SKU: 39657104789

The Mountains of Saint Francis: Discovering the Geologic Events That Shaped Our Earth

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The Mountains of Saint Francis: Discovering the Geologic Events That Shaped Our EarthModern geologists, Walter Alvarez among them, showed in the last decades of the twentieth century that the history of our planet has witnessed events profoundly more dramatic than even the most spectacular chapters in human history. More violent than wars, more life altering than revolutions understanding the geologic events that have shaped the Earth's surface is the quest and the passion of geologists. In the knowledgeable and graceful prose of

Modern geologists, Walter Alvarez among them, showed in the last decades of the twentieth century that the history of our planet has witnessed events profoundly more dramatic than even the most spectacular chapters in human history. More violent than wars, more life altering than revolutions--understanding the geologic events that have shaped the Earth's surface is the quest and the passion of geologists. In the knowledgeable and graceful prose of Alvarez, general readers are led to explore the many mysteries that our planet guards.

The author has chosen Italy as a microcosm in which to explore this amazing past for several reasons. First, it is the land where the earliest geologists learned how to read the history of the Earth, written in nature's rock archives. Second, it is where Alvarez and his Italian geological friends have continued to decipher the rock record, uncovering more historical episodes from the Earth's past. And third, the lovely land of Italy is unusually rich in geological treasures and offers examples of the key processes that have created the landscapes of the entire world.

The Mountains of Saint Francis begins in Rome. We discover that the landscape of Rome was built by violent volcanic eruptions in the very recent past, almost certainly witnessed by our human ancestors. Next we travel to Siena and come face to face with a fundamental discovery of the geologists--that much of the dry land that we currently inhabit was once underwater, beneath ancient seas or oceans. Then we stop in the small medieval city of Gubbio and contemplate the amazing secret that the limestone rocks kept hidden for 65 million years--that a huge asteroid smashed into the Earth, disrupting the environment so severely that the dinosaurs, and perhaps half of the other forms of life inhabiting the Earth at the time, disappeared forever, opening the way for the rise of the mammals and eventually of humans.

The impact theory that came from those Italian limestones at Gubbio was one of the great geological discoveries of the twentieth century. Just as important to the field of geology was the theory of plate tectonics--the understanding that the outer layer of the Earth is divided into crustal plates that move around, sometimes carrying continents into collisions with one another, like the great collision between Italy and Europe that built the Alps. And yet, to explain the Mountains of Saint Francis requires something more than a collision between continents. These are mountains that are still jealously guarding the secret of their past, and in this book we go along with the geological detectives as they try to uncover that secret. It is a journey that has seen the land of Italy lifted out of the sea, squashed and folded, torn apart, left high and dry when the Mediterranean Sea evaporated away, and then flooded when the Atlantic waters poured back in.

The story of the Earth's history is fascinating in its own right, but with Alvarez as the tour guide, the journey takes on a human dimension, full of stories about the landscape and history of Italy and about the great geologists who uncovered the deep past of this land. It is a journey recounted in warm tones and subtle colors, reflecting the transcendent beauty of Italy itself.



Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 12/01/2008
ISBN: 9780393061857
Pages: 304
Weight: 1.27lbs
Size: 9.28h x 6.44w x 0.98d

Review Citations: Library Journal Prepub Alert 01/14/2008 pg. 62
Publishers Weekly 05/26/2008 pg. 48
Library Journal 06/15/2008 pg. 88
Kirkus Reviews 06/15/2008 pg. 627
Booklist 07/01/2008 pg. 22
Scitech Book News 12/01/2008 pg. 56
Choice 06/01/2009
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SKU: 39657104789

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Deholle
Boise, US
★★★★★ 4
Tuffy Desert Phrog vs Lola
Color: Green Leaping Phrog, Color: Green Leaping Phrog
Just a little background about my dog. Lola is a 5 year old corgi-terrier mix with jaws of steal. Lesser stuffed toys have met death in under 5 minutes. Tennis balls last less than a day. Rope toys that do not have frayed ends might possibly last a week (frayed ends never stand a chance). The only toys that she has not managed to destroy are her Kong, a Kong bone, and a racquet ball. I figured I would document the life span of Phrog (Tuffy Scale: 9) before making my final judgement on it’s durability. Day 1 - Phrog Arrives! Lola was very excited about the arrival of Phrog and immediately went into destruction mode. Phrog did sustain a little damage before we were able to bribe her to drop Phrog and get her understand that he was more fun to play fetch with than to mutilate. The white you see in the picture is not stuffing, but the second layer of defense for the toy. The fact that my living room is not full of stuffing and I didn’t have to pry a squeaker out of my dog’s mouth, I’d say Phrog wins the Day 1 challenge. Day 9 - Phrog has sustained a little more damage, but not anything life threatening. His side wound is a little bit larger and one of his eyes is half ripped off. For safety reasons, I am going to finish removing the damaged eye and some loose thread from various places. Other than that, Phrog is still holding up and holds top toy spot. I have also found him very useful for dealing with anxiety; the squeaker can often distract her from her stressors and Phrog takes the abuse of her frustrations. Day 16 - Phrog is starting to show signs of mortal wounds. Lola has made it through the thicker layer around his arm and I can see the stuffing. It is only a matter of time before gets all the way through. Day 60 - Phrog still lives!!! I have done some surgery on Phrog to reinforce the fabric around his arms, but Franken-Phrog is still the favorite of all of the toys. She will even get brave enough to rescue Phrog from the evil vacuum when he is kidnapped and tortured. I am thinking about purchasing Phrog II for the inevitable day when Phrog goes off to the pet toyland in the sky, but for now, there is only one Phrog for Lola.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2018
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Verified Purchase
michael parsley
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 5
Super tough
Color: Red Warthog
My dogs love these toys!!!
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Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2026
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Amazon Customer
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
Long lasting play toy!
Color: Multicolor
Tuffy toys in general are great and they are a pretty good deal on Amazon. They are not indestructible, and if your dogs use them as chew toys they will eventually break through. My dogs have had this Armadillo since Christmas (and they do chew on it some) and the only thing missing is an ear. They like to play tug-of-war with it a lot. This is a bigger toy, but even my forty pound dog plays with it. I would not recommend this toy for dogs smaller than Border Collie size. You can make these Tuffy toys last longer if you don't allow your dogs to chew them--when your dogs starts chewing on non-chew toys trade them for a chew toy and when you catch your dog chewing on a chew-approved toy reward them for chewing. Eventually your dog will catch on and realize that if they want to chew there are certain toys that are allowed for that. In addition to being a great play toy this is a pretty cute toy too!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2015
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Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 1
Not Tuff
Color: Black Yellow Phrog, Color: Black Yellow Phrog
Absolutely terrible and not “tuff” at all. My chocolate lab had this thing destroyed in less than two hours. I would not recommend these for the price.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2026
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Carrie Ann Moore
Lexington, US
★★★★★ 3
Cute but Not Durable
Color: 2PK Green Leaping Phrog
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Cute but Not Durable Super cute toy—my dogs loved it right away! Unfortunately, they chewed the head off within a few hours. I ordered a second one because they were so into it, but the same thing happened again. I won’t be ordering a third, but they still play with their two headless frogs. So while it’s not the most durable, it definitely kept them entertained!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2025

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