With "Rocky Austria", we - the geologists of GeoSphere Austria (former Geological Survey of Austria) - turn to the public with a popular presentation of our country's earth history 170 years after the foundation of our institution. For us geoscientists, the interest and pleasure in the secrets of the earth, which Austria harbours in such abundance in such a small area, is part of our daily work. "Rocky Austria" is an attempt to present the complex geological history of the mountainous country of Austria in an understandable form on 80 richly illustrated pages, supplemented by a coloured geological map of Austria at a scale of 1:1.5 million and a plate of cross sections. "Rocky Austria" is more than a billion years of moving earth history, it is about "dead" rocks, landscapes and mountains brought to life - an invitation to grasp and understand the earth history of our country.