Carbonate Diagenesis as a Control on Stratigraphic Traps, Mark W. Longman. Eucations Course Note Series No. 21 of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 1982. No. of pages: 159. Price: U.S. $7.00. (Soft cover)

✍ Scribed by R. G. C. Bathurst

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 96 KB
• Volume: 18
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0072-1050
• DOI: 10.1002/gj.3350180216

✦ Synopsis

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BOOK REVIEWS

1981. Consequently the book suffers from an absence of more recently published data and several contributions contain statements to this effect as footnotes. Additionally, the book contains many typographical and other errors. In a book of this size and scope this is somewhat inevitable, but more careful editing both within and between contributions would have avoided some of them. For example, Scolithus (Wolfhart), Skofilhus (Klitzsch) and the correct Skolithos (Crimes, Laird, Rust, Spjeldnaes) is misleading to uniformed readers as is the perpetuation of Harlania ((= Arthrophycus). References are often omitted (e.g. Klitzsch 1963-h Crimes), misquoted (e.g. S. E. Williams 1974, 1 9 5 ; G. E. Williams 1974 in the text, G. E. Williams 1972E. Williams , 1975 in the references-in Spjeldnaes) or misspelled (e.g. Schrenk, Scrotese (actually Schenk, Scotese)-in Spjeldnaes). The plates have generally reproduced poorly and are, on the whole, of scenic interest rather than of scientific value. The line diagrams are, however, of excellent quality and more than compensate for the unfortunate inclusion of uninformative plates.

Despite all these shortcomings I believe the book is an unparalleled and excellent summarj of Lower Palaeozoic geology of northeast and southern Africa, the Middle East and Antarctica and, in addition, provides an informative overview of Lower Palaeozoic palaeoclimatology. Undoubtedly it will be a source reference for many years to come and perhaps will also encourage its readers to recognize that much research remains to be undertaken in all facets of geology in these areas.

Unfortunately, its outrageous price will probably necessitate inclusion only on library shelves.