"Rock" in the New Year!

Interested in rocks, minerals, and gemstones? These books contain everything you need to know, as well as ideas for crafts, using rocks in gardens and landscaping, history, fossils, and more!

Updated November 24, 2025
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The hour of land : a personal topography of America's national parks
Williams, Terry Tempest.
Paper Book
America's national parks are breathing spaces in a world in which such spaces are steadily disappearing, which is why more than 300 million people visit the parks each year. Now Terry Tempest Williams, the author of the environmental classic Refuge and the beloved memoir When...

333.78 W675 2016

Blood runs coal : the Yablonski murders and the battle for the United Mine Workers of America
Bradley, Mark A.
Paper Book
Finalist for the 2021 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Fact Crime The shocking assassination that catalyzed groundbreaking reform in Big Coal. In the early hours of New Year's Eve 1969, in the small soft coal mining borough of Clarksville, Pennsylvania, longtime trade...

364.1523 Yablonski Bradley 2020

The writing of the gods : the race to decode the Rosetta Stone
Dolnick, Edward
Paper Book
The fast-paced and "engrossing account" (The New York Times Book Review) of "one of the greatest breakthroughs in archaeological history" (The Christian Science Monitor): two rival geniuses in a race to decode the writing on one of the world's most famous documents--the...

493.1 Dolnick 2021

The Firefly guide to minerals, rocks & gems
Hochleitner, Rupert
Paper Book
Step-by-step Questions and Answers with detailed color photographs for easy identification. The Firefly Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Gems is designed for easy and reliable identification of minerals, gems and rocks. The identification process begins with the stone's streak color,...

549 Hochleitner 2019

Fifty minerals that changed the course of history
Chaline, Eric.
Paper Book
Praise for Fifty Animals that Changed the Course of History: It's the sort of book that has you saying 'Wow, listen to this...' and 'Did you know...' to companions over and over. --The Globe and Mail Fifty Minerals that Changed the Course of History<...

549.09 Ch35 2012

A brief history of Earth : four billion years in eight chapters
Knoll, Andrew H.
Paper Book
Harvard's acclaimed geologist "charts Earth's history in accessible style" (AP) "A sublime chronicle of our planet." -Booklist, STARRED review How well do you know the ground beneath your feet  Odds are, where you're standing was once cooking...

551 Knoll 2021

Mountains of fire : the menace, meaning, and magic of volcanoes
Oppenheimer, Clive
Paper Book
Meeting with volcanoes around the world, a volcanologist interprets their messages for humankind.   In Mountains of Fire, Clive Oppenheimer invites readers to stand with him in the shadow of an active volcano. Whether he is scaling majestic summits,...

551.21 Oppenheimer 2023

Gem : the definitive visual guide
Raden, Aja
Paper Book
Prepare to be dazzled by this shining and sumptuous visual guide to the world's greatest treasures.  Feast your eyes on glittering gemstones, kaleidoscopic minerals, and famous trinkets in this comprehensive exploration of Earth's finest jewels. Following a...

553.8 Gem 2016

Dinosaurs rediscovered : the scientific revolution in paleontology
Benton, M. J.
Paper Book
Over the past twenty years, the study of dinosaurs has transformed into a true scientific discipline. New technologies have revealed secrets locked in prehistoric bones that no one could have previously predicted. We can now work out the color of dinosaurs, the force of their bite, their top...

567.9 Benton 2019

Fossil men : the quest for the oldest skeleton and the origins of humankind
Pattison, Kermit
Paper Book
"Riveting. ... Pattison's uncanny ability [is] to write evocatively about science. ... In this, he is every bit as good as the best scientist writers." --New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)  "Brilliant. ... A work of staggering depth." --Minneapolis Star Tribune

569.9 Pattison 2020

Rock gardening : reimagining a classic style
Tychonievich, Joseph
Paper Book
AHS Book Award winner   Rock gardening --the art of growing alpines and other miniature plants in the company of rocks in order to recreate the look of a rugged mountaintop--has been surging in popularity. Time and space constraints, chronic drought in...

635.9672 Tychonievich 2016

Garden paths & stepping stones
Dillard, Tara.
Paper Book
Pathways around your home can be the most striking outdoor element, providing a visual and physical guide through your surroundings. Instead of settling for boring straight-line sidewalks, why not create your own geography with paths that add art to necessity! Let this lush visual resource for...

712.6 D581

Rock art critters : paint the perfect pebble
Scicluna, Denise
Paper Book
Over 40 creative projects to transform ordinary rocks into cute and colorful animals, bugs, or fish! Helpful pictures and clear instructions will have kids and adults enjoying hours of artistic fun! Get ready to rock on! In this helpful guide, readers will discover: Tips for...

751.426 Scicluna 2018

Stonehenge : a new understanding : solving the mysteries of the greatest stone age monument
Parker Pearson, Michael
Paper Book
Stonehenge stands as an enduring link to our prehistoric ancestors, yet the secrets it has guarded for thousands of years have long eluded us. Until now, the millions of enthusiasts who flock to the iconic site have made do with mere speculation--about Stonehenge's celestial significance,...

936.2 P229 2013

Stampede : gold fever and disaster in the Klondike
Castner, Brian
Paper Book
A gripping and wholly original account of the epic human tragedy that was the great Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-98. One hundred thousand men and women rushed heedlessly north to make their fortunes; very few did, but many thousands of them died in the attempt. In 1897, the United...

971.91 Castner 2021

Jungle of stone : the true story of two men, their extraordinary journey, and the discovery of the lost civilization of the Maya
Carlsen, William
Paper Book
The acclaimed chronicle of the discovery of the legendary lost civilization of the Maya. Includes the history of the major Maya sites, including Palenque, Uxmal, Chichen Itza, Tuloom, Copan, and more. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Illustrated with a map and more than 100 images. ...

972.81 C197 2016

Ghost town living : mining for purpose and chasing dreams at the edge of Death Valley
Underwood, Brent
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER . A long-abandoned silver mine for sale sounded like an adventure too great to passup, but it turned into much more-a calling, a community of millions, and hard-earned lessons about chasing impractical dreams. "Inspiring and meditative-the...

979.487 Underwood 2024


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