Editorial Review:
The San Andreas Fault is the most famous fault on Earth, running nearly the entire length of western California from just north of the Mexican border to the Mendocino coast. It is a very active tectonic boundary which directly affects the lives of more than twenty million people. The San Andreas Fault has been responsible for shaping much that is beautiful about California, and it also has the capacity to destroy the communities that lie along its course. A Land in Motion provides a geologic tour of the San Andreas Fault in an accessible narrative punctuated with dramatic color illustrations, lively anecdotes, and authoritative information about earthquakes. As he tours the length of the fault, Michael Collier provides a valuable overview of plate tectonics and gives a geologic history of the San Andreas Fault written for non-scientists. He discusses the evolution of seismology as a science and traces the knowledge that scientists have gleaned about earthquakes and plate tectonics from their work on the San Andreas Fault. Collier looks into human history as well, discussing major earthquakes that have hit the San Andreas, including the famous San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the San Fernando quake of 1971, the Loma Prieta quake of 1989, the Landers quake of 1992, and many lesser temblors. Collier illustrates his text with magnificent photographs that highlight some of the most beloved landscapes in California. He provides excellent views of the fault throughout the stateof Crystal Springs reservoir near San Francisco, of Pinnacles National Monument east of Monterey, of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore near San Francisco, and more. Collier concludes his tour of the San Andreas Fault with a provocative discussion on earthquake prediction versus earthquake planning that all Californiansand all who live where earthquakes occurwill want to read.
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Customer Reviews
Average Customer Rating: 
Well done! 2008-05-13
A GREAT illustrated discussion of the San Andreas fault [and allies] by a master storyteller and photographer. [Declaration: Michael is a former student]
A superb book about an awesome phenomenon 2003-11-13
The San Andreas Fault traverses much of California from the Mexican border to far in the north. Those who have never seen it sometimes picture this tectonic feature as a lurking menace ready to swallow whole towns at a second's whim. This highly accurate book dispels such misimpressions and passes along a good deal of valid scientific information in an interesting, understandable way. The book shows in colored diagrams and easily read narrative how plate tectonics has worked to create this piece of California that is moving inexorably northwest. The writers clearly explain how and why earthquake-producing stresses build up in and along the fault. Brief, but spectacular, histories show what happens when these stresses are released. The book is exceptional in that it discusses rather esoteric scientific concepts in a non-patronizing way. The text is neither dry, nor overly simplistic. Any person with a limited scientific background and a high school education can grasp the concepts being examined. The photographs of such things as offset streams, scarps, trees with interrupted growth, and sag ponds are carefully selected, and beautifully crafted. These follow the text well, avoiding the liability of having to probe through the book to match the picture with the explanation. They will call you to come to California. Two excellent features are discussion segments with geologists who work on solving the fault's mysteries, and a section on parklands in which San Andreas Fault features may be found. I highly recommend this wonderful book to anyone planning a trip to California, anyone who has an interest in the Earth and its processes, and anyone who just likes a darn good read.
great pictures  2001-05-14
Nice book. Fast reading. Excellent pictures. This book really hits home for Californians. Decent explanation of how the earth is moving.
This book rocks! 2000-10-02
Michael Collier has beautifully written and photographed the geological history of the San Andreas Fault. In what COULD have been an extremely dry subject he has captured my imagination with the most gorgeous photos and his plain-speaking explanations of geology. It's literally a page turner, too, with the flip-page diagram, showing the movement of the tectonic plates. A beautiful book worthy of the coffee table and a wonderful addition to my reference library.
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