EDUCATOR’S CORNER Geology Study Guides Rasoul Sorkhabi, Ph.D., CPG-11981
Dr. Rasoul Sorkhabi is a professor at the University of Utah’s Energy & Geoscience Institute, Salt Lake City. Email:
rsorkhabi@egi.utah.edu
In a previous article1, I introduced some popular geology books
written for the public. This article is a report from another book- shelf of my library – a shelf I call “Geology Guidebooks” that I have collected over the years, initially for my own learning as a geology student and later for my own review as a teacher (each book has its own “flavor” in words, pictures and focus). These books offer what may be called crash courses, review courses, or self-study courses on geology at a knowledge level between high school and college education. I am listing some of these books that may help geology students and teachers, as well as professional geologists interested in a fast-based review of this subject. These are also great books as birthday or Christmas presents to friends who are interested in minerals, rocks, fossils and other “Earth-lore.” Of dozens in my library, I have selected 14 recent books listed under four categories.
General Geology
1. Geology for Dummies, by Alecia M. Spooner (John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2020, second edition), 400 pages with black-and-white illustrations and engaging prose. Part of the so-called “Dummies” book series, but these books are for “the Curious” minds.
2. Planet Earth (“Beginners’ Guides) by John Gribbin (Oneworld, Oxford, UK, 2012), 175 pages, prose-based overview of geology.
Illustrated Geology
3. The Rough Guide to Earth, Martin Ince (Rough Guides, London, 2007), 294 pages, profusely illustrated. A compre- hensive, introductory coverage of Earth science.
4. Geology, by Mark A.S. McMenamin (“Smithsonian Science 101” series) (Collins, New York, 2007), 218 pages with lots of color photographs. Great gift book.
5. How the World Works: Planet Earth, by Anne Rooney (Sirius, London, 2020), 208 pages with lots of color illustrations. Great gift book.
6. Geology, by Frank H.T. Rhodes with illustrations by Raymond Perlman (“A Golden Guide from St. Marin’s Press,” New York, 2001). 160 pages, pocket size. “Fully illustrated. Authoritative. Easy-to-use.”
7. Smithsonian’s Earth: The Definitive Visual Guide, by Douglas Palmer, Robert Dinwiddie, John Farndon, Michael Allaby, David Burnie, Clint Twist, Martin Walters, and Tony Waltham (DK Publishing, London 2013), 528 pages, large format and illustrated. This is one of my coffee table books
1. Sorkhabi, Rasoul (2023) How to refresh your geology. The Professional Geologist, vol. 60, no. 4 (October- December), pp. 40-42. 46 TPG •
Jan.Feb.Mar 2026
www.aipg.org
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