BOOK REVIEW | The Whispers of Rock: Journey through geological time shares fascinating stories of stones
Booksology The Whispers of Rock
By Anjana Khatwa
(The Bridge Street Press)
Author Anjana Khatwa is an award-winning earth scientist, TV presenter and has dedicated much of her life to geology.
In her debut novel, The Whispers of Rock, subtitled Stories from the Earth, she talks about the origins of rocks, how they shape the world we live in and our connection to them.
Khatwa’s passion for geology is more than just a history lesson, she describes how rocks hold power — they connect us to the Earth, our ancestors and if we are open to listening they can show us so much more.
It’s a book to be treasured.
She starts off at one of the most famous sites in the world — Stonehenge — where many have gathered for a summer solstice celebration.
“Although the rules say the stones are not to be touched, on this summer solstice no-one appears to be following them.
“Some rest their foreheads on the rocks, eyes closed in deep contemplation.
“Others, with arms outstretched, press their bodies up against standing monoliths, embracing them like a long-lost love.”
She visits many famous sites and temples, sharing her knowledge with readers on what makes the rocks or stones from that area so special or why they ended up in common use around homes, such as slate tiles.
Khatwa shares how ancient civilisations built their homes into rock and developed intricate water systems — some of which cannot be recreated to this day.
She tells of volcanic soils in Kenya that produce a full-bodied coffee far superior to ones farmed in acidic soils.
But in other parts of the world, weathering of rocks has led to an accumulation of arsenic in rice paddy fields.
Khatwa tells how many indigenous people have been forced off their lands because of greed in wanting the minerals from the Earth or the ground itself to develop.
As people are forced away, we lose connection to the area and all the stories that have been passed down through many generations, she says.
“The knowledge and practice of indigenous peoples should not be seen as a countermeasure to discourses in Western science.
“I believe it should be accepted as an equal body of thinking that imbues earth science with relevance, purpose and meaning.
“At a more personal level, drawing these two entities together opens your heart and mind to the whispers of rock.
“In recent years, many artefacts have had to be returned to communities, but some museums are still refusing to play nice.
“The beauty of earth science is that wherever you are, whether that is in a city or out in the countryside, you are never far from rock.
“Even a momentary glance at a granite paving slab beneath your feet or clutching that limestone pebble you picked up on the beach last summer is enough to let their whispers speak to your soul.”
The Herald
