Book Description

What causes an earthquake? When will another big shock shake Tokyo or Los Angeles? Can people create deserts? How are the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect interlinked? Is global warming a force of nature—or of man? This compelling and informative book, illustrated with marvelous photographs and specially commissioned artwork, explains the latest scientific insights into these questions. Each force of nature is separately fitted into the jigsaw puzzle of global environmental change. The revised edition of this widely praised book draws on the dramatic evidence of recent years to evaluate the state of the planet—and man's effect on it—in the new century. 275 illustrations, 135 in color. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

History at its Best
This is the best book available on the Great Storm of 1900 and its effect on Galveston, Texas. An unbelievable amount of research obviously went into it. Very well written. Highly recommended.

SILENT STORM
I bought this book on the basis of a National Public Radio story which promoted it in an in-depth study of the devestating 1900 hurricane that killed thousands in Galveston, Texas. The radio spot spared no expense with the sound of hurricane force wind surrounding the historic taped voices of survivors describing a night where death pounded on the door. It made a much better radio show than it does a book. The problem is, the eyewitnes accounts are all in cloudy retrospect, some were taped seventy-plus years afterwords and are shaky historic accuracy. The book is a compilation of various communications from victims and survivors; personal letters, weather reports, diary entries, newspaper headlines and the mighty storm soon becomes as redundant as a 'Weather Channel' report. If the authors had found a grocery list of a victim, it would be included. Surely this hurricane which killed over 5000 people in an American coastal community in 1900 was more horrific than the drab, hearsay accounts given here. There is no journalistic quality. Even the photographs show page after page of what appears to be the same pile of wooden rubble.

The Best Book on the the 1900 Storm
This is a must-own book if you're interested in the great storm of 1900 or Galveston history generally.If you're going to buy just one Texas history book this year this is definitely the one to get. Despite the fact that the scholarship and research that went into this book is first rate,it is highly readable and you can almost hear the voices of people who experienced first hand the tragic events of this greatest of American natural disasters.The pictures and maps in this book are also woven together in a marvelous fashion. The Rosenberg Library in Galveston is to be commended for using its collection to put together this extraordinary book, which tells a powerful and moving story.This is history at its best.

Ed Cotham Author of Battle on the Bay: The Civil War Struggle for Galveston ... Read more

Book Description

The fury and power of extreme weather is explored along with itsdevastating effects on earth's climate.Modern scientific methods of predicting andpreparing for storms are featured. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An explosively colorful portrayal of geological phenomenons
Andrew Robinson does a wonderful job of coupling easy to understand text with explosively colorful visual imagery to create a book that can be enjoyed by either the novice naturalist or the most educated expert. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on earthquakes and volcanoes where he graphically depicts the geophysics behind the natural phenomenon and couples the graphs with brilliant pictures, allowing the reader to visually and geophysically relate to these topics.

Simple English explanations of complex disaster scenarios
I found this book fascinating. The text was easy to understand, written in plain English rather than pseudoscientific gibberish, and was accompanied by excellent maps, photos and illustrations. I was particularly fond of the sections regarding asteroid collisions, global warming, and the next ice age. (Who would have thought Regency England had a mini ice age?) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

i lived thru this hurricane in clear lake,tx. tornado hit
i hav'nt read your book but will get it, our family lived thru this hurricane being hit by a tornado in clear lake,tx. what catagory was it ? As now in Orlando we are facing Floyd.. dbt@bitstorm.net ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive analysis of North Atlantic hurricanes is intended as an intermediary between hurricane climate research and the users of hurricane information. Topics include climatology, a history of the major hurricanes, forecasting methods, and models for the social and economic impact of the storms. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

THE source for Atlantic hurricane climatology
An up-to-date text on all classes of Atlantic hurricanes, including formation, track, intensity, dissipation, forecasting, and emergency management. There's a lot of information legibly crammed into 488 pages! ... Read more

Book Description

Although Florida has been struck by more hurricanes than any other region of the continental United States, most people living in South Florida in 1992 had never experienced a hurricane. On August 24, in a matter of hours, Hurricane Andrew ravaged communities on the South Florida coast, leaving 250,000 homeless and physical damages of close to $30 billion. Based on interviews with survivors and rescue workers in the weeks and months that followed, In the Eye of Hurricane Andrew is the extraordinary story of one of the most destructive natural disasters in modern American history as told by the people who lived through it.

