Geology Underfoot in Southern California

by Robert P. Sharp, Allen F Glazner

Reading the rocks like pages in a book, Geology Underfoot in Southern California offers an inside view of the southland's active and sometimes enigmatic landscape. Twenty vignettes each weave a geologic story of a particular scene, relationship, or feature. Some spotlight well-known landmarks, while others describe subtle relationships among the earth's awesome forces. Together these snapshots introduce readers to southern California's rich, dynamic, and even flamboyant geology.

Genres: Geology, Reference, Science, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1993

Reviews

[Felice]

This book is not quite Rocks for Jocks, but it is for the layman--which I am in Geology. It's clearly written, has a lot of maps, diagrams and photos. John McPhee titled his own book about California's prehistoric surface In Suspect Terrain and Sharp only expands upon the understanding/feeling that virtually anything and everything weirdly geological can be found in a day or so's drive from LA. For example, driving, walking and even sailing, I'd always wondered about the Channel Islands and its nice to now that a mere 12,000 years ago they were part of a peninsula jutting out from upper Malibu. Or that the man made Santa Barbara Harbor has screwed up sand accumulation for beaches at least that far south. Or that we've got actual caverns with stalagmites not far from home. Driving along the 101 headed to Montecito, I've passed the anti-incline of Ventura scores of times always wondering what it was. And of course I wrote a story using the geology of Black's Beach north of San Diego which gives Sharp two short chapters. In twenty such chapters he not only describes what it is that's remarkable and why, he gives driving instructions and hiking instructions to get there and explore. Now where did I put that pith helmet?

[Charlie]

This book opened my eyes to things about southern California I knew nothing about before. It has been years since I read this book, but many of the 'vignettes' about different geological formations in the area still stick in my mind to this day. I think of this book every time I drive by the "Wind Gap" along Highway 5 just north of the Grapevine.

This book is best brought on road trips, and used to experience the geology of Southern California firsthand.

[Jacqui]

Very readable book, despite the complexity of the topic. Not as simplified as McPhee, but fascinating enough I got through the science. My particular interest was where the little slip of California that is Pacific Plate came from--Central America? Some ocean island? I found lots of hints in this book, though as with everything that is pre-historic, it's impossible to say for sure. Overall, if you read this book because of an interest in geology, you'll enjoy the ride.

[Iggy]

Full of interesting geology trips