The Earth Machine: The Science of a Dynamic Planet (Hardcover)

by Professor Edmond A. Mathez (Author), Professor James D. Webster (Author) "One late morning found Martin Prinz, one of the world's foremost experts on meteorites and Curator of Meteoritics at the American Museum of Natural History,..." (more)
Key Phrases: ocean conveyor system, are there ocean basins, sulfide chimneys, San Andreas, Grand Canyon, North Atlantic (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
The authors are curators for the geology exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, and their overview is an accessible mixture of scientific and popular knowledge. Mathez and Webster invariably select, for the purpose of illustrating an important feature of our planet, the most spectacular and best-known structures, such as the Grand Canyon, the Alps, or the Hawaiian Islands. To answer our deep wondering about how such awe-filling sights formed, Mathez and Webster narrate the same beguilement historically felt and investigated by geology's founder, James Hutton, and succeeding scientists on through to the makers of the plate tectonics revolution. By expressing curiosity instead of declamatory didacticism, the authors furnish one of their stated audiences--geology teachers--with a fine example for exciting students. With numerous photographs and graphs, plus sidebars about how rock samples were brought from the field to the New York museum, this survey offers a great foundation for learning about the earth's profound connections, from its center to its atmosphere. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
Have you ever wondered how we know what climates were like in times past, why there are oceans on Earth but not on Mars or Venus, or how Earth's history can be read from a pile of rocks? If these or similar questions have crossed your mind, then The Earth Machine: The Science of a Dynamic Planet is the book for you. Written by Ed Mathez and Jim Webster, two of the scientists who assembled the recently installed Hall of Planet Earth (HOPE) in the American Museum of Natural History, the book is a lively and up-to-date presentation of what scientists know, and still don't know, about how our dynamic planet works. HOPE's life-sized displays are remarkable -the exhibit is unique and should not be missed -and the stories of how the displays were collected and brought to the museum are interspersed throughout the book. The stories emphasize that the study of "The Earth Machine" is a global venture. You may not have a chance to travel to the corners of the globe to see all of the evidence for yourself, so do the next best thing and let Mathez and Webster take you on a voyage of discovery through their engagingly written and beautifully illustrated book. -- Review

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 378 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (June 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 023112578X
• ISBN-13: 978-0231125789
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #616,029 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Sound Introduction to the Dynamics of Earth History, October 29, 2004

By	David B Richman (Mesilla Park, NM USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Books on geology can, if poorly written or too technical, be unbelievably dull except to the enthusiast. Still earth history is important to us all as it deals with the formation of minerals, rocks and energy sources like coal and oil, as well as the origin and evolution of life, the causes of volcanoes and earth quakes, the movements of continents and the development and possible future of the atmosphere. Indeed it encompasses the very foundation of our existence. In "The Earth Machine: The Science of a Dynamic Planet" Edmond A. Mathez and James D. Webster have given this subject a new breath of life and have produced probably the best introduction to geology for the layman currently in print.

In their book they explain current theories on the evolution and movement of continents, the development of life, the formation of the atmosphere and the threats of ozone depletion and global warming, and many more aspects of the study of our home planet. They give accounts of great volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, explain mountain building and ocean currents, discuss the weird ecosystems of hydrothermal vents and the formation of valuable productions of the earth like salt, gold and coal. All the while they sprinkle in historical accounts of past geologists and their work in a fascinating narrative.

All in all this is a great introductory text in earth history and I recommend it enthusiastically for anyone curious of how our blue planet functions.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is THE book for general reading . . ., August 24, 2004

By	mikeinLA "mike94" (CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This book is great. It is well-written and beautifully illustrated. It covers a broad range of topics - you can check the Columbia University Press web site for the table of contents. I think for the price it might be the best overall earth science book out there.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended for in-depth collections, September 18, 2004

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

The Earth Machine: The Science of a Dynamic Planet covers the science of geology, is the collaborative work of, written by two curators, Edmond Mathez and James Webster ( one of mineral deposits and the other of petrology) and is recommended for college-level collections where geology and science are strong parts of the curriculum. Full-color photos inspired by the Hall of Planet Earth at New York's American Museum of Natural History document the evolution of the planet in a guide highly recommended for in-depth collections.