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The Hidden Landscape: A Journey into the Geological Past Paperback – International Edition, April 12, 2010

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 82 ratings

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This classic in popular geology, is a unique exploration of Britain’s geological diversity. Richard Fortey guides us around the British Isles, and as the rocks change, so we learn to read the clues they contain – cultural as well as geological.
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bodley Head; 2nd UK ed. edition (April 12, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1847920713
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1847920713
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.06 x 0.94 x 9.19 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 82 ratings

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Richard Fortey
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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
82 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides a detailed look at the geology and paleontology of Great Britain. It explores connections between geology, natural history, and humans. Readers describe the writing style as clear and personal, with a love for words and names.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

5 customers mention "Geology"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides a detailed look at the geology and paleontology of Great Britain. They appreciate the connections between geology, natural history, and humans. The author writes about prehistoric life, country living today, and a wealth of national history.

"...the oldest rocks and finishing with the youngest, the information is tied to landscape rather than to modern stratigraphic nomenclature...." Read more

"Fortey is a wonderful writer and the subject, how geology affects the plant life and people around it is interesting to me...." Read more

"An engaging writer, Fortey not only knows his rocks but writes about prehistoric life, country living today and a wealth of national history...." Read more

"A thorough, detailed look at the geology and paleontology of Great Britain, if that's what you're looking for, in a readable style...." Read more

5 customers mention "Readability"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and enjoyable. They appreciate the clear writing and geologic details. The book provides helpful advice on local foods like ales, Stilton cheese, and Amber. However, some readers feel it lacks maps.

"...You also get advise on the best Ale, best Stilton, and how to find Amber...." Read more

"...That make this slow going for non-Brits! Terrific book that I have read twice using rough internet downloaded maps...." Read more

"...It’s a very sweet and pleasant read, or would have been, had I lived nearer the source...." Read more

"Excellent book, very happy with the service" Read more

5 customers mention "Writing style"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style. They find it personal, clear, and eloquent. The author loves words and names. However, some readers feel there could be maps included.

"...Fortey loves words and names, and in Chapter 2 makes a forceful and eloquent argument for appropriate taxonomy and words...." Read more

"Fortey is a wonderful writer and the subject, how geology affects the plant life and people around it is interesting to me...." Read more

"An engaging writer, Fortey not only knows his rocks but writes about prehistoric life, country living today and a wealth of national history...." Read more

"...of Great Britain, if that's what you're looking for, in a readable style...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2009
    The Hidden Landscape: A Journey into the Geological Past by Richard Fortey

    For me this is a delicious book which I read with enjoyment.

    This book, focusing on England, Scotland, and Wales with a bit of Ireland, is a little like a Historical Geology text, but it is different. First it is a personal text written almost like a memoir. Second, although it is organized stratigraphically, that is, beginning with the oldest rocks and finishing with the youngest, the information is tied to landscape rather than to modern stratigraphic nomenclature. And, landscape here means not just rocks but plants, architectural building materials, roads, water, walks, and more and more.

    Attempting to think of an American equivalent to this book, and the nearest I can come is something like a mixture of C. B. Hunt's Physiography of the United States and something written by Ann Zwinger. It is possible that for students this might be better (more interesting) than a typical Historical Geology text.

    Fortey states that: "Instead, what I want to explore are the connections between geology and landscape." (page 1). It seems to me that Fortey chose what to include in the text by choosing his favorite "connections" and then stringing the most interesting "connections" together into historical sequence. "This is a book about connections between geology, natural history and ourselves." (page 14). He has something here which may help us learn and enjoy the vast factual detail that goes with landscape and geology: "Somehow, the enjoyment of the trick is more satisfying than the the explanation." (page 1). His connections that have irony or represent a paradox seem to give him and the reader special delight. Part of his theme is: "Much of the character of our country is governed by its geology, and determined by the rocks." (page 13). For me his connections make everything more memorable.

    Fortey is seeking something more general, and more holistic than just landscape in the usual sense: "But all these evidences of past activities sit on the bedrock of geology. Human endeavours do not succeed if they deny the geological realities. This hidden landscape is a part of all our lives." (page 27). For him landscape really includes "hidden landscape" or includes all of the underlying reasons or connections which give understanding to why the totality of landscape is the way it is. "For the way we understand landscape has to do as much with what is in our minds, as with what we think we see with our eyes."

    There are seventeen chapters. Each chapter is more like an essay than a text chapter. Below is the table of Contents with my more prosaic geologic translation of the chapters in parentheses, where needed.
    1)Journeys to the Past (Introduction) 2)Names, Origins, Maps and Time 3)The Oldest Rocks (Precambrian) 4)The Great Divide (Lower Phanerozoic and Moine Thrust) 5)'Here be dragons': Caledonia (Northwest Iapetus Coast) 6)The Southern Uplands (Southeast Iapetus Coast) 7)The Land of the Ordovices (Ordovician) 8)The Red and the Black (Devonian) 9)Fells and Dales (Lower Carboniferous - Mississippian) 10)Coal and Grit (Upper Carboniferous - Pennsylvanian) 11)Lost in the Sands (Permian and Triassic) 12)Vales and Scarps: the Jurassic 13)The Weald (lower Cretaceous) 14)The Chalklands: Downs and Flints (upper Cretaceous 1) 15)The Chalklands: Beechwoods and Trout Streams (upper Cretaceous 2) 16)Tertiary Times (Tertiary and Volcanism) 17)East Anglia: Sky and Ice.

