High Places: Cultural Geographies of Mountains, Ice and Science
High places--be they mountain peaks or the vast expanses of the polar latitudes--have always captured the human imagination. Inaccessible, extreme, they are commonly invested with awe and reverence, as places of physical challenge, intense experience. Increasingly, they are also treated as unique locations for science. High Places explores the fascinating geographies of these special environments, revealing how senses are challenged, objectivities exposed, cultural assumptions laid bare.
This book is a ground breaking and highly illustrated study challenging existing plate tectonics theory. It describes mountains from all over the world, analysing their rocks, structure and age to ascertain what led to their formation.
Jake Barton, a tough, hard-punching engineer from Texas, and Gareth Swales, a stylish old-Etonlan gun-runner down on his luck, make a lucrative arms deal with an Ethiopian prince, and dare to challenge the international blockade on land and sea to deliver a consignment of ancient and decrepit armoured cars to his beleaguered countrymen.
This book takes readers on a globe-spanning tour of dramatic mountain formations, from block mountains to volcanic sea mountains to high-altitude-landform "sky islands." The direct text invites attention to the complexity of these peaks, their changing nature, and related environmental issues. Enhanced with resources for further investigation, "Mountains" also includes a collection of vivid photographs and line illustrations, as well as a stunning eight-page, full-color insert, sure to catch the browser's eye.
