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Science » Geoscience

Most Recommended Books

Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

“The book has just enough science that it seems real. If you read it as a kid and re-read it as a geologist, you think there are some very interesting things in there. He plays around with certain facts. He comes up with a very interesting theory to explain that it doesn’t get hot as you go deeper underground (which was in vogue at the time), but the book imagines the preservation of prehistoric life in the subsurface and that’s something we’re still looking at. Many of the organisms that we find down there today look to be, from an evolutionary point of view, extremely primitive. The conditions we find them in are very much what the surface of the Earth used to look like, three billion years ago. There is no oxygen and three billion years ago there was very little oxygen on the surface of our planet.”

Tullis Onstott, Environmentalist

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Geoscience is an umbrella term that describes the work done across multiple scientific fields on the current state and History of our planet, the Earth.  Here experts recommend their best books on geoscience.

Among others topics in geoscience our experts choose books that explore the history and evolution of our home planet, the mysteries of life below its surface, as well as the secrets that lie beneath volcanoes, with Simon Winchester and David Pyle.

As recommended by several of our interviewees, why not start with a fictional account of what's going on deep within our planet, with Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth?

    The best books on Ice, recommended by Mark Serreze

  • Read
    The best books on Ice - Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage to the Antarctic by Alfred Lansing

    1

    Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage to the Antarctic
    by Alfred Lansing

  • Read
    The best books on Ice - Alone by Richard E. Byrd

    2

    Alone
    by Richard E. Byrd

  • Read
    The best books on Ice - North of Latitude Eighty by Geoffrey Hattersley Smith

    3

    North of Latitude Eighty
    by Geoffrey Hattersley Smith

  • Read
    The best books on Ice - The Two Mile Time Machine by Richard B. Alley

    4

    The Two Mile Time Machine
    by Richard B. Alley

  • Read
    The best books on Ice - A World Without Ice by Henry N. Pollack

    5

    A World Without Ice
    by Henry N. Pollack

  • The best books on Ice - Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage to the Antarctic by Alfred Lansing
  • The best books on Ice - Alone by Richard E. Byrd
  • The best books on Ice - North of Latitude Eighty by Geoffrey Hattersley Smith
  • The best books on Ice - The Two Mile Time Machine by Richard B. Alley
  • The best books on Ice - A World Without Ice by Henry N. Pollack

The best books on Ice, recommended by Mark Serreze

Ice and humanity have always been close partners, says Mark Serreze, director of the US National Snow and Ice Data Center. But this relationship is changing fast as polar ice melts. Here he selects five books that fed his fascination.

The best books on Ice, recommended by Mark Serreze

    The best books on Evolution of the Earth, recommended by Andrew Scott

  • Read
    The best books on Evolution of the Earth - The Planet in a Pebble: A journey into Earth's deep history by Jan Zalasiewicz

    1

    The Planet in a Pebble: A journey into Earth's deep history
    by Jan Zalasiewicz

  • Read
    The best books on Evolution of the Earth - Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth by Andrew H Knoll

    2

    Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth
    by Andrew H Knoll

  • Read
    The best books on Evolution of the Earth - The Emerald Planet by D J Beerling

    3

    The Emerald Planet
    by D J Beerling

  • Read
    The best books on Evolution of the Earth - Gaining Ground by Jennifer Clack

    4

    Gaining Ground
    by Jennifer Clack

  • Read
    The best books on Evolution of the Earth - The Cradle of Humanity: How the changing landscape of Africa made us so smart by Mark Maslin

    5

    The Cradle of Humanity: How the changing landscape of Africa made us so smart
    by Mark Maslin

  • The best books on Evolution of the Earth - The Planet in a Pebble: A journey into Earth's deep history by Jan Zalasiewicz
  • The best books on Evolution of the Earth - Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth by Andrew H Knoll
  • The best books on Evolution of the Earth - The Emerald Planet by D J Beerling
  • The best books on Evolution of the Earth - Gaining Ground by Jennifer Clack
  • The best books on Evolution of the Earth - The Cradle of Humanity: How the changing landscape of Africa made us so smart by Mark Maslin

The best books on Evolution of the Earth, recommended by Andrew Scott

How has the Earth changed over time and what role has fire played in those changes? A leading geologist, Andrew Scott, identifies key stages and books to help understand them

The best books on Evolution of the Earth, recommended by Andrew Scott

    The best books on Volcanoes, recommended by David Pyle

  • Read
    The best books on Volcanoes - Campi Phlegraei: Observations on the Volcanos of the Two Sicilies by William Hamilton

    1

    Campi Phlegraei: Observations on the Volcanos of the Two Sicilies
    by William Hamilton

  • Read
    The best books on Volcanoes - Fire Fountains by Constance Gordon Cumming

    2

    Fire Fountains
    by Constance Gordon Cumming

  • Read
    The best books on Volcanoes - Volcanoes by Peter Francis

    3

    Volcanoes
    by Peter Francis

  • Read
    The best books on Volcanoes - Volcano: A Memoir by Yvonne Weekes

    4

    Volcano: A Memoir
    by Yvonne Weekes

  • Read
    The best books on Volcanoes - Volcano Verses by Howard Fergus

    5

    Volcano Verses
    by Howard Fergus

  • The best books on Volcanoes - Campi Phlegraei: Observations on the Volcanos of the Two Sicilies by William Hamilton
  • The best books on Volcanoes - Fire Fountains by Constance Gordon Cumming
  • The best books on Volcanoes - Volcanoes by Peter Francis
  • The best books on Volcanoes - Volcano: A Memoir by Yvonne Weekes
  • The best books on Volcanoes - Volcano Verses by Howard Fergus

The best books on Volcanoes, recommended by David Pyle

Volcanoes not only play a vital role in the Earth’s ecosystem but have fascinated us down the ages. Oxford University volcanologist David Pyle recommends some of his favourite books about volcanoes.

