Rating: 
Summary: Wyoming Rock History at its Best
Review: John McPhee joins geologist David Love for a tour of the Wyoming countryside. Well at least, McPhee uses their drive along Interstate 80 as a jumping off point to spin a tale or two. Painting on a broad canvas, he pieces together a detailed picture of Wyoming from its rich geological history, to the hearty characters that settled there. And the focal point for all this is David Love. And why not? Love's history with the area is indeed the stuff that can fill a book.The descriptions of Love's parents (especially his dad) and how they cut their teeth in the ranching business on the unforgiving landscape proved the most entertaining for me. The time spent looking for lost sheep, and moving herds put David Love on a path to his ultimate passion.... The geology of Wyoming. For Love, the Wyoming landscape appeared more interesting and mysterious than anything else. To his credit, Love is the only person to build a complete geological survey of an entire state. Not to mention probably one of the most complex. McPhee wraps up the book by looking at the challenges that face a place rich in resources such as coal, shale, and uranium. As a geologist, Love reflects on the interesting role his life work plays in this regard. For me, the story reveals two competing forces. One being how a land like Wyoming can influence and shape a man's entire life, and conversely how that same man's life work can change our view and understanding of a complex landscape such as Wyoming.
Rating:
Summary: Living Geology
Review: One of McPhee's best essays is about Wyoming's geologic history and the people that settled there from prehistoric time until today. Both the geology and the lives of the people, native Americans and the Wyoming settlers, are dramatically portrayed through stories about tectonics, overthrusting and the harshness of life on the plains. The story is about the life of the land and the life of a family, including a notable geologists who takes us on a guided tour of Wyoming's unique geologic landscape while recounting stories of the land and his family. A must read.
Rating:
Summary: Living Geology
Review: One of McPhee's best essays is about Wyoming's geologic history and the people that settled there from prehistoric time until today. Both the geology and the lives of the people, native Americans and the Wyoming settlers, are dramatically portrayed through stories about tectonics, overthrusting and the harshness of life on the plains. The story is about the life of the land and the life of a family, including a notable geologists who takes us on a guided tour of Wyoming's unique geologic landscape while recounting stories of the land and his family. A must read.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, excellent, excellent....
Review: Rising from the Plains in another of John McPhee's remarkable books on North American geology and quite possibly his best. McPhee has taken the geology of Wyoming, the history of the state and that of a local frontier family, and entwined them to make this lesson in earth science addictively readable. McPhee travels the state with a host geologist from the USGS whose life's work is the study of Wyoming topography. What results is an extremely comprehensive (yet entirely pleasurable) explanation of the forces in play which created the Wyoming wonderland. Spanning from Yellowstone to the Tetons, from Medicine Bow to Flaming River Gorge, McPhee has authored a true gem and one that I enjoyed immensely. Rising from the Plains easily merits five big, bright, bountiful stars. Well done, Mr. McPhee.
Rating:
Summary: Another great book from a great writer
Review: Well this is another of McPhee's books on geology and as usual it is very well done. But don't let that fool you, even though this book is written about high-country geology it is not too heavily laden with technical jargon nor is it a tedious read. With sly humor and and a witty style the author brings a down to earth (forgive the pun) approach and brings to life the richness of human history and geology in the old west till the present day. If you are a student of geology then this is a must read along with McPhee's other books on geology...Basin and Range and In Suspect Terrain...but even if you are not interested in the geological processes of the west the book still brings to life the people and country of Wyoming and the old west. Overall this is a great book and while some people may find it tedious if you have a love for the outdoors and the frontiers then this book will definately impart some knowledge unto you and is worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Another great book from a great writer
Review: Well this is another of McPhee's books on geology and as usual it is very well done. But don't let that fool you, even though this book is written about high-country geology it is not too heavily laden with technical jargon nor is it a tedious read. With sly humor and and a witty style the author brings a down to earth (forgive the pun) approach and brings to life the richness of human history and geology in the old west till the present day. If you are a student of geology then this is a must read along with McPhee's other books on geology...Basin and Range and In Suspect Terrain...but even if you are not interested in the geological processes of the west the book still brings to life the people and country of Wyoming and the old west. Overall this is a great book and while some people may find it tedious if you have a love for the outdoors and the frontiers then this book will definately impart some knowledge unto you and is worth reading.
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