what could be a five-star volume. That's the lack of detailed park maps that would make it easier to locate some the places that she discusses. I have an earlier edition of this book, so if this has been corrected in this latest edition, then simply add a star to my review. All in all, this book, and Chronic's Roadside Geology series, are a good way for the layperson to familiarize themselves with one of the truely great American regions.

I visited Utah and Colorado last summer while on vacation and became enamored with the beauty of those states.

One statement made by the park ranger at the Grand Canyon was that as we looked down into the canyon we were looking back at 4.567 billion years of earth's history.

In my search for more information on this subject several people suggested this book for a lay person's overview of the area's geology.

I found the information to be very interesting and also enjoyed some of the cable television shows like the various episodes of "How the Earth Was Made."

I've also purchased several of other books by this author in the "Roadside Geology of Utah" or of Yellowstone, or of Colorado. These books more fully explore the history and present geology of these regions.

This book isn't for you if you want to hear beautiful flute music played to birds flying over the land, but it does give you a lay person's appreciation of what's happened to the earth to bring it to its current physical shape.

'Pages of Stone' was in excellent condition upon receiving it. Looked new! Definitely order from the same place again.