An Aerial View of Geology.

Rivers flow from the mountains to the sea. Nothing could be simpler; nothing could be more complex. With these words, Michael Collier sets the stage for this unique blend of art and science.

Whether it's the Colorado twisting and slashing down from the high mountains, the stately Mississippi rolling through America's heartland, or the Hudson, the Delaware, the Englishman, the New, the Dead, the White, the Platte, the Gauley, the James, the Missouri, the Niobrara, the Bighorn, the Paria, the Rio Grande, the San Joaquin, the San Juan, the Columbia, the Teklanika, or the Knik, Collier's photographs celebrate the beauty and grace of North America's rivers.

The photographs are stunning, but this is more than a picture book. Collier is a geologist and a gifted science writer, as well as an award-winning photographer. For Collier, rivers are not only to be marveled at, but to be understood. With vivid text and clear captions, he guides the reader into his images, pointing out the fundamental geological processes they reveal: the erosive power of a single river carving a 6,000-foot deep canyon, the violent tectonic event that vaulted a river over a mountain, the forces that cause one river to meander, another to drop over a cliff, and a third to separate into a sprawling delta.

Michael Collier piloted his little Cessna thousands of miles, across mountain ranges, over valleys, through canyons to bring back the story of America's rivers. In words and remarkable images, he tells that story with clarity, insight, understanding and deep affection.


Awards
NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Boof for 2009

Reviews
"Stunning photographs in this large and memorable book illustrate the geological dynamics of many rivers in the continental U.S. …Inspired by the many photos of the landforms sculpted by water, readers will be motivated to learn more from the text… The organization and detail make it an ideal source."

NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) Recommends

"…an instructive, beautiful work that combines Collier's passions for aviation, geology, photography and rivers. The photography commands center stage, making it easy to overlook a very descriptive and instructive text that pleasantly wanders and meanders, not unlike its subject matter… Recommended for General readers, lower-division undergraduates, two year technical program students and professionals."

Starred Review, Choice