Book Description

Reviews (8)

Bad Weather - Bad Writer
It's very difficult for me to give this book any form of praise.In a wordy attack, the author makes several inaccurate and otherwise misleading statements about me and my background -- which has always been of the highest regard. For example, the author says I never worked as a technical consultant for the motion picture "Twister." This is inaccurate and false. I was one of the initial consultants in 1995 after I received a call from Ian Bryce the producer of the film. I assisted the art department. One of my images was used on the movie poster and music CD. I have a letter from Warner's posted on my web site. The other accusations are equally false and can easily be debunked. The author and editors were well aware of these issues before the book was published but decided to leave the damaging and incorrect text in place. (The reader might notice last minute endnotes placed next to the text -- illustrating the author may have known there were issues before the book was printed -- but he decided to leave everything in place instead of re-writing the body of the text.)Judging by my own case, the reader could question other elements in the book. Although I'm sure some uninformed reviewers and readers will find this book interesting - I can say, -- as one of the "best-known" storm chasers in the world -- the overall theme of the book missed the mark. This is not an "Into Thin Air" level of literature. The author overlooked the true story of chasing. In my opinion, he made the mistake of making close friendships with only one side of the chasing world and his text was unbalanced.Ironically, of all the chasers mentioned in the book, I am the only individual mentioned in such a venomous manner -- even though volumes could be written about the truly negative, irresponsible and dangerous elements of chasing. One could surmise why the author decided to attack me only -- we both have published storm chasing-themed books and will now compete for speaking engagements, press, etc. I should note other reviewers have added their own comments concerning the book including: "Inaccuracies and inadequate research." As for the rest of the book, in my opinion, it's not the classic or gripping type of literature that I enjoy.

Half about chasing and the other half should have been cut
If you buy this book based on the cover or subtitle, you will have been misled. While perhaps half of this book is based on a few week's chasing that Svenvold did in May of 2004, much of the rest of the book is not about chasing at all. Svenvold's background is literary, and much of the book reads like literary criticism rather than a work on storm chasing.Like much literary criticism it suffers from a lack of focus, and the feeling that the author is trying to show off his vocabulary.An editor that cared about the book structure would have cut out much off the irrelevant verbiage and asked that the author replace it with text salient to the topic. Like Larry McMurtry, Svenvold brings the ghost of social critic Walter Benjamin into Tornado Alley, although to even less purpose.It's unfortunate that Svenvold drifts off into various political and literary diatribes, because when he is writing about chasing it's actually quite well-written and compelling, although perhaps too judgmental considering his lack of real knowledge of the cast of players. His comments about some coeds from the California University of Pennsylvania he meets along the way are hurtful and are obviously based on bias and not evidence. He makes similar value judgments about other people, corporations and countries, all from a very one-dimensional perspective. There are various other errors and inaccuracies scattered throughout the book, which can at least partly be ascribed to his unfocused approach. Parts of this book are very good, but unfortunately you will have to wade through the rest of it to find those parts.

Misleading and dissapointing
As a ten-year storm chasing veteran I am appalled to think this book represents any reality of what real storm chasing is about. The author is not a storm chaser. He may fool those who may not know better, but not me. This book was not what I expected.The dangerous driving habits of chasers and their lack of respect for the horrors of bad weather are never addressed. The guy he chased with is a well known big mouth in the world of chasing. I would not give him much credit. His writing is not accurate. For example: the part about the "tornado intercept car is a joke."Is the author so blind he does not understand the car is only a publicity ploy for a TV production? No one is going to drive into a tornado. And what if the car is hurled into a school bus? The author's lack of research and his lack of desire to write about the real issues is odd. If the author plans to write in the future, he would do much better to do a little more research and not mislead the reader.

Tornado Chasers Need To Get A Life
As one with a meteorology degree (B.S. University of Oklahoma 1977) and former severe weather geek, I am not surprised that this book is being slagged by the chaser community. People who spend their lives in a worthless endeavor are prone to bouts of self-justification.

