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tintinintibet's review against another edition
2.0
Fine, maybe user error. But regionally, theoretically, and really just less compelling.
krobart's review against another edition
4.0
See my review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/in-suspect-terrain/
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/in-suspect-terrain/
bradherring's review against another edition
4.0
It's fascinating, John McPhee's elegant writing in the service of profiling a mind as violently closed as Anita Harris'. The defense I've seen of her Luddite position that plate tectonics did not cause the Appalachian orogeny is that it's important to be skeptical. No argument there! But she is so extraordinarily dismissive of the idea, pointing to "data" that "the plate tectonic boys" supposedly ignore (what data? just conodonts?!), while presenting literally none of her own. There's an intellectual curiosity one needs to be a great scientist, a sort of Buddhist beginner's mind, paired with a hearty hunk of humility, and Harris possessed none of that. My interpretation, and the reason I'm giving this 4 stars instead of 2, is that the entire book is a savage but extremely subtle destruction of her. McPhee ends the book with a lengthy aside of how the great Ice Age theorist Agassiz was pissily dismissive of the then-new wave of science proffered by Charles Darwin right before wrapping things up with Harris echoing those same talking points against the plate tectonic theory. Of course almost 40 additional years of scientific progress has demonstrated how foolish Harris' strident "get off my lawn" attitude was.
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
2.0
Reading this series is difficult. I don't know enough Geology and the author mostly doesn't help me a long. I do know somewhat of the history of science especially on well-known subjects. So when the author talks about the rise of glaciation and plate tectonics I follow more. Most of this book is both a physical and mental ramble. It's a travelogue of an author and a geologist, a self-declared devil's advocate on the subject of plate tectonics. It's often beautiful, but also often opaque. I read an e-book version, which is great because it's easy to look words up as in did the author make this word up or misuse English. Sometimes it's geology but other times its just unknown. It makes me want to start over with learning Geology but I don't have that much interest in field work. But I expect to continue with this series anyway. 2.5 of 5.
bobbo49's review against another edition
challenging
informative
medium-paced
3.5
I have read three of the four books in the series now, and will soon read the fourth. Like the others, this one is of course very well written, and the depth of the scientific geology presented is over my head. I thought that Basin and Range, and Assembling California, were slightly better because the science was woven into the history in a manner that made the books more accessible to non-scientists. Nonetheless, the critique of plate tectonics - a theory that has dominated the modern discussion of the creation of the earth's structure, both within and outside of the world of science - is excellent and accessible, and when McPhee entwines it with human stories, it is scientific writing at its best.
booccmaster's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
3.75
barnaclethereal's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
At the start, immediately after finishing Basin and Range, I didn’t love it, but it grew on me and I thought it was really excellent.
alexwont's review against another edition
This was "HARD" science, much like a geology textbook, with some intermittent narrative. Because much of the science, and the acompanying vernacular, was above my head, I have abstained from a 1-5 star rating. I could very easily pan it with a 1, or conversely it could have earned a 5. For me, it might have been complemented with maps, although perhaps McPhee abstained from using them for a reason.
It was interesting, nonetheless, and I'm glad I took the time to read it. My favorite parts were the bits detailing the history of science.
It was interesting, nonetheless, and I'm glad I took the time to read it. My favorite parts were the bits detailing the history of science.