Living with Thunder: Exploring the Geologic Past, Present, and Future of the Pacific Northwest
| AUTHOR | Bishop, Ellen Morris |
| PUBLISHER | Oregon State University Press (10/28/2025) |
| PRODUCT TYPE | Paperback (Paperback) |
"In geology, the present is the key to the past. And the past is also a touchstone of the future. We would do well to heed the stories the stones have to tell." --from the Introduction
Updated throughout, this second edition of Living with Thunder provides readers with a robust introduction to the geological history of the Pacific Northwest--a landscape born of thunderous volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and island-continent collisions. By combining engaging science writing with stunning color photographs, Ellen Morris Bishop presents an up-to-date geologic survey of Washington, Oregon, Northern California, and western Idaho. Whether examining new findings about the Yellowstone hotspot's rampage across Oregon, an updated history of Cascadia earthquakes, Mount Hood's 1793-1795 eruptions, the arrival of Indigenous peoples at least 18,000 years ago, or how Pacific Northwest eruptions and tectonics influenced past climate changes, Bishop's gift as a scientist and storyteller engages general readers, geological nonspecialists, and students of the Earth sciences, alike.
Highlighting the Northwest's exceptional record of past climate changes and the implications for our future, the book outlines new understandings about the climatic consequences of major geologic events and their dramatic influences on ecosystems and ancient life. It also examines the confluence of scientific findings with Native American experience, stories, and traditional knowledge of earthquakes, eruptions, and more. With new illustrations, enhanced maps, the latest geologic timescale, and an extensive list of updated references and recommended readings, Living with Thunder offers a key to understanding the Northwest's unique, long-term geologic heritage by giving voice to the rocks and their histories.
"In geology, the present is the key to the past. And the past is also a touchstone of the future. We would do well to heed the stories the stones have to tell." --from the Introduction
Updated throughout, this second edition of Living with Thunder provides readers with a robust introduction to the geological history of the Pacific Northwest--a landscape born of thunderous volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and island-continent collisions. By combining engaging science writing with stunning color photographs, Ellen Morris Bishop presents an up-to-date geologic survey of Washington, Oregon, Northern California, and western Idaho. Whether examining new findings about the Yellowstone hotspot's rampage across Oregon, an updated history of Cascadia earthquakes, Mount Hood's 1793-1795 eruptions, the arrival of Indigenous peoples at least 18,000 years ago, or how Pacific Northwest eruptions and tectonics influenced past climate changes, Bishop's gift as a scientist and storyteller engages general readers, geological nonspecialists, and students of the Earth sciences, alike.
Highlighting the Northwest's exceptional record of past climate changes and the implications for our future, the book outlines new understandings about the climatic consequences of major geologic events and their dramatic influences on ecosystems and ancient life. It also examines the confluence of scientific findings with Native American experience, stories, and traditional knowledge of earthquakes, eruptions, and more. With new illustrations, enhanced maps, the latest geologic timescale, and an extensive list of updated references and recommended readings, Living with Thunder offers a key to understanding the Northwest's unique, long-term geologic heritage by giving voice to the rocks and their histories.
With more than two decades of experience in geological research and a firsthand knowledge of the landscapes of Oregon, Ellen is eminently qualified to reveal the state's unique history. Ellen has earned degrees in geology from Dickinson College (B.S.) and Oregon State University (M.S. and Ph.D.) and completed postgraduate studies with the geological research division of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Her research helped define Oregon's exotic terranes, including the Baker terrane, and the terranes of the Blue Mountains. An avid educator, Ellen has held both research and teaching positions at Marylhurst University, Lewis and Clark College, Eastern Oregon University, the University of Arkansas, Sul Ross State University, and Oregon State University. In these roles she has authored multiple technical publications and educated up-and-coming geologists. She has lived in communities throughout Oregon -- from Portland to Madras, and Eugene to La Grande -- and regularly hikes the diverse landscapes that make up Oregon's backcountry.
While geologists have a mantra that the present is the key to the past, Ellen strongly believes that the past is also a key to the future. This has led her to use her expertise about geology and past ecosystems to educate the public about environmental issues. She has worked as director of the Pacific Rivers Council's Community Rivers Program, as public education coordinator for the Columbia River Bioregion Campaign, and as an extended day coordinator and grant writer for the SUN (Schools Uniting Neighborhoods) program at Whitaker Middle School. She has also organized many conferences that have addressed environmental and geological issues. In her role as staff writer for "The Columbian" (Vancouver, Washington) and freelance writer for "The Oregonian" (Portland), Ellen has regularly informed the public about scientific, environmental, and technological issues.
Ellen also has substantial training and experience as a professional photographer. She has worked as a photojournalist for several papers throughout the Northwest, and her landscape photos have been used and displayed by the Sierra Club, Oregon Natural Resources Council, and the Nature Conservancy.