Book Description

Emphasizes actual structural design, not analysis, of multistory buildings for seismic resistance. Strong emphasis is placed on specific detailing requirements for construction. Fundamental design principles are presented to create buildings that respond to a wide range of potential seismic forces, which are illustrated by numerous detailed examples. The discussion includes the design of reinforced concrete ductile frames, structural walls, dual systems, reinforced masonry structures, buildings with restricted ductility and foundation walls. In addition to the examples, full design calculations are given for three prototype structures. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Must Have
A must have text/reference book for the structural engineering library. Great resources in topics ranging from concete shear wall design to masonry shear wall design. Highly recomended.

A comprehensive guide to Earthquake Engineering
A careful theoretical approach to earthquake engineering design, soon will become a standard reference book for the academic as well as the practising engineer. The part dealing with load bearing masonry construction is a clasic! ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides an approachable and concise introduction to seismology theory. It clearly explains the fundamental concepts, emphasizing intuitive understanding over lengthy derivations. Topics include all that is needed for a comprehensive first course in seismology: stress/strain theory, seismic wave equation, ray theory, tomography, reflection seismology, surface waves, source theory, anisotropy and earthquake prediction. Detailed exercises follow each chapter, giving students the opportunity to apply the techniques they have learned to compute results of interest and to illustrate some of Earth's seismic properties.In several cases, computer subroutines are provided to assist with these exercises.Numerous illustrations accompany the text, including examples of seismograms and images of the global seismic wavefield. This textbook is ideal for any introductory course in seismology taught to upper-division undergraduates or first-year graduate students, and is especially suited for a one-semester class on seismology. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Pretty good, but lacking in depth
I just finished an intro to seismology course, and this was the textbook for it. It is easy to read and understand, covers most topics well, and is generally a good introductory textbook. It does, however, lack depth. Often I'd finish a chapter and still have a lot of questions on how, exactly, I could apply what I'd learned to a problem. I found this frustrating.

Excellent book
By going through the textbook and doing selected exercises one can complete the equivalent of a quarter-long seismology class. Well written and accessible to a wide range of interest levels and mathematical abilities, this book is excellent for anyone with a desire to learn about seismology at a quantitative level.

Excellent book
This book is based on Peter Shearer's intro to seismology class at scripps. I just took that class and the book was an excellent complement to the class. By going through the textbook and doing selected excercizes one can complete the equivilent of a quarter-long seismology class. Very well written, accessible to a wide range of interest levels and mathmatical abilities, this book is a must for anyone with a desire to learn about seismology at any level.

Love this book...
I took a quarter long course in seismology and this book fit the bill perfectly. Even though are class was not based solely on this book, I felt it added a great deal more to my enjoyment of the class. This is a great pre-graduate course book for an eye-opening look into seismology. ... Read more

Book Description

Volcanoes of North America capitalises on the vast body of volcano literature now available to present, in a single source, detailed information about volcanoes found in North America. It contains brief accounts, written by leading experts in volcanology, of over 250 volcanoes and volcanic fields formed during the last 5 million years. The volcanoes of the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada are described. The precise location of each volcano is given, and the volcano is classified by type. Information about composition and eruptive history is also included. Each narrative description is accompanied by a photograph, a map of each location, and an extremely helpful statement on how to reach each volcano. The entries are mostly written at a level understandable by lay readers, but technical terms are also used and a background in geology is advantageous. Volcanoes of North America will be a standard reference work for practising volcanologists, petrologists, and geochemists, and to some extent, geographers. In addition, the maps and the 'How to get there' sections make this a highly valuable book for anyone interested in natural history or fascinated by volcanoes. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Review of Volcanoes in North America
The book is well written and informative: I reccomend it! It;s absolutely super!

