Product Description

Exploring Maine just got easier. Whether you plan to view the geology from the highway, the beach, or the top of Mount Katahdin, Roadside Geology of Maine distills each scene's geologic history into easily understood stories of rocks and landscape. In this odd and spectacular north country, where even standard geology is unusual, contorted layered rock shows the strain of surviving the collision of continents. Glaciers sculpted the battered bedrock and left behind some of Maine's most useful and aggravating geologic features. Readers will learn why ice-age delta mud--highly sought after for making bricks--challenges bridge engineers, and why Maine's plowed fields seem to produce more rocks than crops.

Author D. W. Caldwell divides Maine into four geographically distinct regions: the coast, the central slate belt, the mountains, and the north, and describes the geology of each region's major roads. Detailed maps guide readers through the Maine woods, locating glacially polished pink granite quarried for national monuments, 100-mile-long eskers meandering through boggy lowlands, frozen patterned ground in the alpine highlands, and pillow basalts along the coast. Geologic roadlogs include tours of Acadia National Park and some trails in Baxter State Park.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #341498 in Books
• Published on: 1998-06-01
• Released on: 1998-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 317 pages

From Scientific American
The latest entry in an amazing series of guidebooks for road trippers who are curious about the forces that created the stunning scenery around them and the rocks under their wheels. Ancient earthquakes, volcanoes and glaciers sure beat "Are we there yet?" Check for titles that cover your home turf, or the road where you may wander.

Review
"Roadside Geology of Maine is an excellent way to learn about Maine's geology and history." --B. Brown, Kennebec Jounal

About the Author
D. W. Caldwell was raised in rural Maine where, at the age of twelve, he decided to become a geologist when he earned a Boy Scout geology merit badge. He holds a Ph.D. in geology from Harvard University and has worked for both the United States and the Maine Geological Surveys. Caldwell is a consultant in construction materials, in bottled water sources, and in water pollution studies and serves as an expert witness in cases dealing with these issues. He has been a professor of geology at Boston University for more than thirty years.

Customer Reviews

Dr. CALDWELL KNOWS MAINE GEOLOGY LIKE NOBODY ELSE
It was a pleasure adding this book to my Roadside Geology Collection. It is appropriate that Mountain Press had Dr. Caldwell do this book. His vast field experience and knowledge highly qualify him as an Maine geology expert. I fell in love with geology and work as a geologist having been a student of Caldwell's 25 years ago. The book continues his legacy on the Geology of Maine.

Roadside Comparison
One of my hobbies is historical geology; e.g. I have most of the Roadside Geology books. I rate this one just behind the one from Massachusetts that I consider to be the best of the lot.