Now that I have that out of the way I can safely tell you this is the best book ever written about Tornado Alley. Mark Svenvold brought a keen outsider's eye to the pathology of tornado chasing and ornamented his story with trenchant observations about what it's like to live on the Great Plains. His very relevant point about these people burning gallon upon gallon of gasoline in order to satisfy their obsession was right on, actually it probably encourages them to keep on chasin' because contributing to the speed-up of global warming might just spin up a few more F5's for them to drool over before they die. As for you poor people that happen to have your lives destroyed by one of those F5's, well, maybe they will make a video of your home being torn apart and sell you a copy as a souvenir. Just try to ignore their cheering when they watch it being replayed ad nauseam on the local news.

The only people that have any real business chasing are those in the position to give "ground truth" observations to radio and television outlets with the ability to warn people of the impending danger. Storms like the F5 that hit the Oklahoma City metro in 1999 are long-track and will probably be broadcast live for several minutes, maybe even over an hour, so people in harm's way should receive plenty of warning before the power is knocked out.

The researchers that chase are only kidding themselves, chaos theory guarantees that unless you have simultaneous observations for every piece of the atmosphere to load into your computer program, the results can't be trusted, and we are NEVER going to have that fine a level of observational detail.

To the rest: you are wasting gas and polluting the air in order to gratify your selfish quest.

Poor Mark
Mark Svenvold fails at his attempt to write an entertaining or informative book because of his misguided derision toward his subjects. It is more important for Mr. Svenvold to ramble at length about long dead and obscure authors, The Weather Channel, and global warming than to explain anything about storms or storm chasing. The whole book smells of the insecurities of an out of place liberal loud mouth who lives in the grip of fear that someone, somewhere might be receiving more attention than he is and might, God forbid, actually be doing something they love with their lives. Maybe if he is so concerned with the environment, he should have saved several pounds of paper and just stayed home. ... Read more

Book Description

What causes the earth’s weather? How do twisters form? What are the deadliest storms on earth? Find out the answers to these questions and more in Magic Tree House Research Guide: Twisters and Other Terrible Storms, Jack and Annie’s guide to nature’s wildest weather. Includes photographs, definitions, an index, information on twisters, hurricanes, blizzards, forecasting the weather, storm chasers, and much more! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Twisters
Twisters are tornadoes. I learned about them in the book Twisters by Will Osborne. Twisters wreak everything. Twisters can destroy homes because the winds go 300 miles per hour. They hit in the midwestern U.S. in April, May and June. I feel excited about this book because it's good to know about natural disasters so if it happens you'll be prepared. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Storm Chaser is a marvelous book about the awesome beauty of atmospheric violence, the people who seek it, and the stunning photographs captured of our turbulent atmosphere at its most dramatic. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Exciting stories with detailed, accurate information.
I've had an avid interest in meteorology since I was a small child, and my bookcase is full of various weather-related books. However, Warren Faidley's "Storm Chaser: In Pursuit of Untamed Skies" is among my most favorite. The breathtaking images coupled with detailed trip logs and weather information make for a very informative, yet interesting read.

Warren Faidley is a very experienced and highly regarded weather photographer. This book definitely does his work justice as he takes you through some of his adventures with a log-style format. Inserted among the stories are his own photographs, which are in full color and are top-notch in quality. All of his accounts are technically accurate and offer a plethora of knowledge about the subject of severe weather and the discipline needed to accomplish the task of chasing storms. In the rear of the book, he also gives a few pages of information on how to photograph your own weather events. From cameras to lenses to technical specs, he covers it all.

Overall, this book is extremely informative for everyone, whether you're a novice or you've been in the field of meteorology for 50 years. I highly reccommend it to anyone wishing to expand their collection of weather reference.