An excellent guide for the initiated
This is no book for someone not previously familiar with volcano technology. That much aside, the book is an absolute gem for anyone planning a trip to the Cascade Range, California, or other volcanic area of the continental USA or Canada. A must-have for anyone geeked on volcanoes. ... Read more

Book Description

This new edition of the classic text by Aki and Richards has at last been updated throughout to systematically explain key concepts in seismology. Now in one volume, the book provides a unified treatment of seismological methods that will be of use to advanced students, seismologists, and scientists and engineers working in all areas of seismology. ... Read more

Book Description

This book addresses the seismic design and retrofit of bridges. It provides detailed information on the seismic considerations in the design of a wide range of substructures including beam and slab, box girder, arch, cable, stayed, and suspension bridges. Topics include damage and design philosophy, geotechnical considerations, design, modeling and analysis, seismic assessment and retrofit of existing bridges. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent book for seismic design of bridges
Professor Priestley is No. 1 in the world when it comes to seismic design and retrofit of bridges. This book is a result of his extensive research conducted for Caltrans with Prof. Seible on bridge retrofit and their seismic behavior. The book is excellent reference for researchers and design engineers. The chapter about base isolations is very informative. Although I know that this is not his area, I wish he would elaborate more in chapter 3: seismicity and geotechnical considerations

It is supposed to be known as the Gray Bible for bridges
This book offers a comprehensive reference on seismic bridge design, condensing the results of three decades of experimental and theoretical research conducted in the United States, especially at University of California, San Diego. The book covers the topic of design of new structures as well as the assessment and retrofitting of already existent bridges, offering easy to use analytical and design methodologies. ... Read more

Book Description

EARTH REPORT 2000, sponsored by the Competitive Enterprise Institute--“the best environmental think tank in the country,” according to the WALL STREET JOURNAL--sets a new standard for examining humankind’s stewardship of this planet. In remarkably clear fashion, EARTH REPORT 2000 explains the key issues regarding our planet’s fitness to sustain future generations. It debunks many of the myths, statistical and scientific, that have influenced policies of the recent past. And it offers a persuasive argument for rethinking our approach to the most critical dilemmas of the next century.Environmental concerns both long familiar--global warming and overpopulation--and startlingly new--the “toxic menace” of endocrine disruptors--are addressed. Throughout, the expert authors, gathered from such distinguished institutions as the University of Chicago, NASA, the World Bank and the Cato Institute, challenge many widely held ideas. In doing so, they make compelling forecasts about a future world quite different from that envisioned by environmentalists, politicians and the news media. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Choice Of Disasters
Furious Earth by Ellen J. Prager [with help from Stanley Williams (Surviving Galeras), Kate Hutton (one of SoCals TV seismologists and the author of the earthquake updates on the TriNet earthquake website), and Costas Synolakis] is a well-written introduction to earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis. This book appears to be aimed at junior high/high school aged readers, but adult readers who have no background in these subjects will also enjoy the book. An earlier reviewer suggested that the book has the coverage of the better chapters of an earth science textbook, but I wish high school earth science texts were this well-written. I enjoyed reading the book despite the depth of my background and appreciate the refresher course that Furious Earth gave me. My only complaint concerns the ordering of the color plates at the center of the volume. The pictures are out of order to their mention in the text and the only thing that comes to mind is that they were ordered the way they were to make them fit on a limited number of plate pages. Furious Earth belongs on the shelves in as many elementary and secondary school libraries as possible and would be a wonderful gift for a budding earth scientist.

Furious Earth-
I am a sixth grade teacher and was given this book at a science conference. After just beginning to read it, I immediatly went online to see how much the book cost- I want to order one for each for my students! It will be a bit hard and I will have to do some serious directing, but the book is an excellent example of a clear, scientific, organized, up-to-date, and interesting (yes- interesting enough for 30 sixth graders) nonfiction book in the field of earth science. Furious Earth combines "PBS-like" research discussions and theory- (Plate Techtonics Discovered, Paleotsunamis...) with "RealTV-like" examples (Italy, 79 A.D.: Vesuvuis; The World's Largest and Smallest Quakes). The book is a surprisingly suspenseful, fascinating, and easy read (for us unscientific folk). The 16 color pages of graphs and pictures also add to the subject. I can't wait to see their eyes grow when I read to them Chapter 2- Earthquakes. It starts off with the 1994 Northridge, CA quake... It hooked me at least...