    As an American you have to put up with: downs and dales, fells and vales, but that is not a bad thing. Still the constant assault of geographic names can wear one down.

    Fortey loves words and names, and in Chapter 2 makes a forceful and eloquent argument for appropriate taxonomy and words. I understand that the numerous new words adds to the poetry of this book, and I appreciate them as a source of new "stumpers" for my friends; but there were times for someone like myself who does not know cnocs from cromlech when looking things up became a bit tiresome. My plea, mostly, would be directed toward a second edition with the addition of two or perhaps three helpful index maps designed to help the reader.

    The book serves as a travel guide: "It was in Dulverton that I ate the perfect cream tea. There is no greater sensual indulgence: cream so thick it is reluctant to leave the spoon, strawberry jam heavy with fruit, and crumbly scones with a hint of astringency to balance the sugar in the jam, and all piled up as high as they will go. Although it is possible that the cream originated on the New Red Sandstone in Mid-Devon, I prefer to believe that it was produced by cows grazing water meadow flanking the lower reaches of the nearby River Barl or the River Exe" (page 125). You also get advise on the best Ale, best Stilton, and how to find Amber.

    There is humor: "Between the Lower Greensand, which may not be green, and as we have seen is often rusty with iron, and the Chalk, which is definitively white, there is the dark Gault Clay and the Upper Greensand, which , surprisingly, actually is green" (page 209).

    And there is wise advice: "Nothing in geology is more certain than change: even the cliffs on which you stand are doomed."

    In conclusion this is great book. My hope is that book will engender more like it.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2020
    For this reader and fan of Richard Fortey (have 5 or 6 of his books), the major shortcoming of the books for someone in the USA who has never been to the British Isles, it that there are hundreds of places name essential to understanding what geology is being described but no maps showing these sites in relation to the text and local geography. That make this slow going for non-Brits! Terrific book that I have read twice using rough internet downloaded maps. If there is a 3rd edition it needs maps or Publisher links to relevant maps. But I do recommend it.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2018
    Fortey is a wonderful writer and the subject, how geology affects the plant life and people around it is interesting to me. He sticks to the little things, houses and gardens and landscape. It’s a very sweet and pleasant read, or would have been, had I lived nearer the source.
    It was frustrating to have to look up so many plants and local terms, it really was hard to get through parts, although, since I had the internet at my fingertips, it was possible. I’m not sure what it would have been like to read it in the days before the pocket computer. The book needed illustrations. I would still recommend it for those who love the natural sciences.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2024
    Received in ‘Like new’ condition
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2014
    An engaging writer, Fortey not only knows his rocks but writes about prehistoric life, country living today and a wealth of national history. Walk the highlands -- wearing warm clothes and sturdy boots -- and view the lakes, green hills and fields of this ancient island. Illustrations add to the experience, and reading this book is the next thing to being there.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2014
    Excellent book, very happy with the service
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2017
    A thorough, detailed look at the geology and paleontology of Great Britain, if that's what you're looking for, in a readable style. For geology fans, the writing isn't quite up to John McPhee's landmark standard, but if your interest is in the fossils and not the words, you'll enjoy this.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2014
    good reading and thoughtful
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • wayne
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on October 8, 2016
    nice book
  • Patricia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous! Beautifully written, fascinating and engaging.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 21, 2013
    A fabulous book. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It's beautifully written, manages to clearly distill the essence of what is a very complex subject and I now have a picture of Britain in my head so I can see where all the different ages of rocks lie and how they impact plants, animals, countryside, topography, buildings etc etc. Marvellous!
  • Driftwood
    5.0 out of 5 stars Solid literature
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 31, 2023
    Quickly arrived, and a large tome to settle by the fire this winter. Looks to be very informative.
  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Another readable book by Forty
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2022
    Enjoyed this book in general and possibly ideal for those with no background in geology, some what of a pity the photos were at the back and in black and white.
    But despite that a very enjoyable read.
  • Mr. Philip G. A. Baldwin
    5.0 out of 5 stars geology and history at A level and have always enjoyed travelling around Britain and Europe putting 2 and 2 ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 29, 2017
    I am absolutely spellbound by this book.! More than 40 years i studied geography and geomorphology to degree level,. geology and history at A level and have always enjoyed travelling around Britain and Europe putting 2 and 2 together. After 40 years as a music teacher, my enthusiasm has once again been fired by the wonderful images conjured up from a relentlessly roling and rich vocabulary rather like the Old Red sandstone that the author wases so eloquently about. Just wonderful to feel that same frisson of excitement that the author felt when uncovering a complete trilobite fossil behind Haverfordwest bus station!