Roadside Geology of Vermont and New Hampshire (Roadside Geology Series) [Paperback]

Bradford B. Van Diver (Author)

Book Description

Series: Roadside Geology | Publication Date: March 1, 1987

This book is for everyone who ever traveled in these lovely states and wondered about the meaning of their landscapes and tortured rocks. Since it is a book for the traveler, it concentrates on what you can see from a car, yet it points out interesting places to stop and examine rocks you can get close to, touch, or even sample. It addresses the broad plate tectonic concepts of opening and closing oceans, volcanism, mountain building, and colliding continents.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book will surely enhance any visit to these beautiful states. If someone reads as you drive along, you will travel more slowly. If you collect samples, it may take several summers for you to complete your trip." --Science Books & Films

About the Author

Born in 1927 in Orlando, Florida, Bradford B. Van Diver lived in New York state until age 18. He now lives with his wife at Highland Farms in Black Mountain, North Carolina, a retirement community in the Swannanoa Valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Members of the Carolina Mountain Club, Van Diver and his wife hike almost every week on the many trails the mountains offer. They maintain a three-mile section of the Mountains-to-Sea trail near the Blue Ridge Parkway for the CMC and are involved in several other volunteer activities. They stay in shape by swimming several times a week at nearby Warren Wilson College. They are members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of AshevilleVan Diver continues to gain new understanding of the complex geology of his part of the Appalachians, and attempts, through teaching courses, to spread that knowledge.

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Mountain Press Publishing Company; 1st edition (March 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087842203X
• ISBN-13: 978-0878422036
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Vermont
  • #3 in Books > Travel > United States > States > New Hampshire
  • #5 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Earth Sciences > Geology > Specific Locations

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Handy on a road trip, August 22, 2007

By 

Margaret Rich - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Roadside Geology of Vermont and New Hampshire (Roadside Geology Series) (Paperback)

I purchased this book for my husband who has a lively if amateur interest in geology, so that we could consult it during a trip to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It is one of a series that seem to be very well done, especially because you can refer to the landscape as you are traveling according to the indexing in the book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Hard to follow the maps, September 28, 2011

By 

T. Dokland (Birmingham, AL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Roadside Geology of Vermont and New Hampshire (Roadside Geology Series) (Paperback)

I have several of the books in this series and I love to understand the geology of the areas that I visit. Vermont/New Hampshire in particular had piqued my interest on past trips, due to the striking schist bands along the Connecticut river and of course the impressive White Mountains granite formation. So I was looking forward to getting a better insight into it by reading this book. I was disappointed. Perhaps it works better if you read the book while you're driving along the designated routes, but reading it at home, I could hardly find any of the features I remember. The pictures are poor and the maps are even worse. It's almost impossible to orient the maps relative to recognizable features and the legends are confusing. For example, it took me forever to figure out what was supposed to desiginate schist, granite etc. and then correlate it with actual features on a topographical map. I wish this book was more helpful, because I love the concept, but sadly, I don't think it will be.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Too much geology, not enough roadside, September 26, 2010

By 

Kent in Atlanta - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Roadside Geology of Vermont and New Hampshire (Roadside Geology Series) (Paperback)

I have a layperson's understanding of geology, from plate tectonics to glaciers and moraines. Yesteryear, I had found the Roadside volume on Idaho quite helpful in understanding the variety of geological formations in that state. I hoped that the guide to Vermont and New Hampshire would be equally helpful when I visit family in New Hampshire. The text, which I am reading in Georgia, may be helpful when I am there on the ground, but I am worried that it will not be. The geological detail is more than I am willing to spend time absorbing. The highways covered are too few to be useful to me, and I found the maps difficult to read, even with a magnifying glass.