Geology of the American Southwest: A Journey through Two Billion Years of Plate-Tectonic History

Two billion years of Earth history are represented in the rocks and landscape of the Southwest USA, creating natural wonders such as the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, and Death Valley. This region is considered a geologist’s ‘dream’, since its rocks provide a slice through a huge range of Earth history, and provide examples of many of the geologic processes shaping the Earth. For this reason, the region attracts a large number of undergraduate field classes, and amateur geologists. Geology of the American Southwest provides the first concise and accessible account of the geology of the region, and will prove invaluable to students studying here. It will also appeal to anyone interested in geology and landscape, and is a valuable guide for visitors to the National Parks of the region.