From a psychological and social point of view, Andrew was unprecedented.

While the book relates thehistory of the storm and its consequences, its greatest strength is the personal level at which it engages the reader. Nearly 100 people representing diverse backgrounds share their experiences, from a mother who weathered the storm in a tiny bathroom shared with another adult, four children, and a dog, to a roofer who traveled from Tennessee to help in the rebuilding process, to Bryan Norcross, the TV weatherman whose voice guided many through the storm. Their testimonies create a real sense of how Andrew impacted each human being—the decision to evacuate or not, preparations, what happened during the storm, the clean-up, looting, price gouging, rebuilding, and living in the aftermath. Providing a context for these oral histories, the book also draws upon a wide range of published sources such as newspaper and documentary accounts. A comprehensive bibliography includes government reports, conference proceedings, maps, and video recordings. Photos from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration supplement the engaging text to reveal the incredible before and after, testifying to the ingenuity and resiliency of South Floridians carrying on in the face of such devastation. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Incomplete
"In the Eye of Hurricane Andrew" is a collection of first hand accounts of people who survived the horrible disaster and it's aftermath in South Florida. It is NOT an overall history of the storm, as it doesn't cover what it wrought upon the Gulf Coast after hitting Florida. It is also NOT a compelling narrative history, like the book "Issac's Strom" about the 1900 Galveston Hurricane. It is, however, fairly brief at less than 150 pages of narrative and contains only a few black & white photographs.

Given the above, I would recommend this book primarily for South Florida victims of the storm as well as to anyone doing research about hurricanes. General readers will not find much of interest here. ... Read more

Book Description

The Galveston storm of 1900 reduced a cosmopolitan and economically vibrant city to a wreckage-strewn wasteland where survivors struggled without shelter, power, potable water, or even the means to summon help. At least 6,000 of the city's 38,000 residents died in the hurricane. Many observers predicted that Galveston would never recover and urged that the island be abandoned. Instead, the citizens of Galveston seized the opportunity, not just to rebuild, but to reinvent the city in a thoughtful, intentional way that reformed its government, gave women a larger role in its public life, and made it less vulnerable to future storms and flooding.This extensively illustrated history tells the full story of the 1900 Storm and its long-term effects. The authors draw on survivors' accounts to vividly recreate the storm and its aftermath. They describe the work of local relief agencies, aided by Clara Barton and the American Red Cross, and show how their short-term efforts grew into lasting reforms. At the same time, the authors reveal that not all Galvestonians benefited from the city's rebirth, as African Americans found themselves increasingly shut out from civic participation by Jim Crow segregation laws. As the centennial of the 1900 Storm prompts remembrance and reassessment, this complete account will be essential and fascinating reading for all who seek to understand Galveston's destruction and rebirth. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Interesting, but lacking
Authors Patricia Bixel and Elizabeth Turner have written an account of the 1900 Storm detailing its long-term effects on Galveston.

The photographs, from a variety of sources, are wonderful in conveying to the reader the magnitude of this disaster. Each chapter deals with a different aspect of the story from the actual events during the hurricane and the aftermath to how Galveston recovered and protected herself from future storms. I give the book three stars based on the photographs and amount of detail they put into the writing.

But the book, written by authors with PhDs, reads more like a scholarly account, rather than the politically correct coffee table book it appears to be. Much attention is paid to the changing role of women and African-Americans during the time, with some statements and theories offered that have not been seen in other accounts. It is necessary to check their sources to compare those accounts with others.

Unfortunately, they failed to include any endnotes guiding the reader through their extensive research. Instead, as the authors write, "Because this work was written for a more popular, general audience, it lacks the full scholarly apparatus of footnotes, endnotes or bibliography." This is a great disservice to the reader as I found myself wanting to know where some of the information came from. This is my reason for saying the book is lacking.

Very interesting, but lacking
Authors Patricia Bixel and Elizabeth Turner have written a long awaited account of the 1900 Storm detailing its long-term effects on Galveston.

