Customer Reviews

Valles Caldera: A Geologic History

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Lots of details in this book about the Valles Caldera. I also have the Valles Caldera map from High Desert Field Guides. The combination of the map and Fraser Goff's "Valles Caldera" is very informative.

I am very lucky since I live about 1.5 hours away from the Valles Caldera. There is legislation before the Congress to make the Valles Caldera the next National Park. Remember, the volcano is dormant.

Goff is THE expert in this area. While the book is brief, it is thorough. Other publications contain more detail but this presentation provides enough info to enjoy this natural wonder.

Geologist Fraser Goff spent most of his career at Los Alamos (which is built on volcanic tuffs erupted from the Valles volcano) and has authored ten or more scientific publications on the area. Not only is he well-qualified, he's a good writer. He does a very nice job of including explanations for readers without a geologic background, and geologist-readers will find plenty of meat here too. This is not an easy balance-point to find. His book should be accessible to almost anyone interested in the great, dormant volcano here. Goff includes a glossary of geologic terms for the newcomer, and a substantial bibliography for those who may want to dig deeper into the geology.

Goff's book got an exceptionally fine production from his publisher, the UNM Press. The book features many color illustrations, including clear, sharp color photos and colorful, well-drafted geologic maps and cross-sections, all clearly-captioned. The book is beautifully designed by Kathleen Sparks, who also did the cover and many of the illustrations. This is a beautiful book. I recommend it highly for anyone visiting the Valles Caldera National Preserve, and for those interested in the geology of northern New Mexico.

Happy reading--

Peter D. Tillman

Consulting Geologist, Arizona and New Mexico (USA)

The Valles Caldera National Preserve, in northern New Mexico near Los Alamos, is a serenely beautiful 140-square mile sanctuary of stream-cut grassy meadows amid forested mountains, and the summer home of New Mexico's largest herd of elk. It also is a geologically special place - in fact, perhaps the best example in the world of a resurgent caldera (a giant circular volcano with an uplifted central floor). It is a "must-see" destination for geologists and volcanologists from around the world.

VALLES CALDERA: A GEOLOGIC HISTORY is a book that helps the layperson understand why that is the case. The author, Fraser Goff, worked for 26 years with the Geology/Geochemistry Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He knows his stuff. In his presentation, Goff does not assume that his reader has specialized knowledge of geology or volcanology, but at the same time he is neither patronizing nor condescending. By and large, the book is hard science (not "volcanoes for dummies"), but it is intelligently organized with dozens of color diagrams and photographs that are very useful. Goff first discusses the relevant geological context of the area, including the Colorado Plateau, the Rio Grande Rift, and the Jemez Lineament. He then turns more specifically to the Jemez Volcanic Field and lastly to the evolution and eruption of the Valles Caldera itself.

How big was the eruption of Valles Caldera? In terms of volume, about 300 times larger than Mount St. Helens and four times larger than Krakatoa. (Still, it was only one-tenth the size of La Garita in southern Colorado.)

My guess is that this book probably would be of little interest to those who have not been to the Valles Caldera. But if you have been there and wondered how it came to be the special place it now is, I highly recommend VALLES CALDERA: A GEOLOGIC HISTORY.

Very interesting coverage of the Valle Grande area close to the Jemez area and Los Alamos.

Twila