The following are recommended books if you are interested in the many intersections between Earth and Environmental Sciences and our society or fun topics in geology.
Used as resources for my ‘Earth and Its Environments’ course:
(look further down for resources from 'Dinosaurs and Our World')
'The Johnstown Flood' by David McCullough
An excellent examination of the background and history of the 1889 Johnstown Flood as well as its legacy and the many ways it affected American society.
'Salt: A World History' by Mark Kurlansky
An intriguing look at an often-overlooked resource that helped shape our society. Kurlansky also wrote 'Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World’ which is not a geology topic per se, but still a fascinating history of another resource that has had unparalleled impacts on our history.
'Island on Fire' by Alexandra Witze and Jeff Kanipe
A history of the 1783 Laki-Grímsvötn eruptions in Iceland and who they affected climate across the northern hemisphere. Also worth reading is a firsthand eyewitness account of the eruption by the Reverend Jón Steingrímsson titled ‘Fires of the Earth’.
'Tambora: The Eruption that Changed the World' by Gillen D'Arcy Wood
The 1815 eruption of Indonesia's Mount Tambora not only affected local communities but altered climate across the globe and indirectly affected art, literature, altered history in numerous ways.
‘The Year Without a Summer’ by William Klingaman & Nicholas Klingaman
Another exploration of the many impacts of the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora.
'Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded' by Simon Winchester
A good summary of the 1883 eruption of Krakatau in Indonesia, the first global natural disaster to be followed in real time thanks to recently installed underwater telegraph cables.
‘Isaac’s Storm’ by Erik Larson
A nicely written history of the Galveston hurricane of 1900, still the deadliest one-day civilian death toll from any non-disease natural disaster in United States history
'La Catastrophe' by Alwyn Scarth
A great summary of the eruption of Mount Pelée on the island of Martinique in 1902 and its aftermath.
‘Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927’ by John M. Barry
An excellent summary of the Mississippi River Flood of 1927 that altered the way the United States approaches disaster response and ushered in an era of big government.
‘Justinian’s Flea’ by William Rosen
A very well-done exploration of the Justinian Plague that altered Roman history.
Used as resources for my ‘Dinosaurs and Our World’ course:
‘The Seashell on the Mountaintop’ by Alan Cutler
An excellent summary of the life and contributions of Nicolas Steno in establishing geology and fossil studies.
‘Coal – A Human History’ by Barbara Freese
A great book by a Minnesota author that considers the many roles coal have played in our history.
‘The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs’ by Steve Brusatte
Well written summary of relatively recent research on dinosaur studies.
‘The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History’ by Elizabeth Kolbert
Basically, required reading for anyone interested in the current mass extinction.
‘The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl’ by Timothy Egan
Outstanding work by an accomplished author on the Dust Bowl era.
‘The Star-Crossed Stone’ by Kenneth McNamara
An intriguing look at an often-overlooked fossil group collected throughout most of human history.