5 star photography, text a little dated
"Strorm Chaser in pursuit of untamed Skies" contains some of the most awesome weather photography you will find anywhere. Lightning, tornadoes cloud formations there all here in incredable photo's.The slightly weaker part of this book is the text (makes for good reading none the less) written mostly in a diary type format that takes you on the chase from warren faidley's earliest days starting as a news photographer to the first attempts at lighting photography to the professional storm chaser. The best reading in the book is the "chase" of hurricane Andrew. Chase is not realy the proper word here it's more like "Lets set up here in this seventh story parking lot and wait" still I found this chapter to be the most adventurest of the book. Interestinly it had the weakest photography in the book, (I'm partial to the lightning and tornado photos).A few points in the book will have you checking the publication date, most noteabley pg 72 "Oklahoma City is located in one of the most potentialy dangerous locations within the (tornado) alley. It has been struck at least 33 times in the past 90 years although NO MAJOR TORNADO HAS STRUCK" (emphass mine) Of couse that all changed forever on May 3rd 1999, when one of the greatest outbreaks of tornados ever stuck the oklahoma city area with dozens of tornados including several F4's and f5's. Still if you ever find yourself channel surfing and realize you spend a lot of time on the weather channel or love to wacth those specials about wild weather on the discovery channel like I do, you will throughly enjoy this book.

The best for beginer or future storm chaser's
The very best book on storm photography! If you like the idea of storm chasing as a carrer, than this book is for you! I plan to become a storm photographer after I finish college. Hands down, Warren Faidley is one heck of a photo jurnalist!

100% Faidley
Warren Faidley, the world's only full-time storm-chasing journalist and his bestselling book are known by many in the small storm chasing community. Storm Chaser is perfect for the coffee table and for those who enjoy great weather photography but do not intend to study the scientific part of it seriously. This is a true-blue Faidley product: glossy, full color photos, excellent book layout, a sense of fun, but not much attention paid to meteorological aspects of storm chasing. For those who want some serious stuff, try Prof. Bluestein's "Tornado Alley".

Batton Down The Hatches!
Ever been in a tornado? I have, well not actually in one, but Warrien Faidley put you in the vortex of some of the best severe weather situations! This book is a must for any weather enthusaist. Even if you don't like to read, look at the coolest pictures of Lighting and Tornados. Follow Warren through his chase diary, you will honestly feel like you are with him on his chase! Check it out, it's worth the money! ... Read more

Book Description

With winds that can reach speeds of three hundred miles an hour and funnel clouds that can measure a mile in diameter, tornadoes leave enormous damage in their wake.

Now award-winning author Seymour Simon examines these twisting columns of air and destruction. With the clear, concise style he is noted for, Simon explains how tornadoes are formed, why and when they are most likely to occur, how scientists classify and track them -- and what to do if one touches down. Spectacular full-color photographs show this powerful phenomenon in action.

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children 2000--selected by Natn'l Science Tchrs Assoc. & Child. Bk Cncl.

Reviews (1)

Tornadoes
This book was very interesting. It is filled with lots of facts and great pictures. Seymore Simon is a great writer. If you want to learn about Tornadoes definitly pick up this book. It is a GREAT book. ... Read more

Book Description

Tornadoes are the most violent, magnificent, and utterly unpredictable storms on earth, reaching estimated wind speeds of 300 mph and leaving swaths of destruction in their wake. In Tornado Alley, Howard Bluestein draws on two decades of experience chasing and photographing tornadoes across the Plains to present a fascinating historical account of the study of tornadoes and the great thunderstorms that spawn them.

A century ago, tornado warnings were so unreliable that they were usually kept under wraps to avoid causing panic over a storm that might or might not materialize. Despite cutting-edge Doppler radar technology and computer simulation, these storms remain remarkably difficult to study. To date, no instrument designed to measure wind speed has ever survived a direct hit by a tornado. Leading scientists still conduct much of their research from the front seat of a speeding van and often contend with jammed cameras, flash floods, flying debris, and windshields smashed by hailstones. Using his own spectacular photographs, Bluestein documents the exhilaration of hair-raising encounters with as many as nine tornadoes in one day, as well as the crushing disappointment of failed expeditions and ruined equipment. Most of all, he recreates the sense of beauty, mystery, and power felt by the scientists who risk their lives to study violent storms.

