Requirements

In order to receive extra credit through this opportunity you will need to read one (or more) of the books from the following list. After reading the book you will write a paper (5-10 pages) that focuses on some aspect of geology that was discussed in the book you read. I expect your paper to go beyond a simple recounting of the book. You should synthesize the discussion from the book with material that you've learned in class or some other source (journal article, web site, etc.) in such a way that it demonstrates to me that you have an understanding of the geologic event/process that goes beyond what was covered in the book alone. In addition to the written paper, you will be required to spend at least a half hour discussing the book (all of it, not just the aspect covered in your paper) with me. I will assign extra credit based on both your written summary and oral discussion, at my sole discretion. Due to the differing lengths of the books some will offer a greater opportunity for credit than others. Papers must be submitted at least two days prior to our oral discussion. Last date for paper submissions is Friday, December 10th. Last day for oral discussions is Wednesday, December 15th. You must schedule your discussion with me at least three days in advance.

Here is the "approved" list of books:
• Annals of the Former World by John McPhee
• T. Rex and the Crater of Doom by Walter Alvarez
• Beyond the Hundredth Meridian: John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West by Wallace Stegner
• Cadillac Desert: The West and its Disappearing Water by Marc Reisner
• The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology by Simon Winchester
• Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester
• Basin and Range by John McPhee
• In Suspect Terrain by John McPhee
• Rising From the Plains by John McPhee
• Assembling California by John McPhee
• Snowball Earth: The Story of a Maverick Scientist and His Theory of the Global Catastrophe That Spawned Life As We Know It by Gabrielle Walker
• The Man Who Found Time: James Hutton and the Discovery of Earth's Antiquity by Jack Repcheck
• A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr
• Volcano Cowboys: The Rocky Evolution of a Dangerous Science by Dick Thompson
• The Creationists by Ronald L. Numbers
• The Seashell on the Mountaintop by Alan Cutler
• The Rejection of Continental Drift by Naomi Oreskes
• Exploring the Highest Sierra by James G. Moore
• The Prize : The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power by Daniel Yergin
• Hubbert's Peak: The Impending World Oil Shortage by Kenneth S. Deffeyes
• Beyond Oil: The View from Hubbert's Peak by Kenneth S. Deffeyes
• Stories in Stone: Travels Through Urban Geology by David B. Williams
• Sand: The Never-Ending Story by Michael Welland
• Island in a Storm: A Rising Sea, a Vanishing Coast, and a Nineteenth-Century Disaster that Warns of a Warmer World by Abby Sallenger
• Others by prior arrangement...

Caveats, Clarifications, and Fine Print

Read all of the following before embarking on this assignment:

• Please let me know ASAP which of these books you're reading - I've read most of them, but there are a few I haven't read yet.
• You are on your own when it comes to obtaining a copy of these books to read. Although I have copies of many of these books, it is not logistically feasible for me to lend them. The links above are to Amazon.com (this does not constitute an endorsement of Amazon - they just happen to have a rather complete catalog of linkable titles with accompanying summaries and reviews). Some of these books may be available in the library or in local bookstores.
• If you think another book would qualify for this list please clear it with me before you invest much time in it.
• Maximum possible extra credit is 10% of the total grade (nominally one full grade). Most of these books will achieve a maximum of only 5% extra credit (half a grade). Therefore if you want the full extra credit you may need to take advantage of the opportunity twice (two books, two papers, two discussions). There is no limit to the number of books you may read, but extra credit is capped at 10%.
• Simply reading a book, writing 5 pages, and talking to me for a half hour is no guarantee of any extra credit. I expect quality.
• Those who qualify as "slackers" may still earn up to 10% extra credit, but will need to put twice as much effort in to achieve that, since each submission is discounted 50%.