The Lie of the Land: An under-the-field Guide to Great Britain

by Ian Vince

From ancient volcanos and deserts to long-forgotten seas, a spotter's guide to the Britain beneath your feet

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, British Literature, Nature, Popular Science, Geology

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 4, 2010

About the author

Humour, travel and non-fiction author and freelance writer who contributes regularly to the Guardian and writes a column for BBC Countryfile magazine, as well as being an erstwhile contributing editor to The Idler and columnist for the Daily Telegraph.

Reviews

[Alex L · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book with a promising idea, going into the events that led to the formation of Britain's geology as it is today. Unfortunately, I didn't really feel that it delivered this for me. The book was lacking in pictures and diagrams beyond the initial map of Britain with the rocks of the geologic time period displayed. Consequently, I found myself having to refer to other sources to understand the processes described in the book. The prose is also fairly rambley, going on on tangents and frequently not really discussing the main topic of the book, I.e. geology. However, it does contains some interesting facts within and if a travelogue style of book on geology is your kind of thing this book may interest you.

[Jim Gillespie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got as far as the author talking about fossilized tree stumps being 4300 years old and realised he didnt know what he was talking about. The tree stumps cant be fossils at that age. These details are important.

[Alexandra Needham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and gently humorous adventure in Britain's bedrock. Regards the British countryside with a delightful sense of wonder and a poetic turn of phrase that makes the hellish landscapes of the planet's formation as familiar as the gentle rolling valleys and dramatic mountains it created.

[Froggarana · Rating 4 out of 5]

if, like me, you don't know a lot about geology this might be a good start
and he gently extracts the proverbial where it should be extracted

[David Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and amusing: a book for those of us who have a dangerously low level of knowledge of British geology but find textbooks assume we are full time students of the subject. Full of simplified explanations as to exactly why Britain looks like it does and how tricky and stupefying it was for the pioneers of geology to figure it out. The author assumes the reader has no pre-knowledge and cleverly convinces you that he only knows a little bit more himself so as not to be intimidating. Soon we are all conversant with the distinction between a Moine Thrust and a Monian Supergroup (not 1970's rock and roll jargon after all).
Makes me want to visit remote parts of the country and just stare wonderingly at similar-looking rocks in the rain. I may have a problem convincing the family of this; how do I convince my wife that Ullapool is the place to be this year? Perhaps I should start gently with the South Downs.

[Jan Jørgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Til alle der går rund med en lille geologi nørd inden i sig eller bare har en umættelig kærlighed for det engelske landskab, er denne bog simpelthen en juvel.
Man skulle tro at en bog om den engelske geologi ville være kedelig og kun for fagfolk men denne bog er utroligt velskrevet og præstere at bringe emnet til live og gøre det dragende og inkluderende.
Jeg har nu op til flere engelske landskaber jeg er nød til at se over mine næste ferier i landet.

[Johanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good general not too techy introduction to the geology of Britain. Each chapter looks at a difference geological era working forward from pre-cambrian and concentrating largely on one specific area of the British Isles. The downside to this is that you have a specific area you want to know about you might find yourself slightly short of info.

[Lucy Mason · Rating 2 out of 5]

There wasn't really anything wrong with this book (aside from the fact it could have used more diagrams), I just don't think I'm all that interested in rocks.