Assembling California Audiobook

" My only criticism is that I would have liked more visual material. Otherwise, an informative read. "

" His description of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, tracing the seismic waves from the epicenter and depicting what happened along their route, is spellbinding and terrifying. I loved the portion about the Gold Rush too. "

" Creative non-fiction style essays about the geologic and human/cultural history of California. I always enjoy John McPhee's writing, whatever the topic. "

" Ankle Mary was dead on. Rhythmic and really beautifully written for being about, essentially, continental drift and mountain formation. Not sure how much I got out of it, but enjoyable reading. Also, Annie do not read this unless you're about to leave/have already left the Bay Area. "

" Geology is never far from the minds of Californians, and this book uses that as a template for exploring California. "

" Classic John McPhee but still enjoyable, perfect after visiting southern California. Great line: "Here is the one thing to remember from reading this book, the rock on top of Everest is marine limestone." "

" so far it is a popular geological history of california, from east to west on I-80. The chapter on the gold rush era mining was entertaining and sort of sad from an environmental point of view. "

" Like all McPhee books, I learned so, so much--about geology, about politics, about water, about geography. Fascinating stuff. "

" Full of delicious nuggets - chert, diabases, gabbro, variolitic basalts, serpentine, ophiolites, protopangaea, plate-tectonic history, transform faults, volcanology, earthquakology, crust, pebbles, faults, dust - it's the colission of geek geology love and writerly prowess. "

" The description of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which I experienced myself, was incredibly interesting. "

" Fabulous, gripping book. Reading this book makes me wonder why I found geology so boring when I was in public school. Now, despite all the science, it was hard to put this book down. I must read more in this geology series. "

" A multiple-year project to finish this author's Annals of The Former World series ends with completion of this book. It's a fantastic series, and this book is among the best. "

" Fascinating discussion of the geologic history of CA. We fly a lot so the book has provided me new insight into the terrain I am watching. "

" I have read this book - and then again within Annals of a Former World - at least 4 times. It's a book about geology. It is also one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. "

" McPhee's writing, even on technical subjects like geology, is lucid and powerful. It's a pleasure to learn something from such a word artist. "

" Makes you want to drive/hike/paddle to see many of the formations he describes. A great scientific history of CA for a recent transplant. "

" Boring but weirdly gripping. No relation. "

" this book is great. had to slog through it over a few months, but JESUS! how i learned!! california geology compressed, FINALLY! and no shortage of microbuses or seaweedy beaches either. "

" Interesting information about California Geology. Needs more diagrams to be considered a "science book." John McPhee writes great literature though. "

" Boring but weirdly gripping. No relation. "

" Well, I liked it. But I'm glad I had some of the vocaublary down before starting, or I would have been trotting off to the dictionary all the time. Geology for poets? "

" Classic John McPhee but still enjoyable, perfect after visiting southern California. Great line: "Here is the one thing to remember from reading this book, the rock on top of Everest is marine limestone." "

" The content is great, but the writing is too dry. "

" Makes you want to drive/hike/paddle to see many of the formations he describes. A great scientific history of CA for a recent transplant. "

" such a good book, such a good writer. the ending is incredible. wow. "

" The description of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which I experienced myself, was incredibly interesting. "

" Interesting information about California Geology. Needs more diagrams to be considered a "science book." John McPhee writes great literature though. "

" A multiple-year project to finish this author's Annals of The Former World series ends with completion of this book. It's a fantastic series, and this book is among the best. "