Itching to get your nose into a good book lately? I’ve compiled an assortment of the newest releases in nonfiction geoscience and some fictional recommendations with a focus on geological elements.

New Releases in Geoscience Nonfiction

My cat, Banjo, with my current read, Turning to Stone.

If you’re looking to learn from experts, here are a few recent releases in nonfiction geoscience:

Turning to Stone, by Marcia Bjornerud

• Bjornerud, geology professor at Lawrence University and author of the award-winning book Timefulness, is coming out with Turning to Stone, another title that’ll get you thinking philosophically about geology. I was able to get my hands on an advance copy, but it’ll be available for purchase on August 13th. Until then, you can pre-order it!

• Through the lens of personal adventures, we come to find that the journey each rock takes resembles what we as humans experience in our lifetimes. Along the way, we learn about how the field of geology has progressed alongside our ongoing quest to understand Earth’s long history—and ourselves.

• Themes: Personal narrative, geology factoids, science history

Roadside Geology of New Mexico (second edition), by Magdalena Sandoval Donahue and Lucy Chronic

• Nearly 40 years after the release of the first edition, New Mexico finally got an update on its book in the diverse Roadside Geology series, which highlights and explains geologic features along popular U.S. roads.

• While writing the book, Donahue traversed the state to update the described routes and provide even deeper context for the landscapes around them. This second edition also incorporates current geological knowledge, a welcome revision from the outdated first edition.

• Themes: Guide book, geologic context, road trip

Alien Earths, by Lisa Kaltenegger

• As an astrobiologist and director of the Carl Sagan Institute, Kaltenegger expertly explains the advanced methods being used to identify habitable planets across the galaxy.

• Alien Earths discusses a multi-disciplinary perspective that uses Earth’s rich history and diverse ecosystems as a model to enhance the search for extraterrestrial life. Kaltenegger also describes recent advancements in the integration of geology with astronomy and astrobiology—which is showing exciting progress!

• Themes: Astrobiology, planetary geology, research

Geoscience Fiction… Geosci-fi!

Nonfiction not your thing? Check out these fictional tales with notable geoscience elements:

The Swarm, by Frank Schätzing

• Fed up with the relentless environmental damage done at the hands of man, new and mysterious marine life revolts by collapsing a continental shelf and triggering a catastrophic global tsunami.

• Over the last two decades, scientists and sci-fi enthusiasts alike have praised The Swarm for its accurate portrayals of marine and geological sciences.

• Themes: Marine biology, natural disasters, environmental action

The Drowned World, by J.G. Ballard

• In a post-apocalyptic future, where violent solar storms caused soaring temperatures, melting polar ice caps render the world mostly uninhabitable.

• The Drowned World dives into earth's reversion to prehistoric jungles while exploring themes of time, climate, and geology. The story follows a group of scientists navigating civilization's remnants and dealing with related psychological stresses.

• Themes: Post-apocalyptic, climate change, psychological

The Martian, by Andy Weir

• Stranded on Mars, the protagonist, Watney, must use his ingenuity and knowledge of geology, chemistry, and biology to survive after a mission failure leaves him presumed dead.

• The Martian combines a gripping survival story with renowned scientifically accurate details, celebrating the human spirit's resilience and problem-solving capabilities.

• Themes: Space exploration, survival, witty character

Honorable mentions, put briefly:

• Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach, by Kelly Robson—A rag-tag team of environmental scientists travels back in time to save a doomed Earth.

• The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin—Tectonic forces shape landscapes and destinies in a fantasy world teeming with magic.

• The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson—Magical metals are mined for the physical and mental powers they give when ingested.

Dive deeper:

• Check out this awesome list of even more geoscience fiction books.

• Instead of buying these books on Amazon, buy used from Thriftbooks (it’s also usually much cheaper!)

Thank you for reading this week’s edition of GeoLifestyle!

It was rainy and thundering last night, and I felt so cozy in my reading nook, listening to an audiobook and trying to crochet a doily for my new end table. Gosh, I sound like an old lady. But that’s the way I like it!

Anyways, I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m trying out a new format for the newsletter… Cutting back on the number of things I blab about, so I can blab about few things in more depth. I would love to hear your feedback, so please don’t hesitate to let me know what you think! You can reach me at editorial@aapg.org.

Cate Larsen

Editor, GeoLifestyle

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