The best books on Volcanoes, recommended by David Pyle

    The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth, recommended by Tullis Onstott

  • Read
    The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth - Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

    1

    Journey to the Centre of the Earth
    by Jules Verne

  • Read
    The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth - Intelligent Life in the Universe by Carl Sagan & Iosif Shklovsky

    2

    Intelligent Life in the Universe
    by Carl Sagan & Iosif Shklovsky

  • Read
    The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth - The Universe Below by William Broad

    3

    The Universe Below
    by William Broad

  • Read
    The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth - A Traveler's Guide to Mars by William Hartmann

    4

    A Traveler's Guide to Mars
    by William Hartmann

  • Read
    The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth - The Living Cosmos: Our Search for Life in the Universe by Chris Impey

    5

    The Living Cosmos: Our Search for Life in the Universe
    by Chris Impey

  • The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth - Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
  • The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth - Intelligent Life in the Universe by Carl Sagan & Iosif Shklovsky
  • The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth - The Universe Below by William Broad
  • The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth - A Traveler's Guide to Mars by William Hartmann
  • The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth - The Living Cosmos: Our Search for Life in the Universe by Chris Impey

The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth, recommended by Tullis Onstott

The ‘subterranaut’ describes how the discovery of ancient bacteria miles beneath the Earth’s surface opens the possibility of finding life on Mars. He picks five books that show how our knowledge of life deep in this planet could lead us to discover it elsewhere.

The best books on Life Below the Surface of the Earth, recommended by Tullis Onstott

    The best books on Volcanoes, recommended by Simon Winchester

  • Read
    The best books on Volcanoes - Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

    1

    Journey to the Centre of the Earth
    by Jules Verne

  • Read
    The best books on Volcanoes - The Last Days of Pompeii by E Bulwer Lytton

    2

    The Last Days of Pompeii
    by E Bulwer Lytton

  • Read
    The best books on Volcanoes - The Crater by James Fenimore Cooper

    3

    The Crater
    by James Fenimore Cooper

  • Read
    The best books on Volcanoes - The Violins of St Jacques by Patrick Leigh Fermor

    4

    The Violins of St Jacques
    by Patrick Leigh Fermor

  • Read
    The best books on Volcanoes - Twenty-One Balloons by William Pène du Bois

    5

    Twenty-One Balloons
    by William Pène du Bois

  • The best books on Volcanoes - Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
  • The best books on Volcanoes - The Last Days of Pompeii by E Bulwer Lytton
  • The best books on Volcanoes - The Crater by James Fenimore Cooper
  • The best books on Volcanoes - The Violins of St Jacques by Patrick Leigh Fermor
  • The best books on Volcanoes - Twenty-One Balloons by William Pène du Bois

The best books on Volcanoes, recommended by Simon Winchester

The respected author and veteran journalist gives illuminating interview on volcanic eruptions. Discusses wonderful literary works from authors including Jules Vernes, Edward Lytton and Paddy Leigh Fermor

The best books on Volcanoes, recommended by Simon Winchester

    The best books on Earth History, recommended by Adam Maloof

  • Read
    The best books on Earth History - The Sheltering Desert by Henno Martin

    1

    The Sheltering Desert
    by Henno Martin

  • Read
    The best books on Earth History - On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin & James Costa

    2

    On the Origin of Species
    by Charles Darwin & James Costa

  • Read
    The best books on Earth History - Cosmicomics by Italo Calvino

    3

    Cosmicomics
    by Italo Calvino

  • Read
    The best books on Earth History - Rare Earth by Peter Ward and Don Brownlee

    4

    Rare Earth
    by Peter Ward and Don Brownlee

  • Read
    The best books on Earth History - Chaos by James Gleick

    5

    Chaos
    by James Gleick

  • The best books on Earth History - The Sheltering Desert by Henno Martin
  • The best books on Earth History - On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin & James Costa
  • The best books on Earth History - Cosmicomics by Italo Calvino
  • The best books on Earth History - Rare Earth by Peter Ward and Don Brownlee
  • The best books on Earth History - Chaos by James Gleick

The best books on Earth History, recommended by Adam Maloof

Just as no one can study political science without a basic understanding of human history, or study a modern animal without a basic understanding of evolution, so no one can understand climate change without understanding the Earth’s history, argues the Princeton geology professor.

The best books on Earth History, recommended by Adam Maloof

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We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

This site has an archive of more than one thousand seven hundred interviews, or eight thousand book recommendations. We publish at least two new interviews per week.

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