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Under The Microscope

ROCKED AND RUPTURED - GEOLOGICAL FAULTS IN NEW ZEALAND by Jefley J. Aitken; Reed Books in association with the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, 1999; 88 pp; $29.95

Reviewed by Julia Lawrence

This book about New Zealand geological faults is easy to understand and aimed at lay people. I feel it provides a useful introduction to the structure of the earth, plate tectonics and earthquakes. It also goes through each area of New Zealand and discusses the structure, faults and earthquakes of each area.

Rocked and Ruptured really appealed to me. It's logically organised, with lots of clear diagrams and colour photos. I particularly liked the experiments to do at home - deformation experiments with Moro bars.

The only fault I find with this book is in looking at the photos, I'm not always sure of what I'm supposed to be looking at.

Jefley Aitken is the science writer/editor and publications manager with the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences. I have read some of her other publications and this book is definitely up to her usual high standards.

Julia Lawrence is a graduate of Otago University, interested in earthquakes.