non-technicle, intro earth-science book
very basic, simple geological concepts and explanations involving volcanology, ocanography, geophysics, etc. anybody can read this interesting book about the processes of the earth, and how humans have attempted to understand it. it is basicaly the more interesting chapters in any college-level Geology 101 course. up to date, very easy to read. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"The tectonic history of any one part of the earth, like the life of a soldier, consists of long periods of boredom and short periods of terror." With this quotation from geologist Derek Ager, Pulitzer Prize-winning environmental journalist Philip Fradkin, "a literary geologist with a notebook in one hand and a hammer in the other," begins his trip along the San Andreas Fault. His persistent question is how "a culture could ignore this powerful natural agent while simultaneously being shaped by it." Fradkin himself lives near the fault, and he understands the human reluctance to remember the past and to prepare for the inevitable. He looks at the history and impact of the major California earthquakes of the past 150 years, from Fort Teijin in 1857 to Northridge in 1994. Throughout, he exposes the problems caused by human shortcomings: the amnesia of the general public, earthquake engineers' conflicts of interest, and the failures of science. His discussions of the politics of earthquake prediction and of the "arcane systems" used to measure earthquake magnitudes are the best in print. "I wanted others to be aware of the fault's physical presence and its awesome power," Fradkin writes. He may also succeed at raising Californians' awareness of how to prepare for earthquakes--and at shortening their feelings of boredom while lengthening their periods of prudent terror. --Mary Ellen Curtin ... Read more

Reviews (4)

An Important Work
This is an important work; well researched and well written. It should be required reading for all public officials in California. More illustrations would have been useful. Highly recommended.

Creates a personal visceral feel for powerful earth force
Yesterday, August 17, I was sitting in Point Reyes, CA., home of author Phil Fradkin, directly overhanging the San Andreas fault. I was on page 121 of Magnitude 8, when suddenly the house began to move. It swayed back and forth like a tree hut in a gale for about 15 seconds. Yes, it was a minor 5.0 magnitude quake centered in nearby Bolinas. Powerful Writing!

Great book by an author who has put his heart and soul into internalizing the meaning of these mysterious earth processes.

Enthralling, thoughtful, and sobering, but with a few warts
Fradkin travels the length of the San Andreas by car, by kayak, and on foot, describing its perils and its history. Into his story of the San Andreas he weaves parallel threads about earthquakes elsewhere, always playing up the public's denial of earthquake hazard.

As a seismologist, I found the book often irritating (right down to its title: there is no evidence that the San Andreas has ever suffered a magnitude 8 earthquake or that it ever will), and sometimes too dramatic, but in the end it left me with a feeling of chagrin. Fradkin put together a good, coherent story of the San Andreas' hazards, but to do so, he had to fight his way through arcane jargon. His comment that the scientists don't know how to communicate makes me squirm, but it is absolutely right.

Not only is this a must-read for anyone within 200 miles of the San Andreas, it should be required for all seismologists and emergency managers who ever have to talk to the public.

Facinating blend of narative and science
This book tells the story of California and it's geology in way that connects it with real life. It brings home how we conspire to ignore the earthquake threat. A must for CA residents. ... Read more

Book Description

This interesting book uses plate tectonics as its central theme; it acquaints readers with California geology. Basic principles in the beginning of the book and tables of highlights for each province enable the reader to understand the whole picture of catastrophic national disasters, California history, mining methods, and societal impacts; it brings the lessons of geology closer to the everyday context of California life.After a comprehensive overview of the basic principles of geology, this book then focuses on the geological highlights of California (young volcanoes, deserts, the Mojave Desert, the Sierra Nevada, the Klamath Mountains, water, the Great Valley, the coast Ranges, earthquakes, faults, and seismic safety, the transverse ranges, and the peninsular ranges). The inside back and front covers of the book contain a wealth of readily available information, with comprehensive geologic, fault, relief, and mountain range maps.A handy desk reference for geologists, this book is also a source of information for anyone interested in the evolution of California's terrain. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The ONLY up-to-date textbook on California geology
Deborah Hardin's textbook on California geology is superior to all previous texts inasmuch as she is the first to utilize the theory of plate tectonics to provide a unified framework for her overall exposition. Instead of being bombarded with an encyclopedic but chaotic assemblage of rock types and unconnected microprocesses, the reader is treated to a consistent and comprehensive picture of how California came to be that hangs together remarkably well.

