F. D. Stacey & P. M. Davis 2008. Physics of the Earth , 4th ed. xiii + 532 pp. Cambridge, New York, Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. Price £40.00, US $80.00 (hard covers). ISBN 9780 521 87362 8.

I must confess that before taking on this review I had not really looked carefully at previous editions of this book. Now in its fourth edition, Physics of the Earth has been completely revised and expanded in comparison with its earlier incarnations. Paul Davis has also joined Frank Stacey as an author. The preface outlines the major changes. The number of chapters has been increased by subdividing the chapters of the previous edition and new chapters have been included covering elastic and inelastic properties of rocks and rock mechanics which provide a framework for additional chapters …