Reading the Rocks

How Victorian Geologists Discovered the Secret of Life

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Science, Earth Sciences, Geology, History, Modern, 19th Century
Cover of the book Reading the Rocks by Brenda Maddox, Bloomsbury Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Brenda Maddox ISBN: 9781632869135
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Publication: November 21, 2017
Imprint: Bloomsbury USA Language: English
Author: Brenda Maddox
ISBN: 9781632869135
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication: November 21, 2017
Imprint: Bloomsbury USA
Language: English

A rich and exuberant group biography of the early geologists, the people who were first to excavate from the layers of the world its buried history.

The birth of geology was fostered initially by gentlemen whose wealth supported their interests, but in the nineteenth century, it was advanced by clergymen, academics, and women whose findings expanded the field. Reading the Rocksbrings to life this eclectic cast of characters who brought passion, eccentricity, and towering intellect to the discovery of how Earth was formed.

Geology opened a window on the planet's ancient past. Contrary to the Book of Genesis, the rocks and fossils dug up showed that Earth was immeasurably old. Moreover, fossil evidence revealed progressive changes in life forms. It is no coincidence that Charles Darwin was a keen geologist.

Acclaimed biographer and science writer Brenda Maddox's story goes beyond William Smith, the father of English geology; Charles Lyell, the father of modern geology; and James Hutton, whose analysis of rock layers unveiled what is now called "deep time.†? She also explores the livesof fossil hunter Mary Anning, the Reverend William Buckland, Darwin, and many others--their triumphs and disappointments, and the theological, philosophical, and scientific debates their findings provoked. Reading the Rocks illustrates in absorbing and revelatory details how this group of early geologists changed irrevocably our understanding of the world.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

A rich and exuberant group biography of the early geologists, the people who were first to excavate from the layers of the world its buried history.

The birth of geology was fostered initially by gentlemen whose wealth supported their interests, but in the nineteenth century, it was advanced by clergymen, academics, and women whose findings expanded the field. Reading the Rocksbrings to life this eclectic cast of characters who brought passion, eccentricity, and towering intellect to the discovery of how Earth was formed.

Geology opened a window on the planet's ancient past. Contrary to the Book of Genesis, the rocks and fossils dug up showed that Earth was immeasurably old. Moreover, fossil evidence revealed progressive changes in life forms. It is no coincidence that Charles Darwin was a keen geologist.

Acclaimed biographer and science writer Brenda Maddox's story goes beyond William Smith, the father of English geology; Charles Lyell, the father of modern geology; and James Hutton, whose analysis of rock layers unveiled what is now called "deep time.†? She also explores the livesof fossil hunter Mary Anning, the Reverend William Buckland, Darwin, and many others--their triumphs and disappointments, and the theological, philosophical, and scientific debates their findings provoked. Reading the Rocks illustrates in absorbing and revelatory details how this group of early geologists changed irrevocably our understanding of the world.

More books from Bloomsbury Publishing

Cover of the book Surveying Yachts and Small Craft by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book Supporting Children with Learning Difficulties by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book The Women of Troy by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book The Arisaka Rifle by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book Newman and his Family by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book Basics Architecture 03: Architectural Design by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book Lamarck's Revenge by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book Broken Legions by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book The German Home Front 1939–45 by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book Bolt Action: Empires in Flames by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book The Spanish Temper by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book Liberian Girl by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book Rome after Sulla by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book The Ruins of Urban Modernity by Brenda Maddox
Cover of the book The Many Not The Few by Brenda Maddox
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy