The Placitas Community Library will host author Magdalena Donahue for a presentation on her latest book, “Roadside Geology of New Mexico,” at 2 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Gracie Lee Community Room.
The recently released second edition is a comprehensive update of the original guide, featuring full-color photography and new highway descriptions focused on scenic routes and popular destinations. The book incorporates decades of advances in geological research since the publication of the first edition.
“Whether you’re an amateur rockhound, seasoned geologist, or curious traveler, Roadside Geology of New Mexico is your passport to understanding the state’s rich and varied geologic history,” according to the library’s announcement.
The guide covers New Mexico’s geological features, from the southern desert lowlands to the northern mountain peaks, explaining landscapes shaped by ancient seas, tectonic uplift, and volcanic activity. It includes detailed milepost-keyed geological maps for featured routes, cross-sections and hundreds of photographs.
Readers can explore descriptions of bottomless lakes, fossilized dinosaur trackways, lava tubes, limestone caverns, tent rocks, cinder cones and gypsum dunes throughout the state.
Donahue, who grew up in northern New Mexico, earned her bachelor’s degree in Geological Sciences and Fine Arts from the University of Oregon and her master’s and doctoral degrees in Earth & Planetary Sciences from the University of New Mexico.
She is also the author of “Colorado Rocks: A Guide to Geologic Sites in the Centennial State” (2021) and is preparing “Hiking the Highpoints of America.”
The presentation is free and open to the public. More information about Donahue and her work is available at www.magdalenadonahue.com.
The Placitas Community Library is located at 453 Highway 165. For more information, visit www.placitaslibrary.com or call 505-867-3355.