Harden utilized the recent research of countless other geologists to put together this book, and her hard work has paid off. She includes several chapters that provide a conceptual overview of geologic principles, then goes on in successive sections to describe how various forces and processes related ultimately to plate tectonics have been responsible for the evolution of various distinctive landforms and geomorphic regions of California. She also includes a final chapter that is a stand-alone summary version of the "geological history of California." Throughout the book, she makes clear again and again how a clear understanding of the various ways that tectonic plates can interact is absolutely fundamental to understanding how California has come into existence over the past several hundred million years. It's a fascinating story, and Harden's text will help anyone willing to read carefully and study a bit to learn the basics of California geology.

As an added bonus, Harden has included several sections that are linked to present-day environmental hazards, most notably those related to the constant threat of earthquakes in the Golden State. Such information is, of course linked directly to the geology of the state that she has described and explained so well.

The illustrations and diagrams re not terribly elaborate, but they are helpful and reasonably plentiful. Also included are some small-sized versions of the standard California geology and fault maps.

The main drawback to this publication is its astronomical price. This is hardly Harden's fault, however, as high prices seem to be the unfortunate standard for college textbooks these days. ... Read more

Book Description

This multi-contributor book provides comprehensive coverage of earthquake engineering problems, an overview of traditional methods, and the scientific background on recent developments. It discusses computer methods on structural analysis and provides access to the recent design methodologies and serves as a reference for both professionals and researchers involved in earthquake engineering. With an entire chapter dedicated to seismic resistant design through supplemental damping and structural control, this volume includes important advances in the characteristics of earthquake ground motions, behavior and design of structures, seismic design of non-structural systems, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun with FORTRAN
This book is not an opportunity to use the earth to explain continuous media. Continuum mechanics explains much of the behavior that is observed on the earth. S&W is hardcore geophysics - not for the faint-hearted! The book does still use FORTRAN - can we please move on? But the derivation of the wave equation in the second chapter is a key for any PhD wanna-be to learn for their comps. ... Read more

Book Description

Intended as an introduction to the field, Modern Global Seismology is a complete, self-contained primer on seismology. It features extensive coverage of all related aspects, from observational data through prediction, emphasizing the fundamental theories and physics governing seismic waves--both natural and anthropogenic. Based on thoroughly class-tested material, the text provides a unique perspective on the earths large-scale internal structure and dynamic processes, particularly earthquake sources, and on the application of theory to the dynamic processes of the earths upper skin.
Authored by two experts in the field of geophysics. this insightful text is designed for the first-year graduate course in seismology. Exploration seismologists will also find it an invaluable resource on topics such as elastic-wave propagation, seismicinstrumentation, and seismogram analysis useful in interpreting their high-resolution images of structure for oil and mineral resource exploration.

Key Features
* More than 400 illustrations, many from recent research articles, help readers visualize mathematical relationships
* 49 Boxed Features explain advanced topics
* Provides readers with the most in-depth presentation of earthquake physics available
* Contains incisive treatments of seismic waves, waveform evaluation and modeling, and seismotectonics
* Provides quantitative treatment of earthquake source mechanics
* Contains numerous examples of modern broadband seismic recordings
* Fully covers current seismic instruments and networks
* Demonstrates modern waveform inversion methods
* Includes extensive references for further reading ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A serious introduction to global seismology
The Lay & Wallace provides a good starting description of global seismology. Chapter 1 deals with the historical development and the topics of global seismology. Chapter 2 concerns elasticity and seismic waves. The concepts of strain and stress are introduced. The mathematical content is limited (all you have to know is the partial derivatives) and a lot of figures help you to understand. By the way, this book uses the same boxes as the Aki & Richards to focus on a particular point. The equation of motion and the wave equations are derived.
Chapter 3 deals with Body waves and ray theory.The eikonal equation is introduced,and the body of this chapter concerns travel time propagation, partitioning of energy at a boundary,wave attenuation and scattering in really simple terms. Once again, a lot of figures and documents help the understanding.
Chapter 4 focuses on surface waves and free oscillations and starts with free-surface interactions, Rayleigh and Love waves and their dispersion. Tsunamis are also considered, with only two equations but 6 figures and documents. The end of the chapter is devoted to free oscillations of the earth with once again a lot of documents.
Chapter 5 deals with seismometry, that is what are the instruments used in seismology. This chapter provides differents maps of global networks of seismometers. Chapter 6 considers seismogram interpretation (identification of seismic phases). This is applied to source location. The concept of inversion is introduced with no big deal of maths. The end of the chapter concerns then the generalized inverse and requires more maths. Chapter 7 concerns the determination of Earth structure, and appears in continuity with the previous chapter. No less than 56 figures plus documents are provided to help the understanding of the earth's structure. Seismic tomography is described in simple terms. Then each "layer" of the earth is characterized in terms of seismology.
Chapter 8 focuses on seismic sources, and introduces equivalent body forces, elastostatics, elastodynamics in a very simple way. The seismic moment tensor is introduced here.
Chapter 9 deals with earthquake cinematics and dynamics. It describes the classical 1D Haskell source, the source spetrum. The concepts of stress drop, particle velocity and rupture velocity are explicited. The end of the chapter is devoted to magnitude scales, seismic energy, aftershocks, and the scaling relations of earthquakes.
Chapter 10 tackles the problem of waveform modeling. Finally Chapter 11 deals with seismotectonics and provides plenty of interesting documents.

