Table of Contents

I. A BRIEF HISTORY OF AWE. 1. Six Feet. 2. Water Catch 'Em. 3. How Old Is a River? 4. The Saw That Cut the Mountain. 5. Seven Cities of Gold. II. SECRETS OF THE RIVER. 6. America's Greatest Geologists. 7. The Sublimest Thing. 8. Earth's Engine. 9. Where Everything Is Exposed. 10. Antecedence in Doubt. 11. The Same River Twice? III. A NEW THEORY. 12. Paradox. 13. Canyon Makers. 14. Lazarus and Lakes. 15. Molten Rock, Melted Snow. 16. What Caused the Grand Canyon? Key Terms and Places. References. Acknowledgments. Index.

About the Author

James Lawrence Powell is Executive Director of the National Physical Science Consortium, and former Director and President of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. He taught geology for twenty years at Oberlin College, where he also served as Acting President. The author of Night Comes to the Cretaceous and Mysteries of Terra Firma, he lives in Buellton, California with his wife, five horses, three cats, two dogs, and a burro. A(c) Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Reviews

"The Grand Canyon's beauty, grandeur, and striking form have made it one of the greatest tourist attractions in the U.S., and also one of the greatest intellectual challenges to geologists. James Powell's exciting account of the Canyon's development is worthy of the excitement that the Canyon itself inspires."-Jared Diamond, Professor of Geography at UCLA, and Pulitzer-Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel and of Collapse An engaging and lucid account of one of geology's greatest monuments. The story of how the Grand Canyon was carved by the Colorado River turns out to be a remarkable detective story, complete with red herrings and innocent suspects. Scientific understanding progresses in curious ways, and the tale of the Grand Canyon encapsulates many features of growth in our knowledge over the whole of the earth sciences. A useful antidote to the so-called creationist accounts of the formation of one of the wonders of the world." --Richard Fortey, Senior Paleontologist, Natural History Museum, London, FRS, author of Trilobite! and Earth "Grand Canyon reads like a detective novel as Powell traces the work of the generations of geologists trying to understand our most majestic landscape. In the process, his fascinating book reveals not just how the Grand Canyon has taken shape, but our planet as a whole." -Carl Zimmer, author of Soul Made Flesh and Evolution: the Triumph of An Idea "John Wesley Powell, the pioneer explorer of the Grand Canyon, believed that science could reveal a deeper history of America, one that we should know for our own survival. As this excellent book shows, that prophecy has come true: modern science indeed has revealed just how fragile our civilization is-as vulnerable as the rocks that water has relentlessly washed away in the Canyon. A clear, dramatic, and humbling story of continental discovery." -Donald Worster, Hall Distinguished Professor of American History, Department of History, University of Kansas "As important to the professional scientist as it is to those who simply are bewitched by this part of North America. Powell provides not only a very detailed interpretation of virtually every scientific expedition and significant research paper, but he has also consulted directly with key contributors to recent and ongoing Plateau studies. An expertly woven tale of scientific intrigue." -Richard A. Young, Dept. of Geological Sciences, SUNY College "Grand Canyon weaves together the observations, themes, and men that shaped our understanding of this spectacular natural wonder. The book puts John Wesley Powell's feats of exploration into the context of how we have gained an overall understanding of the origin of not just the Grand Canyon, but of river valleys in general. It does all of this with a flare that will inform and entertain anyone curious about how the Earth's surface has been shaped." -- Charles G. Groat, Director, U.S. Geological Survey Library Journal Review, May 1st In this illustrated work, Powell (Night Comes to the Cretaceous) chronicles the search by explorers, scientists, and academics to understand what caused the Grand Canyon. Combining historical text with geomorphological and scientific evidence about the evolving nature and grandeur of the Green/Colorado Rivers, the text reads like a detective story, with pieced-together clues identified by 19th-century exploration giants of the American West. Powell writes in an easy-to-read style, successfully integrating historical vignettes, statistics, descriptive narration, scientific theory, and personal observation. He provides excellent insight into the development of geological theory culminating in a new model of canyon building and the development of a great river system and the surrounding landscape. Professional or amateur geologists and anyone else who has an interest in great rivers or has viewed the Grand Canyon will find this book captivating. Recommended for academic and large public libraries. -Ian D. Gordon, Brock Univ. Lib., St. Catharines, Ont.