Roadside Geology of Florida (Roadside Geology Series)

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 368 pages
• Published by: Mountain Press Publishing Company
• Edition: 1st Edition March 30, 2008
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 087842542X
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0878425426
• Book Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Weighs: 1.8 pounds

Product Description
Walt Disney World, the moon landing, shark attacks these are things the average human being readily associates with Florida, but geology . . . ? Not so much. Roadside geology of Florida is fixing to change that. From the panhandle through the Central Lakes District all the way to the Dry Tortugas, authors Bryan, Scott, and Means lead you through a world of cavernous limestone, roiling springheads, and rock strata containing the remains of some of the strangest animals that ever walked the Earth.
The latest in this one-of-a-kind series, the Roadside geology of Florida is divided into five regions, following Florida s roads to its geological wonders. Along the roads you ll encounter a sinkhole that swallowed several buildings in Winter Park; sand dunes stranded high and dry with no shoreline in sight; and Titanis walleri, a 6-foot-tall, predatory flightless bird. With its concise descriptions, clearly written explanations, and voluminous color photographs and illustrations, this book will enthrall readers as they tour the Sunshine State, which, by the way, is the most recent addition to the North American continent.

About The Author
Jonathan R. Bryan earned degrees in geology from Florida State University, the University of Florida, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has been a professor of geology and oceanography at Okaloosa-Walton College since 1993. In 2000, Bryan received the Florida Professor of the Year Award from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Reader Reviews
As a person who seems to buy all of the "Roadside Geology" books, I was happy to see that one was done for our wonderful state of Florida. The format was quite different from previous ones for other states. However, as a Florida Professional Geologist, I was rather pleased. I learned a lot. It had been a long time since most of my sedimentary geology and paleontology courses ... so, it was a refresher. I'm a hydrogeologist;the karst discussions were really good. The book does not lead you right to the sites to look/collect ... because Florida geology is not really along the highways ... it's along the rivers and underfoot. However, for the person not acquainted with Florida's geology ... just sit back each evening and read a bit ... it will provide you with the basics. For a better understanding, go out and look at things. The 4-star rating, instead of a fiver ... was because it will be a bit harder to read for the lay person than the traditional "Roadside Geology" texts for the western states. What you can't really see with ease ... you have to develop a 3-D understanding of what is there. However, for the person acquainted a bit with Florida geology and sedimentary processes ... it will be very rewarding. The shifting back and forth from "travel" text to special discussions of a site or process or fossils does make reading a bit jumpy ... you have to go to the end of the travel text ... and then jump back to the special discussion. The fossil discussions are excellent. Also, the color pages are great.