In Search of Ancient Oregon

A Geological and Natural History

Geology is an extremely visual subject, and In Search of Ancient Oregon is a beautifully photographed, expertly written account of Oregon's fascinating geological story. Written by a passionate and professional geologist who has spent countless hours in the field exploring and photographing the state, In Search of Ancient Oregon is a book for all those interested in Oregon's landscapes and environments. It presents fine-art-quality color photographs of well-known features such as Mount Hood, Crater Lake, Smith Rock, Steens Mountain, the Columbia River Gorge, and Cannon Beach, and scenic, not so well known places such as Jordan Craters, Leslie Gulch, Abert Rim, Hells Canyon, Elkhorn Mountains, and Three Fingered Jack. Each of the more than 220 stunning photographs is accompanied by readable text, presenting the story of how Oregon's diverse landscapes evolved — and what we may expect in the future. Until now, no book has presented this dynamic story in a way that everyone interested in Oregon's natural history can easily understand. The combination of extraordinary photographs and the author's lucid explanations make this book both unique and essential for those curious about our own contemporary landscape.

Media reviews of this book:

"Highly recommended."

—J. M. Dahl, Choice, April 2004

"Bishop guides us through Oregon's formative epochs with the sure hand of a scientist who's comfortable communication beyond the often arcane confines of science."

—John Terry, Oregonian, September 29, 2003

"The author's photos bring the story of Oregon's landscapes to life."

—Publishers Weekly, September 22, 2003

"A riveting natural history ... Oregon's treasures sparkle even more when they're understood."

—Jonathan Nicholas, Oregonian, July 18, 2003

"Oregon's geological past is a bewildering landscape too complex to understand without the help of a skilled, knowledgeable guide. Ellen Morris Bishop is that guide, and this is the guidebook that can open the door to understanding some of the complexity that makes Oregon one of the most interesting places, geologically, on earth."

—Bill Andrus, East Oregonian, April 1, 2007

Customer reviews of this book:

"The spectacular color photography by the author made this a spontaneous buy."

—David V. from Sacramento, California, November 27, 2006

"Gorgeous! Highly informative and entertaining to any geology buff."

—Anonymous from Bend, OR, March 27, 2006

"I'm a geology nut, a believer in the wise use of resources, and I love this book! Outstanding organization, very readable, and fantastic photography!"

—John K. from Eugene, Oregon, September 26, 2005

"What a marvelous book! Masses of information, lively writing, clarity, marvelous and coordinated photos from hard to reach places, all beautifully presented. Masterly. Thank you all, especially Ellen Morris Bishop!"

—Anonymous from Salem, Oregon, May 9, 2005

"Excellent! I was a geology student 55 years ago — this was a beautiful refresher."

—John K. from Lake Oswego, Oregon, May 7, 2005

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An excerpt from this book:

Once upon a time, when dinosaurs roamed Montana and pterosaurs ruled the skies, there was no Oregon. In those days, more than 100 million years ago, Pacific waves broke on Idaho shores. McCall, 50 miles east of the border with Oregon, would have been a seaport, and Boise a coastal town. The Pacific Northwest was yet to be born. The oldest rocks of Oregon lay far offshore, gathering as coral-fringed islands in a shallow tropical sea. Oregon's most ancient rocks are almost 400 million years old. They developed in a Devonian world where armored fish patrolled the waters and amphibians pioneered the land ...

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