This book provides an excellent overview of global seismology. It should be extremely useful to teachers (valuable source of documents for your class) and also for those who want to start seismology. Additional reading will be necessary, eventually.

a very complete seismological book
This is an excellent book in seismology. It covers all modern aspects of this science in a complete way. The main advantage for both undergraduate and graduate students in using this book is that the Mathematical aspects are treatised without heaviness.

Reference book for current seismology
Lay & Wallace is an excellent blend of theory and observation. Enough equations to get you started, but not the overwhelming number you see in other theoretical seismology volumes. The best part is the reprinting of important result figures from scattered scientific journals. It is wonderful to have all these in one place. The major missing material is a treatment of computational aspects. I hope they put out new editions every few years with new figures from the journals.

Good (advanced) introdution to quantitative seismology
This book is not for the casual reader. It is written for first year graduate students. To really understand it, you need to know some advanced math,at leadt through differential equations. However, with that background, this is an excellent book. Much easier to read than Aki and Richards. I only wish the book was published when I was a first year graduate student.

There is a much better choice ......
This book is good only if you are not. The book by Aki & Richards is much better for a good seismologist. ... Read more

Book Description

The Seismic Wavefield provides a guide to the understanding of seismograms in terms of physical propagation processes within the Earth. The focus is on the observation of earthquakes and man-made sources on all scales, for both body waves and surface waves. Volume I begins with a survey of the structure of the Earth and the nature of seismic wave propagation using examples of observed seismograms. The second part provides a full development of the theoretical background for seismic waves. Volume II (to be published later) will cover local and regional seismic events, global wave propagation, and the three-dimensional earth. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In 1815, Napoleon's armies fell to defeat at Waterloo, a clash that would change the course of world events. Far more Europeans died that year, though, as a result of a volcanic explosion in Indonesia--one cataclysmic eruption among the many that figure in this sidelong view of the Earth's history.

The explosion of Tambora in April 1815, geologists de Boer and Sanders write, sent a plume of volcanic ash high into the planet's atmosphere, bringing on a "nuclear winter" that devastated crops in the northern hemisphere, yielding famine and plague. Moreover, they add, the explosion cast a hazy pall over much of Europe, a gloom that inspired Mary Shelley to write her famed novel,Frankenstein. Another explosion, more than 3,000 years earlier, pulverized the Mediterranean island of Thera, giving rise to the legend of Atlantis and causing whole civilizations to collapse. Still another eruption on the island of Tristan da Cunha, in 1961, "brought [the 20th century] to this most isolated of the earth's inhabited places."

The authors' overview of nature's ability to thwart human intentions makes for fascinating reading, sure to appeal to fans of Perils of a Restless Planet, Surviving Galeras, and other chronicles of the trembling earth. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Science and Humanity
This book is written in a clear and engaging style that conveys a scientific understanding of vulcanoloy and the consequences, both positive and negative, of volcanic activity on human life and society.

