Customer Reviews

Surface Processes and Landforms (2nd Edition)

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

 

 

I used this textbook for an introductory-level class in geomorphology for undergrads and graduate students. The course assumed no background in geomorphology, but required a beginning course in geology or physical geography. While this text was adequate for the class' needs (and is superior to or on par with others currently in print), I have a number of frustrations with the book.

First: for the price, this textbook is poorly made. The binding is weak, and the pages are of a thin, low-quality paper that allows highlighter ink to bleed through (so be prepared to do a lot of underlining instead). There are no color photographs, except for a couple of photo inserts in the center to supplement the otherwise black and white diagrams. The images themselves are also often too far from their references, so there is a lot of flipping back and forth in the text while you read about a topic that doesn't correspond with the actual images on the pages (which typically belong to a concept described several pages earlier).

The writing itself is fairly accessible, but at times becomes overly complicated becaues of poorly-defined terms, circumlocutive explanations, and redundancies. Terms are often defined well after they've been used in the text, and the definitions often include or are anchored by the term itself. This unecessarily complicates the sentence structure in many cases, as in this example from page 305:

"Ice sheets and ice caps are large enough not to be confined by topography, and their configuration reflects the size and shape of the glacier, rather than the underlying topography."

As a consequence, the flow of many chapters is choppy, and it is occasionally difficult to find all the information you need quickly when looking up terms or studying for an exam.

With these weaknesses in mind, the text itself does do a fairly good job of addressing a wide range of subjects pertaining to geomorphology, including both the patterns and processes of landforms creation. It is fairly up-to-date, and the figures are clear and well-explained (though once again the use of color would greatly enhance the usefulness of this text). It covers a wide range of landforms, including fluvial and eolian processes, shorelines, several chapters devoted to glaciers and glaciation, and tectonic landforms.

With a shortage of alternative texts, Surface Processes and Landforms is an acceptable introduction to geomorphology. Sections that are less up-to-date (since the last edition in 1999) can be supplemented effectively with outside readings. A revised third edition could easily clear up most of the problems in the second, with the inclusion of better images and a tighter editing job. For the price, it fails to deliver in some key areas, however, and non-majors especially will want to consider this before making an investment; find a used copy if you can, or share with a friend.

~Jacquelyn Gill

I used this textbook for a geography class called "Landforms". It was a great guide and a fairly easy read. My only problem with it is it is all in black and white except for a couple of color photo inserts.

I had this book as a text book and loved it. It is easy to read and very interesting. Anyone who wants to understand how mountains, rivers, and glaciers are formed; as well as how to identify such from past history is certain to be pleased with the wealth of information provided.

Thanks for your fast service i really appreciated that you sent the book to me right away it arrived a couple of days later. you rock!!

Fast delivery. I saved about $80 by buying this book online. Will buy from Amazon again.

Didn't realize I'd bought from a broker...took several days for the order to be filled and mailed...book was in acceptable condition...even though it arrived within the amazon timeframe of a few weeks, i had hoped to get the book earlier so i could start using it for my class.