For scientists, amateur weather enthusiasts, or anyone who's ever been intrigued or terrified by a darkening sky, Tornado Alley provides not only a history of tornado research but a vivid look into the origin and effects of nature's most dramatic phenomena. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Absolutely Amazing!
I may be from Australia but this book really was amazing. Howard Bluestein is a terrific writer and I learnt so much from his book. The pictures were really good too and because I'm so interested in Meteorology, it really gave me a great insight on this subject and has given me a more wider view of what I want as a career. Especially living in South Australia, I don't see much severe weather so this book told me more. If you're interested in Meteorology and Tornadoes, this is a must have!! ;)

Accurate, detailed information relating to severe weather.
I've had an avid interest in meteorology since I was a small child, and my bookcase is full of various weather-related books. However, Howard Bluestein's "Tornado Alley: Monster Storms of the Great Plains" is among my most favorite. While, it's more on the technical side of the topic, it still provides easily understood diagrams and stories about the tremendous storms in the midwest US.

Howard Bluestein, a professor at Oklahoma University, is a very experienced and highly regarded severe weather expert. This book definitely does his work and research justice as he walks you through information and stories regarding his experiences. Inserted among the stories are detailed photographs and diagrams, which are displayed in excellent quality. All of the information is technically accurate and it offers a plethora of knowledge about the subject of severe weather and the discipline needed to accomplish the task of researching it in the field. As the book progresses, he slowly eases the reader into the more technical information, so you don't seem deluged by intricate terminology and equations.

Overall, this book is extremely helpful for most people. While it may not be suited to those just beginning to learn about meteorology, it is a great source of information for most people who hold an interest. I highly reccommend this book to anyone looking to expand their weather reference collection.

Tornado Alley - suffers a bit from a split personality
Prof. Bluestein is one of the world's premier storm photographers, and the images alone make this book worthwhile. From where I sit, the book tries to combine the imagery with meteorology lessons that a few readers might find useful but many will probably find them pitched at too high a level to be of much value. The book is apparently trying to combine a "coffee table" content with meteorology lessons, an arguably overambitious goal. I was also disappointed that many of the images are printed too small or even in b&w. Otherwise, the image reproduction is excellent.

For Those Curious About Storms
This book is written so that anyone can (with a little thought) understand the concepts discussed in it. However, this is not to say the book is a bore for the weather enthusiast--quite the contrary, this is the audience it will satisfy most.

I highly recommend this book for any storm enthusiast. In this book, Dr. Bluestein covers a wide range of tornado and severe-weather related topics, as well as some of the history behind how we currently deal with and view weather today. It is not difficult to understand, as it is not an academic text, yet at the same time Dr. Bluestein integrates explanations of core scientific concepts into his chasing tales and weather history narratives. Thus if you only want the book for the sake of tornado pictures and desire little/no scientific content, I suggest you look elsewhere.

Great Book
I love this highly explosive book! It is for sure, for the storm lover. I plan on chasing storms after school, and if you do too, this the book for you. Proud to give it five big stars! ... Read more

Book Description

‘Branley explains these powerful storms in simple terms young children can understand. He describes the funnel cloud and how it forms and [tells] what to do during a tornado. The book ends on a comfortable note, that the idea is not to panic but to know what to do to ensure safety.’ —BL.

A Reading Rainbow Selection ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This book might blow you away...
...with it's ability to explain this twist of nature at a level young children can understand. I was most impressed with the fact that not only does it describe the scientific aspects of tornado formation in simple terms, it also discusses tornado safety by giving kids several examples of where they might be when a tornado hits and the best place to take cover for each situation. While the publisher lists ages 4-8 as the targeted reading level, I found with our library groups at school that our 9-11 year olds were very interested in it as well. If you have younger children and live in an area where tornadoes are a real threat, I highly recommend using this book to introduce tornado safety. ... Read more

Book Description

Tornadoes occur in every state in the Union, and each region of the nation has its unique "tornado season." The most intense tornadoes can carry automobiles a half-mile and level a well built home. Some tornadoes have crossed mountains, seemingly unimpeded. Some have lasted more than an hour, scouring the earth with wind speeds of 250 miles per hour. Nor are tornadoes unique to the United States. In Bangladesh, for example, they have killed a thousand people in a single swath.