The photographs, from a variety of sources, are wonderful in conveying to the reader the magnitude of this disaster. Each chapter deals with a different aspect of the story from the actual events during the hurricane and the aftermath and recovery to how Galveston protected the city. I give the book three stars based on the photographs and amount of detail they put into the writing.

Much attention is paid to the role of women and the African American during this time, with some statements and theories that have not been seen in other accounts. It is necessary to check their sources to compare those accounts with others.

Unfortunately, they failed to include any endnotes detailing their obviously extensive research. Instead, as the authors say, "Because this work was written for a more popular, general audience, it lacks the full scholarly apparatus of footnotes, endnotes or bibliography." This is a great disservice to the reader as I found myself wanting to know where some of the information came from. This is my reason for saying the book is lacking. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Think of this book as a psychic box of matches and candles.
"Divine Tempest: The Hurricane As a Psychic Phenomenon," by David E. Scheon (Sudies in Jungian Psychology by a Certified Jungian Analysts) Jungian analyst David Schoen who practices in Covington, Louisiana, is literally writing up a storm in this study of hurricanes, which is very accessible and lively. Schoen describes how we dream of hurricanes, dread them, and secretly anticipate them, as well as providing a fascinating mythological and archetypal context for these terrifying-and purifying-storms. (There are some perhaps unintentionally amusing moments: Does Nash Roberts, a famous Gulf Coast meteorologist, have such success forecasting hurricanes because he was a "veil baby"? Did Hurricane Audrey's destruction of Cameron, Louisiana fish processing plant really provide an "opportunity for rebirth" for the 450 convicts who vanished afterward?) Hurricanes-and psychic storms-are inevitable. Think of this book as a psychic box of matches and candles. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dark Wind is much more than one man's story of a disastrous sailing trip that cost the life of his lover, though its blow-by-blow narrative of the typhoon that wrecked their ship and swept them into the sea is reason enough to read his searing memoir. What distinguishes Gordon Chaplin's book from others of its kind is its stripped-down prose, its unsentimental depiction of a passionate but less-than-perfect romance, and its bleak acceptance of the fact that "actions have consequences"--in this case, fatal ones. Chaplin and Susan Atkinson met when she was married to his college roommate. Their shared love of adventure was soon apparent when, on a sail with their then respective spouses, the two argued for outrunning a storm that their partners wanted to avoid by returning to shore. When they got together 12 years later, her marriage had failed and the affair blew his apart. Risk taking was one of the foundations of their relationship, but it always came harder to Atkinson than to Chaplin, and in the end it undid them. Real failure is the crux of this memoir, and it's both terrifying and oddly liberating to read this scarifying account by a writer who honestly admits to being "someone whose best wasn't good enough." --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Reviews (21)

a brave memoir
Some reviewers may not have liked Gordon personally (a bit self-absorbed, seems to bail on his daughters, runs off with his friend's wife...), but they shouldn't hold that against his tale. The story of his ill-fated trip is more of a memoir than an adventure. I'm not sure how a critic could say the story was not convincing -- it's real and very affecting. I don't want to give away the plot, but this is a wrenching tale. How many times have we thought, "If I'd only done x, y or z..." Gordon rakes himself over the coals over and over again, but nothing can bring back the past. I thought he was brave to write of his own personal suffering, even if you don't happen to side with him. I agree that the writing wasn't as good as the very best, but it was exciting and detailed and very solid. Okay, not literary, but respectable enough for its genre. Overall, if you like a bit of the personal mixed in with adventure, you will appreciate this book although remember it is difficult in parts because of the tragedy. Overall, it was an absorbing read.

A quick, captivating read
Keeping in mind that the author states that writing this book was therapy for him, I have to wonder how he has recovered from such a tragedy. The chapters that detail the storm and the loss of Chaplin's lover are haunting and mesmerizing. I could not put this book down, for some reason, and read the last 150 pages in one sitting. My only remaining thoughts are how did he recover from this disaster and what would I have done is similar circumstances?

There are weak spots, however. I don't understand why he felt it necessary to relive his infidelities. I don't see what this added to the story (other than to cement in our minds one of their many arguments which he usually tended to incite) and what purpose it served other than as a confession for him. I expect that he is living with quite a bit of guilt, that of his lover's death, his infidelities, his frequent denials of the worries of his lover, and the chronic "what ifs" that must now haunt him.

