OLDROYD, D. R. (ed.) 2002. The Earth Inside and Out: Some Major Contributions to Geology in the Twentieth Century. Geological Society Special Publication no. 192. vi + 369 pp. London, Bath: Geological Society of London. Price £85.00, US $142.00; members' price £42.50, US $71.00; AAPG members' price £51.00, US $85.00 (hard covers). ISBN 1 86239 096 7

Abstract

This volume is the latest in a line of books published on the history of geology by the Geological Society of London in its handsome ‘Special Publications’ series. It follows volumes devoted to Charles Lyell (1998), James Hutton (1999) and the Age of the Earth (2001), and considers the genesis, development and impact of theories, ideas and methodologies of more recent and contemporary geologists and research teams. This book and its contents might surprise latter-day geologists, many of whom would probably not consider examining what was frontier research as little as two decades ago from a historical and philosophical perspective. Indeed, a colleague of mine, who is still research-active, was somewhat amused on being told that he featured in a photograph illustrating one of the eassays found in this book. Yet this book gives valuable insights into the construction of some aspects of modern geological thought, such as geomagnetism and thermodynamics; insights which can help the formulation of new research, building on the not-so-distant past. This volume contains fifteen papers, eight of which were presented at a meeting of the International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences (INHIGEO) held during the International Geological Congress in Rio de Janeiro in August 2000. The additional papers as well as Oldroyd’s insightful introductory piece were commissioned specially for this book. INHIGEO is a commission of the IUGS and has 170 members worldwide representing 37 countries. Active in promoting research into the history of geology, it holds annual symposia, the proceedings of many of which are subsequently published. Early in his introductory chapter David Oldroyd recalls the view of the historian Derek Price who noted in 1965 that …