This is a wonderful record of Mike Searles 30 year geological explorations of the high mountains of Asia. He writes as clearly and concisely as he talks, always making huge geological dramas intelligible and interesting to the layman as well as to the expert. Whether you view the Himalaya and Karakoram as a giant exercise bar or a place for spiritual renewal, you will find this geological history of the high mountains of Asia absolutely fascinating. Doug Scott, Climber and Amateur Geologist An intimate anatomy of the greatest mountain range in the planet, revealed by a geologist who has walked, scrambled and climbed over virtually every inch of it. Iain Stewart, Geologist and Broadcaster

Mike Searle is Professor of Earth Sciences at Oxford University. He has worked for the last 30 years on the geology of the Himalaya, Karakoram, Tibet, and Southeast Asia, combining geological field investigations with mountaineering expeditions to the greater ranges. He is the author of Geology andTectonics of the Karakoram Mountains and has co-edited four books for the Geological Society of London. He has also starred on two TV series: BBC's Earth Story and the History Channel's How the Earth was Made.

Preface ; 1. Oceans and continents ; 2. Continents in collision: Kashmir, Ladakh, Zanskar ; 3. The dreaming spires of the Karakoram ; 4. Pressure, temperature, time, and space ; 5. Frozen rivers and fault lines ; 6. Northwest Frontier: Kohistan, Hindu Kush, Pamirs ; 7. Faces of Everest ; 8. Mapping the geology of Everest and Makalu ; 9. Mountains and Maoists: Annapurna, Manaslu ; 10. Around the bend: Nanga Parbat, Namche Barwa ; 11. Roof of the World: Tibet, Pamirs ; 12. Extruding Indochina: Burma, Vietnam, Yunnan, Thailand ; 13. The day the Earth shook: Sumatra-Andaman earthquake 2004 ; 14. The making of Himalaya, Karakoram, and Tibetan plateau ; Postscript ; Acknowledgements ; Appendix 1: Basics ; Appendix 2: Glossary ; Appendix 3: Local glossary ; Appendix 4: Chronology ; Notes ; Index