The authors incorporate a discussion of the physical processes that drive volcanic activity with vivid descriptions of historic eruptions. The book includes nine well-chosen case studies that highight differences in type, intensity and effects of eruption. The authors vividly describe the effects of volcanic eruptions on natural and human environments, human history and human behavior. Throughout the book are highly explanatory yet simple illustrations of the natural processes at work and the specific volcanoes under study.

The authors convey the inspiring power of volcanic acitivity and place natural and human impacts within short and long-term perspectives. This book is clear and informative science coupled with thought provoking history and engaging human interest.

From plate tectonics and environmental impact, to entertaining stories of the effects of volcanic eruptions on art and literature or the creation of mythology, to thought-provoking effects on human life, migration and economic decline - its all here.

Volcanoes in Human History
Volcanoes in Human History: The Far-Reaching Effects of Major Eruptions written by Jelle Zeilinga de Boer and Donald Theodore Sanders is an engaging book about the awesome power of volcanoes its effects and how volcanoes are born. This book takes the reader on a short journey through time as we explore the origins and mechanisms of volcanism and shoing us how this affected human history, societies, cultures, and the environment.

This book explores nine volcanic eruptions, diccussing the geological setting in terms of plate tectonics; the theory that virtually rigid segments of the earth's crust move about over a less rigid layer and collide, and that the collisions give rise to earthquakes and volcanic activity. Then the book goes over the human terms following the aftereffects of volcanic eruption.

Volcanism is the surface manifestation of a living earth, the author likens a volcanic eruption as the plucking of a long tight-stretched string representing time: when the string is plucked it vibrates. Where the string is plucked is the volcanic activity or eruption where a great deal of energy is being released, the vibrations will have high amplitudes and short wavelengths. These vibrations will be powerful, but only last for a short time. But, as the vibration flows down the string (time), the amplitudes will decrease and the wavelengths increase, whithat the aftereffects will become less intense and they will last longer. The eruption will last days, volcanic aftereffects will last months, Climate change, Famine, epidemics, diaspora will last years; Economic and ecologic revival will last decades, and cultural effects will last centuries.

The books narrative is easy to read and is very understandable making this subject easy to understand. Most of us see a volcano erupt on the news and that is all we know until the news shows us another eruption. What we are not given is the far-reaching effects of what is really happening within the earth. Volcanism is the earth's way of renewing itself and releaving the tremendous pressures from deep within.

Reading this book will give the reader a greater appreciation about what really goes on, on the earth we walk upon. As the population of the earth increases, the effects of volcanism will be magnified, it is crucial that we understand the origin of volcanism as well as the devastation it can cause, and the aftereffects, for good or ill, that can linger for years, even decades, to come.

This is an incrediblly well-told story that is informative but nontechinical.

Living Under The Volcano
We are used to having to deal with changes in the weather, but twenty years ago, meteorologists were having to deal with a new atmospheric manifestation. Mount Saint Helens had blown up in the state of Washington, and had affected air quality, air travel, and emotions in the region, and had world-wide weather consequences. It certainly was not the first time a volcano shaped the weather, for volcanoes have had major effects on weather and even history. _Volcanoes in Human History: The Far-Reaching Effects of Major Eruptions_ (Princeton University Press) by Jelle Zeilinga de Boer and Donald Theodore Sanders takes nine famous or obscure volcanoes and demonstrates that volcanoes are an active part of our lives.

Surprisingly, volcanic effects are not all bad. Volcanic soils are very fertile, and we use plenty of minerals of volcanic origin. The gases from volcanoes made the Earth's atmosphere before photosynthesis took over. Many geologists think that all the water on earth was originally released by volcanoes. The book shows a very interesting aspect of Hawaii, in that it is in the middle of the Pacific plate, not near the edges where the plates are barging into each other and which are the usual sites of volcanic activity. The plate carrying the islands is floating slowly over a particular hotspot, which pokes up as the plate floats over it, and gives rise to the familiar Hawaiian Island chain. Iceland is on such a hotspot, too, and besides that, it straddles the Mid-Atlantic ridge, where the ocean floor is being split apart as the plates separate at about two centimeters a year. The Bronze Age eruption of Thera in the Mediterranean directly weakened Crete, which permitted the Greeks to expand into the area; Mycenaean Greece was given the boost that made it the ancestor of classical Greece, with incalculable effects on the entire Western civilization ever since. Mount Pelée's explosion in Martinique in 1902 stopped an election that would have furthered the political advancement of black and mixed-race people on the island, and throughout the French colonies. The list of contingencies is fascinating.

