One of my most favorite books ever.

I've read McPhee's geology books all the way through twice now and plan to read them all again a few more times. I was an art major, so the science is all foreign territory to me, but you couldn't ask for a better guide. I loved learning about the reasons why the landscape is the way it is, about the ways geologists work and think, about their different histories, personalities, and views. Plus, having read about two-thirds of McPhee's whole oeuvre, the prose here is the best of the best (which, in my opinion, is always excellent and fun, anyway). The world looks different to me now, but not just now, but also deep into the past and the future. In any case, I definitely feel this is one of those books that ought to be on the shortlist of "must-reads" for everyone, just because it's such an amazing, mind-expanding adventure that also happens to a true story (albeit a story that's always under review and subject to amendment, in the way of all science).

I learned a ton about geology! This was difficult in places, and compelling in others. It's anything but a geology textbook. McPhee travelled I-80 with prominent geologists over a period of 20 years. This books recounts the history of those travels, of the continent, and of the geologists themselves - and in one of the best parts of the book, the story of one geologist's parents. Yes, McPhee, an English major and journalist writes much much better than your average scientist. Otherwise this book could have ended up unreadable. Does he write well enough to bypass the usual pictures, charts and diagrams found in scientific writing? Not quite. I was constantly googling images of unfamiliar concepts - pillow lavas, sheeted dikes, the Laramie gangplank. Not an easy read, but a good one.

When I first started reading this book I wondered how John McPhee could write a massive volume on geology. By the time I got through the first of the five books in this compilation, I realized that the subject is endless. This is a textbook on geology written for the lay reader, but it’s dense. The nomenclature for the geologic time frames is daunting on its own. Throw in tectonic plates, ophiolites, cratons, hot spots and endless names for rock types and any attempt at keeping it all sorted is futile.

And yet, I kept reading. Despite all of the confusing terminology and vast amount of sometimes conflicting theories and concepts, McPhee manages to keep the storyline of our planet moving along and I was able to get a big picture understanding of not only how the planet took on its current configuration of continents and islands, but also how the United States came to look like it does today. That’s a feat that very few writers would attempt and fewer could do successfully.

I have complaints, so I took a star off the rating. McPhee uses too many metaphors for my tastes. Although use of an occasional metaphor can make a description pop, overuse feels like lazy writing. I’d rather have a clear description.

McPhee also switches, abruptly, between second and third person and between present and past tense. The changes aren’t necessary. The editor should have been more forceful about keeping the manuscript consistent.

lovely. I enjoyed this a lot more than Coming into the Country (which I admit I have still not finished despite having started it 3 years ago). so much unexpected humor and humanity in a book dedicated to the mysteries of deep time. john mcphee speaks of rocks with both a geologist’s and poet’s eye.

Five books sandwiched into one tome was a little daunting but also gave me a much greater sense of satisfaction upon completion!

A most excellent remedy for insomnia, and (speaking as a sufferer) I do not mean that pejoratively. The perfect book for reading a little bit at bedtime every night, easy to pick up and put down, but still worth the reading. It lasted me about 6 weeks; not sure what I'll use now. (Well, I suppose there's still E. O. Wilson's The Ants, but I'm not sure my arms are strong enough to hold it up...)

Layer by layer, McPhee sediments one's grasp of deep time, and of the geologists who study it. A little too accessible to be called "magisterial", but it still evokes that feeling. I would also recommend it as an antidote for the news.

Highly recommended, not that it apparently needs my approval. I'm glad it won the Pulitzer, in its day.

Ta, L.

