330 BOOK REVIEWS

Desert Aeolian Processes, V. P. Tchakerian (ed.), 1995,Chapman & Hall, London, 326 pp. ISBN 0-412-04241-X(B), £49

The outpouring of books on the geomorphology of wind,and on deserts, and sometimes on the two combined,continues apace. The title of this volume is somewhatmisleading for it implies a comprehensive survey. In fact thebook is a collection of thirteen papers from a session of theAnnual Conference of the Association of AmericanGeographers in 1992, prefaced by an introductory chapterby Tchakerian. It therefore provides a view of aeoliangeomorphology from the USA, for all bar one of the papersare by US-based authors about US-based studies. This is notin itself a bad thing. Indeed there is considerable virtue inhaving a book which represents the views of one sub-set ofthe peer group, but potential readers should be aware that itin no way represents the state-of-the-art even in the English­speaking world, for UK, Australasian and even Canadianresearchers are not represented here.

Despite these reservations, the book's weaknesses arealso its strengths. For the first time there are seven papers onthe Mojave Desert plus papers on the Algodones dunes, theSonora Desert, the Gran Desierto and the Californianventifacts in one volume. The odd-one-out is a paper aboutdunes on the Negev/Sinai border in Israel. Between them,the papers cover research on ventifacts, rock varnish,blowing dust, dunes and sand transport pathways, althoughthere is nothing here on loess. The book has taken a longtime to get to press so that, consequently, some of thematerial is familiar from other sources. However, some isnew, and it is valuable to have fuller reports of researchwhich up to now has only been partially reported.

The book will take its place alongside the otherspublished in the last five years. As with lots of the others ithas much worthy material, and it is good to see it as acollection. It does not provide a coherent assessment of theposition of research frontier in desert aeoliangeomorphology, but does show the strength and scope ofaeolian geomorphology in the USA.

IAN LIVINGSTONENene College ofHigher Education, Northampton

Geology in south-west Scotland: an excursion guide, P.Stone (ed.), 1996, British Geological Survey, Keyworth,Nottingham, 214 pp. ISBN 0-85272-261-3 (PB), £10.00.

To someone who was introduced to his first field geology inthe Girvan area more than 40 years ago, when the tectonicsignificance of ophiolites was hardly appreciated, thissplendid new field guide to southwest Scotland can beconsidered an eye-opener. Here we have a compilation ofgeological information which not only puts the Girvan areainto its proper modem plate tectonic context but also therest of this fascinating, geologically complex region. This is

done with great clarity and reflects great credit, not only onthe 24 Geological Survey and academic contributors, butalso on the editor P. Stone. I doubt if many peopleappreciate the onerous task taken on by editors in ensuringclarity and consistency of style in such publications. Theguide also has the great merit of not only locating theappropriate outcrops to be visited, but explaining what yousee when you get there and how what-ever-it-is you arelooking at originated. There are many field guides whichfall down on the latter points and virtually leave theinterpretation, somewhat unreasonably, to the visitor; thisone does not. What an asset this is, especially for a non­expert in geology. It positively encourages you to go outinto the field and see for yourself, and learn from what theexperts tell you.

But, to begin at the beginning. What do we get for theremarkably low price of £1O.00? Well, all told there are 18itineraries detailed, covering coastal and inland groundextending from Girvan and the Rhins of Galloway in thewest to Langholm and Canonbie in the east. They areclearly located on a diagram on the inside of the front cover.The individual itineraries are all well illustrated withlocation maps, and each carries a logistic section withregard to how to get there, information on BGS and OSmaps, memoirs and very sound advice on tidal, weather andeven heavy metal poisoning conditions that might be met.There is a welcome emphasis on safety in the field atappropriate points. All the itineraries have a summary ofwhat is on geological offer, so you know what to expectbefore ploughing through the details. The first 8 are ofgeneral geological interest and are suitable for all levels ofgeological background, whereas the following 6 are said tobe more technical in approach, more thematic, and possiblyappreciated better by more knowledgeable visitors, but Ireally think that no amateurs should be deterred by thesecomments in the preface. Explanations are consistentlyclear, and there is a glossary of geological terms and list ofmineral names to help you through some of the stickypatches. I feel you would miss much interesting andcomparatively easy-to-understand geology if you took toomuch unnecessary fright. (The only mind-boggling sectionin the whole guide, a kind of purplish technical prose inplaces, is in the introductory section dealing withmetamorphism). All these itineraries are designed on thebasis that each one could be covered in one day, if you putyour skates on. I suspect that most individuals would ratherspend lots of time at fewer localities, especially on a nicesunny day by the sea. Student parties and professionalgroups are notorious for dashing like demented cats aroundthe countryside, packing in as many outcrops as possible,but why should you? The final 4 itineraries do tend toinvolve more travelling distance and legwork (anything upto 10 km) than the others, again following geologicalthemes such as graptolite biostratigraphy and the MoniaiveShear Zone, and they are designed to occupy you for 3 to 4days. Although access to some of the graptolite localities inthe former is dependent on tides and gaining permissionfrom local farmers, which can be more difficult than it