author
John Chronic
1921–1996
A geologist and teacher who helped make Colorado’s landscape easier to understand, he wrote books that turned rocky terrain into vivid, readable stories. His work is especially remembered for bringing the geology of the American West to general readers.
1 Audiobook
Prairie, Peak, and Plateau: A Guide to the Geology of Colorado
by John Chronic, Halka Chronic
About the author
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 3, 1921, he was known as John Chronic and built his career as a geologist, educator, and writer. A memorial published by the Geological Society of America records that he died on July 15, 1996, at age 75.
Chronic taught at the University of Colorado and wrote about geology in a way that welcomed non-specialists as well as experts. He is best known to many readers as the co-author, with Halka Chronic, of Prairie, Peak, and Plateau: A Guide to the Geology of Colorado, a book that helped explain the state’s mountains, plains, and deep geologic history in clear language.
His published work and professional record show a lifelong focus on the geology of Colorado and the broader American West. Even today, his books stand out for making earth science feel approachable, practical, and closely tied to the places people actually travel through and live in.