Albert Lamarre never imagined that one day he would stare down the barrel of a shotgun pointed at him by a Texas rancher's daughter. Yet, there he was-in the middle of nowhere-held captive by a woman who meant business. Simply put, Lamarre was in this predicament because of his desire to learn more about a rocky outcrop. After all, that is what geologists do.

In his fascinating narrative, Lamarre shares details of his adventures during his thirteen-year career as a minerals exploration geologist. As he vividly recounts his first exposure to the geologic wonders of the western United...