Geology: A Complete Introduction: Teach Yourself: A step-by-step Teach Yourself guide to use at home, school or college

by David A. Rothery

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. 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, 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.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Geology, Reference, Planetary Science, Earth Sciences

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 8, 2015

About the author

David Rothery is Professor of Planetary Geosciences at the School of Physical Sciences within the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics at the Open University.

Reviews

[Rodney Harvill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be sufficiently well-written to both help me to understand the basic concepts of geology and to hold my interest. My plan had been to read a chapter a day for better absorption, but I often did more than that because the book held my interest so well.

One warning, though. Don't let the multiple choice nature of the end of chapter questions to lull you into complacency. They are often subtle, exceedingly so. For example, in multiple choice questions, sometimes you can rule out different choices to settle on one. Forget about that. In one question, the answer was "none of them." After ruling out all four options, I spent a few minutes second guessing myself before I wrote "none," which just happened to be correct. On the other hand, I remember a question about the relative motion of two different non-adjacent seismic plates based on a world map. None of the options seemed to fit; so I assumed that one of the plate names was a typographical error and guessed accordingly. Wrong answer! The desired answer was the closest option based on the velocities of different points on the plates under consideration. Pay close attention to the questions, and don't take it for granted that you understand them on the first reading.

[Dropbear123 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 rounding down for Goodreads (but that is more down to my taste than anything wrong with the book)

Lots of info on topics like the formation of different kinds of rocks, erosion, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, fossil fuels and the geology of other plants. Plenty of graphs and diagrams which seemed to work fine on my old kindle. At the end of each chapter is recommendations for researching further, mainly books and websites, as well as quizzes which I ignored.

The main reason I’m rating it rather low is just that as a casual reader trying out a new topic at times the book was a bit too in-depth for me. The chapters on fossil fuels, geology of other planets, earthquakes and volcanoes were relatively fine but the chapters on rock formation and erosion were just a bit dense with the scientific language and chemical processes.

[Raymond Mercier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seems to be a very thorough introduction to Geology

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 this book are looking to learn on your own.

[Elliot Jackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read most of the book and skipped around a little bit. My goal is to educate myself on different kinds of geology and what it means as far as the processes that cause it to happen. This book does explain many different processes very well and does not disappoint in the quantity of information it contains.
I'm glad to have this in my book collection, as I'll be referring to it again to keep my knowledge of these concepts in the forefront.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was slightly dense at times and not extremely hospitable for beginners (causing me to skim many of the chapters), but it was a mostly good introduction to Geology. I'll base my further reading off of the chapters I found most interesting.

[Stefanie Kettler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction

A good introduction to the topic with key points highlighted throughout and suggestions for further reading in each chapter. I will see if I can pick up some of the recommended further reading. Sometimes I would have wished for more images

[Michaeleaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Comprehensive Introduction to Geology

Wow! A small book which expertly introduces you to all the facets of geology. If you are a dedicated amateur or a student, keep this book close at hand. I’ve always liked rocks and fossils. Now I like them even more.

[Jeff Sibley · Rating 5 out of 5]

good freshman level geology text for us that didn't take geology in college. great starting text for the hobby geologist.

[isabella gutierrez · Rating 3 out of 5]

reads a lot faster if you’re on a bus for four hours with dwindling lights, and listening to the very first night (taylor’s version), my favorite chapters were 12,13,and 14

[Stuart Rushbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Introduction, even if you dont want to delve deeper it is a great read

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent summary to regain my grasp of the foundations of geology. I could see picking this up and re-reading on occasion to keep myself fresh. It touched on everything a little.

[Samuel Willoughby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve got a long way to go if I hope to remember and apply the extensive knowledge of this book. This book, however, is wonderfully written with passion and leaves no stone unturned.

[phil porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, easy to understand

This is an excellent book. I almost gave up after a few pages, as it seemed too basic. It didn't take long however for that to change. It is clearly written, with just the right mixture of simplicity and complexity. I really could not fault it, and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn about this subject. Ill be reading it again without a doubt.