Earth.

JAMES F. LUHR, ED.

Using state-of-the-art imaging techniques, Luhr has created a dynamic and visually stimulating look at Earth from the inside out. Divided into five sections, this massive volume explores the land, ocean, atmosphere, tectonic structure, and physical history of our planet. Luhr teams with contributors from the Smithsonian Institution to dissect various facets of each topic, including rocks, minerals, mountains, geological formations, tropical rain forests, clouds, and forces shaping Earth's surface, such as meteorite impacts, erosion, and soil deposition. Photographs and diagrams bolster each description. Short profiles of scientists, as well as of specific rivers, glaciers, and volcanoes, provide context. A massive time line tracks the 4.56-billion-year history of the planet, and a glossary clarifies relevant terms. DK, 2003, 520 p., color photos/Illus., hardcover, $50.00.