The thoughts and questions that linger upon finishing Dark Wind are many. I recommend this not because it is sterling literature or has a deep plot (because it is not and does not), but it brings up many issues that are worth thinking about.

A very moving memoir
I've read this book twice in the last two weeks, A very moving story of two people looking for adventure. After both previous marriges fall apart they set upon a journy that ultimately takes the life of one and leaves the other searching his soul for forgiveness. Some how it has left me feeling evey emotion that I think Mr Chaplin had wanted to achieve with the writing of this book. A great book! A real joy reading. I just wish it were possible to tell Mr. Chaplin himself.

error in listing.
I am the author of Dark Wind, Gordon Chaplin, and this is not a review. I'd like to correct your listing of my books, which begins with the out of print audiobook version of Dark Wind, instead of the in-print paperback edition. Would it be possible to list the paperback first? Thank you for your attention.
Gordon Chaplin

not too much love but a lot of loss
If you want modern sailing, adventures, dilemmas, botched revenges, lies, exotic settings, anxious families back home and eventual disaster in one of the most beautiful and unspoiled places in the world, this is your book. Dark wind tells an average tale about contemporary sailors: middle-aged couple, bouncing out of failed marriages, decides to have the big trip before it's too late: Belize, Panama, back to the US by plane, when the family needs attention, and beyond. Twilights, sunsets, the weird floating society of a port full of foreigners and their boats. Lonesome beaches, mechanical mishaps, the purchase of an EPIRB system: no classic sailing story, here, in the manner of Patrick O'Brien, but autopilots, engines and tourism. People who argue, face hard times and may look selfish. No multi-talented sailor-hero around the world on sight, either. This book is a memoir, a real story about people who suffered while chasing their dreams, and it rings true, even if it's not, which is rather out of the point as far as I'm concerned. It also provides a charming route to follow in the future, autopilot and all. And it taught me something else: if the hurricane comes close, don't ever do what they did. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

my reveiw
2 words great book! it has everything i needed to know in it.it was very informative.i even went out and bought 3 more for my relitives that live in flordia.perfect for people who live in the hurricane belt. i learned that in that book. i highly suggest that you go out and buy this book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A pictorial book on hurricanes and the science behind them
A pictorial book for young adults and adults who prefer light reading, this book explores the high drama world of hurricane chasing in hurricane hunter planes, the science behind hurricane forecasting, and the human toll left by these storms. Also includes info on the "big ones" like Andrew and Camille plus hurricane tracks through history. Lots of color photographs and superb drawings. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Enjoy Getting Prepared.
Best buy in personal disaster recovery. Advise on every aspect of minimizing damages and maximizing recovery. Written in easy to read newspaper type articles with many personal interviews to support the text and to entertain you. ... Read more

Book Description

"This is a must-read for students and meteorologists." --David Thurlow, Host and Executive Producer of The Weather Notebook radio show

A fascinating look at extreme weather and the men and women who are risking their lives to give us a better understanding of this meteorological phenomenon. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Informative but Ho-Hum
"Eye of the Storn" is not nearly as exciting as its cover or title would suggests. It is essentially a history of storm forcasting going all the way back to Ben Franklin's time. And while it is informative, it lacks the type of thilling narrative in its weather stories that one would expect. Most of the stories are taken from other books or magazine/newspaper articles. And unfortunately, the author makes at least one serious error by repeating the long standing falsehood that meteorolgist Issac Cline rode up and down the beach on horseback to warn residents of Galveston of the approaching 1900 hurricane. This is a myth, dispelled by the far superior book "Issac's Storm," that just won't die.

Overall, "Eye of the Storm" has plenty of historical information, but the reading is unlikely to have the pulse quickening effect of even a mild spring thunderstorm.

Great reading on a stormy day
What great timing! As we watch in awe pictures of the damage and destruction caused by the Spring tornadoes in Oklahoma, the "EYE of the STORM" comes along to explain the painstakingly detailed develpoment of scientific research of these powerful storms. In a well documented and entertainly written study, one can gain a better understanding of the weather about us and from whence it comes. ... Read more