The Hidden Landscape: Journey into the Geological Past

"there is something about the Moine Thrust that is almost poetry. What could be more dramatic than the grind of rock against rock beneath the terrible grip of a vanished mountain range? And who could doubt that to see upon the ground the vestiges of a distant past adds to the richness of our experience of the present? There is an exquisite irony that sheep, the most nervous of animals, now peacefully graze slopes where continents came to rest. We may see only the ooze of a small, rush-rimmed spring to mark where rocks of unlike type came to lie one upon the other. The subtle differences in (drainage) of the rocks recognise the truth, where the ignorant walker could pass by enlightened, and the wind blows in the cotton grass as if none of this had ever been."

Thomas Hardy would have been proud.


A joy to read   March 25, 2004
 30 out of 30 found this review helpful

Quite simply one of the most engaging books on geology I've read. Fortey's prose is memorable and scattered with analogies & anecdotes which make the science memorable, and accessible. I've always been interested in geology, but never made an effort to pursue it, other than picking up rocks, and learning the very basics. The Hidden Landscape takes the reader into the field, and clearly describes what the rocks are and why they matter. It contains enough science not to be boring to those with some knowledge [I did a paleontology course at university that covered basic geology], but is clear enough not to baffle those with none.

While this book is enjoyable to read all the way through, it's also useful to return to as a reference.


Superb   June 24, 2002
 33 out of 33 found this review helpful

This is quite simply one of the best books I've ever read. The book explains why the landscape of Britain is the way it is, and also talks a bit about the different sorts of plants that grow in different areas. The book relates scenery to the underlying geology, and explains how Britain has evolved. I'd have liked more colour photographs, but that presumably would have made the price soar. It is accessible to anyone; background in geology isn't necessary to enjoy this wonderful book.


Fortey brings the landscape of Britain to life.   March 20, 2001
 29 out of 29 found this review helpful

Once again Richard Fortey has managed to bring to the public one of the best and most easily read books of this type. His way of relating the geology to his own experiences is unsurpassed. It is one of those few books on geology and geomorphology which can you can go back to time and time again without it becoming stale. Novices and experts alike will learn something of the British landscape from this book. A must for any one interested in the make up of Britain.