IN SUSPECT TERRAIN

Rocks tell a story, according to geologist Anita Harris, and it’s her job to discover it. John McPhee takes on the job of telling her story--both of geology and her life--to give relevance to the scientific information presented. The connection to Harris’s life is evident in a tour of New York, as well as Harris’s hometown, which both detail the effects of topography on construction. McPhee’s writing is often dramatic as he explains Harris’s challenge of “the gospel of plate tectonics.” Reader Nelson Runger handles the material competently, enunciating clearly so the listener can grasp the information. However, his reading shies away from the human angle and seems too much like a lecture. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 00]