Reviews (10)

Ideal quick reference on tornadoes
From the intorduction, you read that the author's intent with this book was to write a modernized edition of Snowden D. Flora's 1953 book "Tornadoes of the United States" -- which was billed at the time as the first general reference book on tornadoes. In that respect, Tom Grazulis has fully succeeded.

"The Tornado" covers all the basics about tornadoes, like the highly complicated (and still enigmatic) process of tornado formation, forecasting, historical aspects of tornadoes -- as well as major tornadic events of the past, safety, climatology/frequncy, international frequency and major events, the Fujita scale, myths (more than you might think), and a pleasingly non-sensational chapter on storm chasing.

The text is never too complicated, and even the more technical points are easy to understand. The fact that the book is up-to-date is also a plus, as is the scope of the book's coverage. It's also somewhat more relevant to an American audience than Arjen and Jerrine Verkaik's "Under the Whirlwind," which -- though good, and including some of what this book covers -- was written with a Canadian audience in mind. (In which case Canadian readers are advised to read that book before this.)

About the only real minus is that there are limited illustrations, and those in the book are black and white. This text accompanied with more -- and color -- illustrations might have been more useful, although in moderation so as not to draw attention away from the text; at any rate a section of color plates would have been a nice addition.

That aside, this is a terrific guide to all things relevant (or even just the stuff you might have thought of once!) to tornadoes.

Great Book on Tornadoes
I strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in tornadoes and wishing to learn more about the subject. Topics covered include nearly every aspect of tornado development and subsequent evolution, forecasting and warnings, the Fujita scale for rating damage, and tornado risks by geographical region. As a meteorologist, I think he does a great job communicating core scientific concepts to the reader in an easy-to-understand manner, and the chapters "Tornado Myths" and "Tornado Safety" contain valuable information and are must-reads, esp. for those less familiar with severe storms/tornadoes.

In short, a good read for anyone interested in tornadoes, and definitely a book you will want to have on your shelf.

Gone with the wind.
Lets start with the few negatives about this book. Grazulis does use the term, "I" fairly often in this book. This doesn't bother me as much as it does some people. He has to use the first person as he explains what brought about his interest in tornadoes and he has been involved in much of the research he talks about. The only real drawback I can find is that he gets a little too technical for the average reader on occasion. Still, considering the complicated nature of his subject I think he does a fine job of getting his point across and helping someone like me began to understand these killer storms.

Grazulis leads us down the path of tornado history making stops along the way to point out interesting facts. The reader is given stories of survival as well as tragedy. We even get a story about the one of the 18th century's most famous scientists chasing on horseback after what may or may not have been a tornado. I can just see Ben Franklin charging down the road in hot pursuit. Grazulis also spends some time trashing some tornado myths and giving some safety tips. There is also a very interesting chapter on tornadoes in other countries. I have even begun to understand what straight line winds and downbursts are because of this book.

Best of all the reader will be treated to an inside look at the progress science has made in understanding and predicting tornadoes. The new equipment, the new ideas, and the ever present danger of trying to get too close to a tornado to study it. Science has come a long way since early April, 1974 when forecasters all over the eastern U.S. watched the "Super Outbreak" on surplus World War II radar.

No matter if you are a weather junkie or are just in awe of the power of nature I feel sure you will find this to be an interesting read.

An accessible introduction to the subject
Persons interested in tornadoes will recognize Tom Grazulis as the Director of the Tornado Project and author of the massive tornado tome "Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991." In this new book, appropriately published by the University of Oklahoma Press, Grazulis discusses the long history of tornadoes in the United States (and, rare for books on the subject, includes a listing of major tornadoes outside the US), covers the process of observation and research that led to today's understanding of these chaotic storms, discusses tornado oddities, tornado safety, and tornado myths (no, that trailer park on the edge of town is not a dangerous tornado attractant). Grazulis is not a particularly stylish writer, but the book is clear and interesting and will serve as a good introduction to both the trail of terror left by these storms and the current state of severe storm research.

.... While Grazulis does on occasion refer to himself, it is not excessive and provides his own view of events and personalities in the field.

