The 10 Best Geology Textbooks

Essentials of Geology (about $123) is now in its 13th edition, and it's lasted as a university-level text because of constant refining over the years by dedicated educators who are committed to relating the basic principles of this discipline in a way that's easy to understand.

Featuring a stamp of approval from National Geographic, Glencoe Earth Science (around $58) delivers a whopping 1,056 pages of information by a number of knowledgeable authors, acting as a perfect companion to high school and university coursework.

It can be difficult to communicate the vast scope of our world's history, which is why it's so helpful that The Changing Earth (about $70) connects ideas like plate tectonics and organic evolution to modern issues such as fracking and nuclear waste.

Great for homeschooling parents on a budget, the GEOL Student Edition (about $68) is designed to look like a magazine, so it can keep kids interested even when there are a lot of distractions around. The virtual field trips bring out the fun of science.

Home to both the highest and lowest points in the continental United States, the Golden State makes a great introduction to this field, and California's Amazing Geology (appx. $46) aims to inspire students by explaining how the wonders of the area formed over billions of years.

There are only so many times you can explain rocks in a classroom before kids get bored. Geology Of National Parks (appx. $116) solves this problem with more than 400 awe-inspiring images of beautiful landscapes that show places they can actually visit.

Those attempting to educate themselves at home need something that doesn't require a PhD to understand. Geology: A Complete Introduction (about $14), part of the Teach Yourself series, has a helpful glossary of terms, so you can look up anything you don't remember from high school.

If you know any budding scientists, consider starting them off with Focus On Elementary Geology (around $25), which includes full-color photographs of cool, natural occurrences, like earthquakes and volcanoes, that will encourage their interest.

The latest update in a series that has been published for more than 25 years, Physical Geology (around $92) goes to great lengths to help those who are taking their first introductory course to avoid feeling overwhelmed as they tackle broad topics.

An advanced read for students pursuing careers in the field, Geology Applied to Engineering (appx. $90) aims to show how the principles learned in earlier courses can be applied in the real world through projects like the evaluation of potential construction sites.