author
Donald E. Trimble
b. 1916
A longtime U.S. Geological Survey geologist, he wrote clear, approachable books that helped general readers understand the landscapes of the American West. His best-known work, The Geologic Story of the Great Plains, turns deep time and sweeping terrain into an engaging story.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in North Dakota in 1916, Donald E. Trimble spent decades as a field geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. Records of his papers describe a career built around research, writing, photographs, and geological studies, and family recollections say he worked for more than thirty years with the USGS.
Trimble wrote extensively about western geology, including Geology of Portland, Oregon, and adjacent areas and The Geologic Story of the Great Plains. That latter book was written as a nontechnical introduction, showing his gift for explaining how large landscapes formed in language that interested nonspecialists as well as experts.
He died in Salt Lake City in 2011, just short of his 95th birthday. Even in the titles of his books, you can feel the appeal of his work: careful science, wide-open country, and a desire to help readers see familiar land with fresh eyes.