Geology is an extremely visual subject, and In Search of Ancient Oregon is a beautifully photographed, expertly written account of Oregon's fascinating geological story. Written by a passionate and professional geologist who has spent countless hours in the field exploring and photographing the state, In Search of Ancient Oregon is a book for all those interested in Oregon's landscapes and environments. It presents fine-art-quality color photographs of well-known features such as Mount Hood, Crater Lake, Smith Rock, Steens Mountain, the Columbia River Gorge, and Cannon Beach, and scenic, not so well known places such as Jordan Craters, Leslie Gulch, Abert Rim, Hells Canyon, Elkhorn Mountains, and Three Fingered Jack. Each of the more than 220 stunning photographs is accompanied by readable text, presenting the story of how Oregon's diverse landscapes evolved — and what we may expect in the future. Until now, no book has presented this dynamic story in a way that everyone interested in Oregon's natural history can easily understand. The combination of extraordinary photographs and the author's lucid explanations make this book both unique and essential for those curious about our own contemporary landscape.
—J. M. Dahl, Choice, April 2004
—John Terry, Oregonian, September 29, 2003
| Prologue | 8 | |
| Ch. 1 | In the Beginning | 12 |
| Ch. 2 | Paleozoic - Oregon's oldest rocks | 18 |
| Ch. 3 | Triassic - The Blue Mountain island arc builds tropical islands | 36 |
| Ch. 4 | Jurassic - Age of intrusions | 52 |
| Ch. 5 | Cretaceous - Mountains, rivers, and wave-swept beaches | 66 |
| Ch. 6 | Paleocene - Mammals take center stage | 78 |
| Ch. 7 | Eocene - Oregon's first native volcanoes | 84 |
| Ch. 8 | Oligocene - A familiar landscape takes form | 104 |
| Ch. 9 | Early and Middle Miocene - Lavas blanket Oregon | 126 |
| Ch. 10 | Late Miocene - Mountains rise, the climate cools, and grass reigns supreme | 168 |
| Ch. 11 | Pliocene - Sculpting today's landscapes | 188 |
| Ch. 12 | Pleistocene - High Cascade volcanoes versus glaciers | 198 |
| Ch. 13 | Holocene - Humans, earthquakes, and eruptions | 230 |
| Epilogue | 254 | |
| Map of Oregon | 260 | |
| Conversion Tables | 262 | |
| Glossary | 263 | |
| References, Recommended Reading & Web Sites | 272 | |
| Acknowledgments | 276 | |
| Notes on the Photography | 277 | |
| Index | 279 |
Anonymous
Posted December 24, 2011
The text is scholarly, detailed, and somewhat technical but not too overwhelming, even for someone like me with a technical rather than geology background. I bought the book for the photographs which illustrate the author's discussion and are very well done. The book quality is very good for a paperback edition. The paper feel is rich and substantial. I would recommend the book for those with an interest in the subject.
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Overview
Geology is an extremely visual subject, and In Search of Ancient Oregon is a beautifully photographed, expertly written account of Oregon's fascinating geological story. Written by a passionate and professional geologist who has spent countless hours in the field exploring and photographing the state, In Search of Ancient Oregon is a book for all those interested in Oregon's landscapes and environments. It presents fine-art-quality color photographs of well-known features such as Mount Hood, Crater Lake, Smith ...