Read Colliding Continents A geological exploration of the Himalaya Karakoram and Tibet Mike Searle 9780198798514 Books
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The crash of the Indian plate into Asia is the biggest known collision in geological history, and it continues today. The result is the Himalaya and Karakoram - one of the largest mountain ranges on Earth. The Karakoram has half of the world's highest mountains and a reputation as being one of the most remote and savage ranges of all. In this beautifully illustrated book, Mike Searle, a geologist at the University of Oxford and one of the most experienced field geologists of our time, presents a rich account of the geological forces that were involved in creating these mountain ranges. Using his personal accounts of extreme mountaineering and research in the region, he pieces together the geological processes that formed such impressive peaks.
Read Colliding Continents A geological exploration of the Himalaya Karakoram and Tibet Mike Searle 9780198798514 Books
"The book was marvelous. I only gave it four stars because a lot of it was too technical for me to grasp. But you can't go wrong with such an incredible story! The photography is wonderful, too, and helped very much to explain the geology. If you are fascinated, as I am, with the story of the Himalayas you will love this book."
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Tags : Colliding Continents A geological exploration of the Himalaya, Karakoram, and Tibet [Mike Searle] on . The crash of the Indian plate into Asia is the biggest known collision in geological history, and it continues today. The result is the Himalaya and Karakoram - one of the largest mountain ranges on Earth. The Karakoram has half of the world's highest mountains and a reputation as being one of the most remote and savage ranges of all. In this beautifully illustrated book,Mike Searle,Colliding Continents A geological exploration of the Himalaya, Karakoram, and Tibet,Oxford University Press,0198798512,Earth Sciences - Geography,Earth Sciences - Geology,Mountaineering,SCIENCE / Earth Sciences / Geography,SCIENCE / Earth Sciences / Geology,SPORTS RECREATION / Mountaineering,Science,Science/Earth Sciences - Geography,Science/Mathematics,Sports Recreation/Mountaineering
Colliding Continents A geological exploration of the Himalaya Karakoram and Tibet Mike Searle 9780198798514 Books Reviews :
Colliding Continents A geological exploration of the Himalaya Karakoram and Tibet Mike Searle 9780198798514 Books Reviews
- An excellent book in my eyes, with beautiful photos, well illustrating the points exposed in the text. Also, for the scientist from another field (mathematics and statistics in the case) a book one can read, with sometimes some help from Wikipedia.
The mix of the trekking and at the same time collection of the data allows to see much better the field-geologist (or should using the wording of archaeology say "the dirt geologist") and to come closer to what is truly "marching science". After reading some other books of explorers of the Himalayas, I wanted to attempt to understand the geological processes going in the region. The book fulfils my desire. - The book was marvelous. I only gave it four stars because a lot of it was too technical for me to grasp. But you can't go wrong with such an incredible story! The photography is wonderful, too, and helped very much to explain the geology. If you are fascinated, as I am, with the story of the Himalayas you will love this book.
- I originally read this book in review copy form and was immediately impressed with Mike Searle's descriptions of the Himalaya and Karakoram Ranges and the beautiful photos which were in black and white. The actually book, with the photos in full color, was stunning. This book should appeal to mountaineers and those who organize treks and expeditions to these remote ranges.
- I had hoped for more concise geology, but the geology is served piecemeal, interspersed with too many personal anecdotes, travel logs and other stories. They make for fun reading, but so far I have not really gotten much wiser about the geology. I guess I could read up on the 100 or so professional papers listed in the appendix. I'd say it is mostly a trekking/mountaineering book. As such it is fine.
- For those not already in the know, it is likely to come as a considerable surprise that Africa, South America, Antarctica, Australia and India once formed a single land mass. They broke apart and for many millennia India was an island, moving inexorably north towards Asia. Eventually there was a major collision and India embedded itself deep into Asia, throwing up the Himalaya-Karakoram mountain chain and driving under Tibet to lift the extensive plain there to around 5km (3 miles) above sea level.
How do we know this? The full array of earth sciences is involved, geology is key. Mike Searle, Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Oxford, England, has for long been established as a principal contributor to our knowledge of how and when the Himalayan, Karakoram and Tibetan landscapes were formed. In the 30 years of his academic career so far, he has contributed detailed geological maps covering a huge area scarcely explored before; taken part in the scientific debate over a succession of theories and models; and been an effective communicator at the level of the TV science program as well as within academia. This book is his account of all that, especially of his many exploratory visits to the region.
Reading the book requires an openness to the science, but no great prior knowledge, as everything is explained in terms understandable to anyone who once took their studies in the sciences a little beyond the basics - or even could have, but didn't. If you happen not to be familiar with the differences between, say, greenschist, gneiss and shale, don't worry, it's all in the extensive appendices as well as the text.
But this isn't just an Earth Science textbook. It also tells us much about climbing and trekking in the region - historically, and by others as well as by Mike Searle himself. And there are potted descriptions of the various indigenous peoples, and of the political background. Most striking of all are the more than 200 pictures and diagrams. Predominantly of mountains, all are so beautiful it would be entirely feasible to treat this book as a coffee table book, leaving it around for visitors to leaf through in otherwise idle moments. Full marks to Mike Searle (himself the photographer in the great majority of cases), Oxford University Press, and to the book's designer; in almost every case the relevant picture or diagram is on the same page or no further than overleaf from the reference to it in the text. The whole book is a joy to behold - printed in full color on quality paper and bound both to last and to enhance the bookshelf. - Gargantuan geological forces created the spectacular mountain ranges of the Himalaya and Karakoram. The author Mike Searle, one of the world's most experienced field geologists, tells the scientific story, illustrating it with his own photographs, and accounts of his hill-walking/mountain climbing and exploration in the region. This book is not a `dry treatment' of the forces at play in terms of geology of the region. The terms used and the narrative are very reader friendly. The book is laced with sumptuous photography that shows some of the most amazing landscapes in the world, while this book is not a straightforward textbook, but is framed by the author's travels while exploring the landscape of the regions discussed. This is a highly recommended book for those interested in the geology of the area.
- Gargantuan geological forces created the spectacular mountain ranges of the Himalaya and Karakoram. The author Mike Searle, one of the world's most experienced field geologists, tells the scientific story, illustrating it with his own photographs, and accounts of his hill-walking/mountain climbing and exploration in the region. This book is not a `dry treatment' of the forces at play in terms of geology of the region. The terms used and the narrative are very reader friendly. The book is laced with sumptuous photography that shows some of the most amazing landscapes in the world, while this book is not a straight forward text book, but is framed by the author's travels while exploring the landscape of the regions discussed. This is a highly recommended book for those interested in the geology of the area.
