In suspect terrain

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Language
English

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From the outwash plains of Brooklyn to Indiana's drifted diamonds and gold In Suspect Terrain is a narrative of the earth, told in four sections of equal length, each in a different way reflecting the three others—a biography; a set piece about a fragment of Appalachian landscape in illuminating counterpoint to the human history there; a modern collision of ideas about the origins of the mountain range; and, in contrast, a century-old collision of ideas about the existence of the Ice Age. The central figure is Anita Harris, an internationally celebrated geologist who went into her profession to get out of a Brooklyn ghetto. The unifying theme is plate tectonics—here concentrating on the acceptance that all aspects of the theory do not universally enjoy. As such, In Suspect Terrain is a report from the rough spots at the front edge of a science.

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Contributors
McPhee, John Author
Runger, Nelson Narrator
ISBN
9780374517946
9780374176501
9781501988387

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John McPhee and Simon Winchester bridge the gap between the specialist and the average reader with clear, jargon-free prose. They often focus on geology and natural resources, but with any topic, they turn it into an exciting and compelling read, partly by including intriguing people readers can identify with. -- Katherine Johnson
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