This was a great book about geology. It is the perfect blend of science and narrative. McPhee is a wonderful writer who tackles an enormous subject, basically the geologic history of America. He follows I-80 across the country with different geologists and looks at road cuts to get a view of the geology of the area. Each section of the country gets its own treatment, and this long book is actually five works combined, each of which can be read separately. Throughout the work McPhee gives the reader enough science to give a good grasp of this amazingly huge science, and all the names of rocks and geologic eras can get confusing after awhile. He does a great job explaining many facets of geology, its history as a science, many of the people responsible for its advancement, the almost incomprehensible time scale the geologists deal with (all 10,000 years of human history doesn't even show up on the scale), cutting edge theories, and how the science is constantly evolving and all we really have is theories because large scale geology cannot really be witnessed.
While the hard science is very interesting and sometimes confusing, it is brilliantly offset by the geologists that travel with McPhee. He takes a different geologist along in each of the different sections of the book, and these characters give the work a human touch. They are all field geologists, think Wrangler jeans, work boots, a rock hammer, and lots of time outside. They all have interesting backstories for their involvement in the science. And they all have different specialties in the field, allowing McPhee access to many different aspects of geology.
This was a wonderful book by a great writer. It is a great blend of science and narrative, and my favorite science-based nonfiction work i have ever read. If you have any interest in geology I would highly recommend this book.

I love this book, originally published as four separate books and a short paper.

You need to have some patience with the tumble of obscure terms that McPheee consciously plays off of, but if you have any taste for the depth of science, and its connection to the human world, you're sure to enjoy McPhee's insights into human nature and the progress and process of science.

There is a narrative table of contents sort of guide to be found, which will steer you to particular passages. (It is a big book!)

In particular I love the set pieces on deep time, and the biographical sketches of David Love's mother.

This book is a real treasure. I have read it two or three times, and occasionally picked up bits of it to re-read in isolation.

Enjoy.

Wonderful narrative elucidating the geological history of the United States, told in 5 parts by writer Jon McPhee, who made a career of traveling I-80 with several geologists. What I like most is the way he shows concrete, relevant examples that prove the effects are still happening. For example, p. 235, where he describes how the Pennsylvania Turnpike can be broken up within 20 years. Another early part talks about boulders being swept into a small town in Nevada. This book is really a collection of five separate works. "Rising from the Plains," was my favorite. it's the geology of the Rockies, and the story of David Love, who followed in his mother and father's footsteps to understand the subject matter as much as a pioneer and steward as he was a scientist.

For pure enjoyment, I would really give this book 3 stars, but it merits 4 stars for the amount of research and information that is in it and for the wonderful writing style and occasional subtle humor. It is not a casual read, but for anyone interesting in geology is it worth the effort and somehow explains the principles of plate tectonics (and other things) without being overly technical. It also touches on the history of a few areas of the U.S., which at times got tedious, and the many "stories within the story" distracted from the geology. This would not be altogether bad if one were more interested in history and biographies than in rocks, but I preferred the rocks. In short, it is a long, sometimes rambling, but completely worthwhile book.

This book feels like a 700 page article in the New Yorker, which I guess it kind of is, and that totally works for me. McPhee makes the geology of North America very accessible to the average reader; his travels with the foremost geologists of the late twentieth century make for fun and illuminating reading. You'll learn about the development of plate tectonics both as a theory and as it actually happened (although this is literally at the very end of the book) and it is surprisingly interesting! If I had one quibble, it would be with the emphasis on I-80 as a way to see the continent: on page after page, McPhee references other things that are clearly interesting to him (the grand canyon and the colorado plateau, the cascade volcanoes, death valley, the transverse ranges in southern california) but that don't fit the emphasis on I-80, so I'm left thinking "why did he talk so much about these things along I-80 when death valley is clearly more interesting to him?" I feel in a way like I'm owed another book!

Absolutely, bar none, the finest work of American natural science that I've ever read. McPhee has the eye of a scientist and the soul of a poet, and it makes for truly astonishing writing. I don't like to pile on the superlatives, but this is probably one of my ten favorite books of all time.

I've only read parts of this book, since there are many different books included in this version of his geologic exploration of a cross-section of the US. I have a few things to say. #1. Read Rising from the Plains as you're driving in the Tetons. #2. Read any other section as you're driving in the area described. Your road trip will become something entirely different if you can see what you're reading about. #3. Read these books when you're planning a trip to any of the areas discussed. #4. Just read them. John McPhee does connect things better than most writers of text about geology. He makes it accessible while also staying interesting for those "in the know." And the people who are part of the geologic history of a place, like the mappers and surveyers are not mere footnotes in his writing. Oh no, they are the main characters, out for adventure and getting a lot of it along the way.