RISING FROM THE PLAINS

RISING FROM THE PLAINS is the third part of ANNALS OF THE FORMER WORLD, McPhee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning account of the geology encountered along the fortieth parallel as it crosses the United States. This part deals with the state of Wyoming and presents a fascinating geological history of the state while profiling a field geologist who has contributed greatly to our understanding of the region. The text moves back and forth between sections of descriptive and analytic geology, and sections describing the geologist and his parents. Narrator Nelson Runger manages these transitions effectively. He also keeps the listener interested in even the most technical explanations, using pauses and emphasis to maintain clarity. R.E.K. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 00]