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A Wilder Time: Notes from a Geologist at the Edge of the Greenland Ice
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About A Wilder Time: Notes From A Geologist At The Edge
Product Description John Burroughs Medal for Distinguished Natural History BookNew Mexico-Arizona Book Award WinnerSaroyan Prize ShortlistKirkus Reviews "Best Book of the Year" selection "A richly literary account. . . . Anchored by deep reflection and scientific knowledge, A Wilder Time is a portrait of an ancient, nearly untrammeled world that holds the secrets of our planet's deepest past, even as it accelerates into our rapidly changing future. The book bears the literary, scientific, philosophic, and poetic qualities of a nature-writing classic, the rarest mixture of beauty and scholarship, told with the deftest touch." ―John Burroughs Medal judges’ citation Greenland, one of the last truly wild places, contains a treasure trove of information on Earth's early history embedded in its pristine landscape. Over numerous seasons, William E. Glassley and two fellow geologists traveled there to collect samples and observe rock formations for evidence to prove a contested theory that plate tectonics, the movement of Earth's crust over its molten core, is a much more ancient process than some believed. As their research drove the scientists ever farther into regions barely explored by humans for millennia―if ever―Glassley encountered wondrous creatures and natural phenomena that gave him unexpected insight into the origins of myth, the virtues and boundaries of science, and the importance of seeking the wilderness within. An invitation to experience a breathtaking place and the fascinating science behind its creation, A Wilder Time is nature writing at its best. William E. Glassley is a geologist at the University of California, Davis, and an emeritus researcher at Aarhus University, Denmark, focusing on the evolution of continents and the processes that energize them. He is the author of over seventy research articles and a textbook on geothermal energy. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Review John Burroughs Medal for Distinguished Natural History BookNew Mexico-Arizona Book Award WinnerSaroyan Prize ShortlistKirkus Reviews "Best Book of the Year" selectionScientific American "Recommended Book" selectionThree-time San Francisco Chronicle "Top Shelf" selectionBookish "Must-Read Book" & "Hottest Release" selectionPhi Beta Kappa Society "Reading List" selection "A richly literary account. . . . Anchored by deep reflection and scientific knowledge, A Wilder Time is a portrait of an ancient, nearly untrammeled world that holds the secrets of our planet's deepest past, even as it accelerates into our rapidly changing future. The book bears the literary, scientific, philosophic, and poetic qualities of a nature-writing classic, the rarest mixture of beauty and scholarship, told with the deftest touch." ―John Burroughs Medal judges’ citation "The dramatic, austere west coast of Greenland is the setting of A Wilder Time. . . . The geological pursuits [are] punctuated by a thrilling encounter with a peregrine falcon; the terribly painful regimen of bathing in an icy-cold stream (the discomfort exacerbated by a breeze strong enough to keep away the dense clouds of mosquitos); sampling lichen, which Glassley found reminiscent of 'a simple white sauce and semolina pasta'; and a telling of his irregular path to science. . . . This engaging book's more rigorously science-oriented epilogue, including some earth-shattering detail on [a] singed-hair rock that Glassley found, is a treat for geology buffs." ―Pasatiempo "Glassley ponders the nature of perception and the human mind, describes the dramatic physical features of Greenland's makeup and recounts the thrilling adventures of his extended visits there." ―Scientific American "Builds a case for the necessity of wild places, both as respite from the noise and clutter of modern life and for their inherent values." ―Anchorage Daily News "Transport[s] readers across the world and deep into the past, while suggesting a way forward into the future. For budding naturalists, armchair geologists
