Geopedia

A Brief Compendium of Geologic Curiosities

Marcia Bjornerud, Haley Hagerman

$29.99

Hardback

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English

Princeton University Press
16 October 2022

Reference works; Mathematics & Sciences; Earth sciences; Geology & the lithosphere; The natural world, country life & pets; Rocks, minerals & fossils

Series: Pedia Books

A garden of geologic delights for all Earthlings

Geopedia is a trove of geologic wonders and the evocative terms that humans have devised to describe them. Featuring dozens of entries - from Acasta gneiss to Zircon - this illustrated compendium is brimming with lapidary and lexical insights that will delight rockhounds and word lovers alike.

Geoscientists are magpies for words, and with good reason. The sheer profusion of minerals, landforms, and geologic events produced by our creative planet demands an immense vocabulary to match. Marcia Bjornerud shows how this lexicon reflects not only the diversity of rocks and geologic processes but also the long history of human interactions with them.

With wit and warmth, she invites all readers to celebrate the geologic glossary - a gallimaufry of allusions to mythology, imports from diverse languages, embarrassing anachronisms, and recent neologisms. This captivating book includes cross-references at the end of each entry, inviting you to leave the alphabetic trail and meander through it like a river. Its pocket-friendly size makes it the perfect travel companion no matter where your own geologic forays may lead you.

With whimsical illustrations by Haley Hagerman, Geopedia is a mix of engaging and entertaining facts about how the earth works, how it has coevolved with life over billions of years, and how our understanding of the planet has deepened over time.

By: Marcia Bjornerud
Illustrated by: Haley Hagerman
Imprint: Princeton University Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 171mm, Width: 114mm,
ISBN: 9780691212579
ISBN 10: 0691212570
Series: Pedia Books
Pages: 200
Publication Date: 16 October 2022
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Marcia Bjornerud is professor of geosciences and environmental studies at Lawrence University and a contributing writer for the New Yorker, Wired, the Wall Street Journal, and the Los Angeles Times. Her books include Timefulness: How Thinking like a Geologist Can Help Save the World (Princeton). Haley Hagerman is a graphic artist and the illustrator of Timefulness.

Reviews for Geopedia: A Brief Compendium of Geologic Curiosities

"""Longlisted for the Non-Obvious Book Awards"" ""The subtitle says it all—Bjornerud and graphic artist Hagerman have compiled a wonderfully quirky collection of 'curiosities' that, collectively, detail the Earth’s transformation over eons and illustrate how our understanding of the planet has deepened through time. . . . A charming work, chock-full of information.""---Laurie Selwyn, Library Journal, starred review ""This is a garnet of a geology book: rooted in the planet, jewel-like and multi-coloured.""---Andrew Robinson, Nature ""[Geopedia] is a buffet of bite-size chapters perfect for dipping in and out of. . . . Its pocket-size format makes it perfect as a traveling companion, and its short chapters suit our frazzled attention spans, making it a fun alternative to night-time doomscrolling or heavier nonfiction. No matter if you’re a hard-core rockhound or a geological outsider, you’ll get something worthwhile from this little gem of a book.""---Howard Lee, Ars Technica ""A neat little book . . . . Take a dip into Geopedia for a bit of quirky fun."" * Descent * ""A fascinating, illuminating read. Organized alphabetically, the articles span the gamut of the sub-disciplines. Bjornerud explores both the etymology of the scientific terms and their scientific import. Readers who pick it up will learn a lot.""---I. D. Sasowsky, Choice ""perfect for casual reading .... Bjornerud...is a gifted writer"" * Choice * ""A cute little book of curiosities to dip in and out of but, like a box of rich chocolates, you probably will not want to finish it off all in one sitting.""---Helen Coombs, Proceedings of the Open University Geological Society"