Geology: A Complete Introduction: Teach Yourself by David Rothery (PDF)

Description

What processes and physical materials have shaped the planet we live on? Why do earthquakes happen? And what can geology teach us about contemporary issues such as climate change?From volcanoes and glaciers to fossils and rock formations, this user-friendly book gives a structured and thorough overview of the geology of planet Earth and beyond. Geology: A Complete Introduction outlines the basics in clear English, and provides added-value features like a glossary of the essential jargon terms, links to useful websites, and examples of questions you might be asked in a seminar or exam.Topics covered include the Earth’s structure, earthquakes, plate tectonics, volcanoes, igneous intrusions, metamorphism, weathering, erosion, deposition, deformation, physical resources, past life and fossils, the history of the Earth, Solar System geology, and geological fieldwork. There are useful appendices on minerals, rock names and geological time.Whether you are preparing for an essay, studying for an exam or simply want to enrich your hobby or expand your knowledge, Geology: A Complete Introduction is your essential guide.David Rothery is a volcanologist, geologist, planetary scientist and Professor of Planetary Geosciences at the Open University. He has done fieldwork in the UK, USA, Australia, Oman, Chile and Central America, and visited many other parts of the world.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Written in a very readable style, this book covers a lot of subjects in a very concise way. Each chapter has references for further study, and a test to help you see if you are comprehending the concepts. The subject is very complex, and the author does not pretend to cover everything, but I think I have a good foundation to build upon after reading this book. There are color plates at the end of the appendix that I didn’t see referenced in the text, and the appendix on mineral types could use some color photos, in my opinion. I would recommend highly this book if you are looking to learn on your own.

⭐Geology was always a curiosity for me. From fossils and rocks to Dinosaurs and raptors. Who doesn’t need some educating to know what you need to know. I do.

⭐This is one of the best written books on science I have seen. The descriptions are clear and the subjects are broken down into manageable units. The overall coverage is very good. However, the book is stingy with illustrations in frequency, detail, and size. I don’t mind the black and white sketches, but the book needs more of them. I recommend supplementing the material with online illustrations.

⭐In my opinion David Rothery has successfully condensed a very complex subject into a mere 388 pages , yet, he clearly explains the earth’s magnetic core, plate tectonics, rock mineral formation, solar system geology, and more with sufficient detail to be intellectually pleasing to a lay person with at least some college science. Although any serious rock enthusiast will find the book enthralling. I found Appendix 2 which covers formation and characteristics of igneous, metaphoric, and sedimentary rocks especially helpful. I recommend reading this section before starting Chapter 1. I found it to be a good introduction to geology and some of its terminology.

⭐Very informative. Words meaningful to an understanding of geology are introduced and explained / defined. These are then used throughout as if you now know / remember what they mean. To look back and refresh on their meaning, (there are a lot of them), would be easier if you had the book, instead of downloading to a reader. The reading was so informative anyway, I gave it 5 stars.

⭐It is basically a textbook, so it isn’t exactly entertaining, but it is easy to comprehend and good at being what it is. I enjoyed the short concise yet thorough chapters. The little cut outs that remind you of key takeaways are great. It is a great informative read.

⭐This book is a great read. The information presented was carefully thought out in an evolutionary format.

⭐The book is fine for an intro. if you have Seeing difficulties the print is small and the ink is light which makes it very difficult to read. Probably just fine to keep in your car to look something up he should go down the road.

⭐First off let me say he clearly knows his stuff and this appears to be quite comprehensive.It’s billed as a “A Comprehensive Introduction” but the author doesn’t define his audience.I’d say it’s probably suited to degree students. For me, as a casual reader with no knowledge of geology or chemistry it’s real hard going.I was inspired by the BBC series “Earth Story” on DVD with its descriptions of volcanoes, subduction zones, tectonic plates etc. This certainly covers all these and more but it’s as if the author is talking to a peer rather than a beginner.A big source of frustration is that there is a constant stream of, to me, new words that have sent me scuttling back to the Glossary and the Index. Trouble is some words are missing and there’s also an appendix with rock names. It get laborious moving from one to the other trying to get a definition. I bought this in paperback because I expected plates and drawings, which the Kindle usually doesn’t handle too well. But I began to wish I had bought the Kindle version so I could easily look up new words.Frustrating too are the diagrams and plates. The diagrams often made a difficult text description easier to understand. But they are all a bit basic and often need more explanation. Similarly with the plates they are too small and not sufficiently clear in what they are trying to demonstrate.I didn’t know that chemical formulae could have decimal places in their subscripts. These were shown in the text without explanation or comment.OK I can go to the internet to look up chemical formulae, definitions, pictures of geological features – but I’d sooner have them in the book that refers to them.I understand the risk of being seen to “dumb down” the subject but I just think this is more than a beginners’ guide.

⭐I am fascinated by geology and have bought several wonderful books that are aimed at ‘interested general public’ like me . However, I was learning lots but feeling it wasn’t making a coherent picture or fitting together and I really struggled to remember it all (and yes, more excursions to actually see and experience it will help, I know!). As soon as I picked this book up I felt the approach was the key to getting an overall logical idea of this huge subject and the writer explains things within that structure in an approachable way which I found really enlightening. Now all the wonderful ideas in the other books on my shelf are coming to life too and fitting in with each other and I no longer feel as though I am wading through shifting sand. Many thanks to the author!

⭐I give it a 4 out of 5 stars only because the title is a bit deceptive.I have a background in natural science studies, so I managed to go through it fairly easily but if you don’t have that background, it can really be difficult.Explanations are great and I’m finding it really useful. But it’s easier to go through it if you have previous knowledge of the very foundations of geology and chemistry.I’d advise everyone to read it slowly and to make notes after every main piece of information, because otherwise you’ll get lost by the end of chapter 4

⭐In the last 10 years I have spent a small fortune on geology books and this is the best book on the subject that I have read, it’s brilliant, wide ranging, easy to read, doesn’t use tech jargon and its been designed to help you learn about the subject, not just read a book. With this and a good text book like A Geological History of Britain you will have the lot at your finger tips, the processes, big picture, detail, everything.

⭐I have an interest in geology and a desire to learn about the processes that shape our planet and how rocks tell earth’s story. I’ve purchased several books. Some were too complex for my level of understanding ( I plan to revisit these once I have finished Geology A Complete Introduction). One, I just didn’t get along with. Geology A Complete Introduction was just what I was looking for. It’s well structured, which helps the learning process. There are plenty of diagrams, which I found very informative. There is a recap quiz at the end of each chapter and also recommendations for further reading. I would certainly recommend this book.

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