All of the volcanoes described here are still active; we have not heard the last of them, and perhaps there is someday going to be a blast like that in Toba in the Pacific 74,000 years ago, which was thousands of times bigger than Mount St. Helens, and may have affected human evolution. This surprising, informative book is a useful look at how volcanoes effect land, sea, humans, and society. Even those of us not under the shadow of a volcano are living in the volcano zone.

Fascinating history, plenty of facts I didn't know about.
I got this book to read more about the various volcanic eruptions I'd always heard of. You get a lot of detail and history about eruptions in Iceland, Hawaii, Europe and the Pacific, much of it I hadn't seen before. I didn't know most of the details given about Krakatau (usually spelled incorrectly as Krakatoa)such as weather effects and how far away the blast was heard. Did you know that people close to Mount St. Helens did not hear the blast,due to the way the sound carried, they only felt it?. That's an example of the level of detail given to the various examples of eruptions given. My one real complaint is that all measurements are given in metric format with only a small conversion table given in the preface to help people like me out. This book is well worth reading for anyone at all interested in volcanic eruptions.

The Vibrating String
For someone who enjoys both history and natural science, "Volcanoes in Humany History" is a happy marriage. It's not exactly a page-turner, because the authors don't try to be too dramatic. They do, however, write simply and clearly, letting the eruptions and their consequences speak for themselves.

The authors' thesis is that each major eruption produces a "vibrating string" of historical effects, ranging from the eruption itself, to the immediate aftermath, to climate change, famine and epidemic, to economic and ecological revival, and finally to cultural effects that can span centuries.

The book covers nine volcanic systems, their eruptions and the resulting historical fallout: The Hawaiian Islands, where the clash between lava and ocean gave rise to a colorful mythology; Thera, whose catastrophic eruption in the Bronze Age may have destroyed Minoan civilization and produced the legend of Atlantis; Mount Vesuvius, whose eruption in 79 AD entombed and preserved the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum; Iceland, whose position above a magma plume and the spreading ocean floor gave rise to horrific eruptions and grim legends; Mount Tambora, the Indonesian volcano that caused the "Year Without a Summer" in 1816; Krakatau, whose tidal waves killed tens of thousand of people in 1883; Mount Pelee, whose pyroclastic flows killed the 30,000 citizens of St. Pierre in an instant in 1902; Tristan da Cunha, whose eruption displaced an idyllic island society; and Mount St. Helens, which in 1980 reminded the Pacific Northwest that "the Giants are only asleep."

If you enjoy "Volcanoes in Human History," you'll probably like these books as well:

"Catastrophe," by David Keys, which theorizes that a volcanic eruption in 536 AD caused the collapse of civilizations around the globe and brought on the Dark Ages in Europe.

"Unearthing Atlantis," by Charles Pellegrino, which argues that the eruption of Thera gave rise to the legend of Atlantis.

"Return to Sodom and Gomorrah," by Charles Pellegrino, which speculates (among other things) that the eruption of Thera gave rise to the Biblical stories of the Exodus. ... Read more

Book Description

This guide contains vital information for anyone wishing to visit, explore, and photograph active volcanoes safely and enjoyably. Following an introduction that discusses eruption styles of different types of volcanoes andhow to prepare for an exploratory trip that avoids volcanic dangers, the book presents guidelines to visiting 42 different volcanoes around the world. It is filled with practical information that includes tour itineraries, maps, transportation details, and warnings of possible non-volcanic dangers. Three appendices direct the reader to a wealth of further volcano resources in a volume that will fascinate amateur enthusiasts and professional volcanologists alike. Rosaly Lopes is a planetary geology and volcanology specialist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.In addition to her curatorial and research work, she has lectured extensively in England and Brazil and written numerous popular science articles.She received a Latinas in Science Award from the Comision Feminil Mexicana Nacional in 1991 and since 1992, has been a co-organizer of the United Nations/European Space Agency/The Planetary Society yearly conferences on Basic Science for the Benefit of Developing Countries. ... Read more

Book Description

Millions of years ago, the North American continent was dragged over the world's largest continental hotspot, a huge column of hot and molten rock rising from the Earth's interior that traced a 50-mile wide, 500-mile-long path northeastward across Idaho. Generating cataclysmic volcanic eruptions and large earthquakes, the hotspot helped lift the Yellowstone Plateau to more than 7,000 feet and pushed the northern Rockies to new heights, creating the jewel of the U.S. national park system: Yellowstone. Meanwhile, forces stretching apart the western U.S. created the mountainous glory of Grand Teton National Park. Smith and Siegel offer expert guidance through this awe-inspiring terrain, bringing to life the grandeur of these geologic phenomena as they reveal the forces that have shapedand continue to shapethe greater Yellowstone-Teton region. Over seventy illustrations, including fifty-two in full color, illuminate the beauty of the landscape, while two final chapters provide driving tours of the parks to help visitors enjoy and understand the region's wonders. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

It is also good to review geology
I chose this book for my final project in geology class because I was interested in Yellowstone National parks though I have never been to, and this book was very good not only to read but also to review my studying in the class. Yellowstone and Grand Teton ground systems such as ground movements and heating systems are covered and also advanced my studying. Actually, I had totally no knowledge about geologic activities before I studied in the class, so this book was also really good to review my studying. In addition, this book introduces these parks view points with beautiful and colored pictures, so this book also can be used for a tourbook. It is no doubt that I will go to these parks with this book!

An indispensible visitor guide
A friend loaned me this book two months ago. I haven't returned it yet. It is simply the best book on these two parks that I have ever read. The authors accurately portray the very considerable geological power present in each park, and yet do not manage to make either park a fearful place to be avoided. Instead, their writing is a persuasive invitation to visit these wonderful manifestations of nature for an extended period. I was particularly impressed by the visitor's tour set out near the end of the book. I took a part of that tour in 1994, and the narrative is very accurate. I will certainly use my OWN copy of the book when I go back again this autumn. (I don't want anyone to think I don't return borrowed books!) This book is an absolute musthave-mustread for anyone going to the parks or interested in the geological processes that have made the West. Enjoy.

Indiana Jones, Eat Your Heart Out
This treasure will turn "topography" into a household word. Dedicated to a fellow geologist recently killed by an avalance while conducting fieldwork, "Windows" is a slick and dramatic feature presentation of volcanism, earthquakes, and geysers. Superb maps and graphs colorfully illustrate variable stratae formed through the eons. An informal and friendly text is scholarly without being stuffy. The writers establish a tone of substance and humor as they discuss multiple upheavals that created Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. This is the kind of book that will impress early rock-ologists and even be hoarded by their more secretive, sedimental parents. The writing never "dumbs down" but is lucid with factual attention to landscape formation without snubbing the human astonishment that continually witnesses it. Thanks to geologist Smith and naturalist journalist Seigel, the book is threaded with lively accounts from park rangers, tourists, and waitresses at the Old Faithful Inn. Appeals to romantics and literalists alike. Studded with beautiful, full-color photographs. Every page is hefty and sleek to the touch, a feast for the eye as well as the brain. Kind of a wonder-book for anyone who seeks the phenomenal in terra firma.

Windows is excellent
Windows into the Earth is a fantastic book! It is excellent reading for geologist and non-geologist alike. Easy to understand descriptions of the geophysical processes that shape the Yellowstone area, and nice full color pictures and diagrams to help the explanations along. You'll have to visit Yellowstone after reading it to see it in a whole new light. ... Read more

Book Description

The seismic ray method plays an important role in seismology, seismic exploration, and in the interpretation of seismic measurements. Seismic Ray Theory presents the most comprehensive treatment of the method available. Many new concepts that extend the possibilities and increase the method's efficiency are included. The book has a tutorial character: derivations start with a relatively simple problem, in which the main ideas are easier to explain, and then advance to more complex problems. Most of the derived equations are expressed in algorithmic form and may be used directly for computer programming. This book will prove to be an invaluable advanced text and reference in all academic institutions in which seismology is taught or researched. ... Read more