My only disagreement with Grazulis is his soft-pedaling of the state of government funding into severe storm research and warning systems. While he comments mildly that the government just can't fund everything (which of course is true), I would observe that there always seems to be money for congressional porkbarrel, like the mysterious ordering every year of C-130 aircraft that the Air Force didn't want but which were built in a certain well-known former House Speaker's district at the same time that Weather Service offices were being closed and research money drying up. As one who lives in a NEXRAD "hole" (a city that is well below the horizon of the nearest WSR-88D radars and hence in danger of being struck unexpectedly by tornadoes), I tend to object more than mildly to this kind of thing, and Grazulis should as well.

If you find this book interesting, check at your local library for a copy of Grazulis' "Significant Tornadoes." It is huge and fascinating.

Compact but thorough reference on tornadoes

In 1953, the University of Oklahoma Press launched its biggest seller to date with "Tornadoes of the United States" by Snowden D. Flora. For its era, it was unique -- a thorough, multifaceted but concise (194 pages) treatment of tornadoes, liberally sprinkled with photographs. Tom Grazulis, a friend, colleague in science and fellow tornado enthusiast, has created the same with a modern flavor: the first worthy successor to Flora's tome in 48 years.

Strongly reminiscent of Flora's framework, Grazulis effectively blends powerful personal anecdotes from tornado survivors with sharp graphics, summaries of the most recent scientific thinking on tornado development, and short synopses of tornado events through history. Grazulis explains and debunks tornado myths, including safety misconceptions like the suicidal tendency for people to hide beneath bridges in advance of a tornado. This work pays due attention and respect to the immense contributions of Ted Fujita without the undertone of hero worship in the author's previous book, "Significant Tornadoes." The text is quite straightforward -- rightfully so -- about the inconsistencies, varying methods, and flat-out-wrongs in the "official" tornado database -- such as a deadly November 1989 New York downburst (as surveyed by Fujita) which remains on the records as a tornado. Without confusion, Grazulis covers tornado risk in several ways, thanks to his enormous database of significant (deadly and/or F2 or greater) tornadoes. Also, commendably, there is an entire chapter devoted to tornadoes outside the United States, which (from personal communication with author) played a big role in scuttling his original plans to adopt Flora's title for this book as well.

The major problem with this work is in its blatantly first-person writing style. While not a fatal flaw, the appearance of the word "I" in hundreds of places lends a striking, if unintended, aura of self-importance detracting from the abundance of solid science behind the information. Why must an author talk about himself so much, unless this is supposed to be an autobiography? Also, many of the photos in "Tornadoes of the United States" were reprinted here, in lieu of many more recent, higher-quality tornado pictures from the 1980s and 90s which better illustrate the concepts written by Grazulis. Without these encumbrances, Grazulis' book gets 5 stars, easily. Still, all severe weather enthusiasts should have a copy at the core of their libraries. It will be stunning if this volume doesn't become OU Press' biggest seller, as did its forebear. ... Read more

Book Description

Before storm sirens, before the Weather Channel, before Doppler Radar, a tornado "dropped out of a troubled May sky and twisted its way into our lives forever." On the evening of May 20,1957 three communities south of Kansas City, Missouri were destroyed by a seventy-one mile, F-5 twister. This monstrous storm left in its path five hundred injured, forty-four dead and over a million dollars worth of property damage.

Nothing defines a community more than its reaction to disaster. Caught In The Path is a story of fear and courage, suffering and resiliency. The hardest hit area, four year old Ruskin Heights, was the first post-war tract housing development in the Kansas City area. Like so many of their generation, its residents, mostly first time home buyers in their twenties and thirties, came to Ruskin to raise their baby-boom families with the optimism of the fifties. When the tornado scattered their dreams along its path, they came back, and changed a housing development into a community.

Author Carolyn Glenn Brewer's family was among those caught off guard by the tornado. Most of the houses on her block were leveled to the foundation. She combines her story with extensive interviews from nearly one hundred survivors and period media coverage. The narrative flow of this book reads like fiction, but makes the tornado, and the summer that followed, pulse with reality. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The raw human side of a violent tornado

Smudging our national fabric are stains of disaster like the one smeared across the southern suburbs of Kansas City one muggy night in 1957. Through her own experiences as a child survivor, and those of dozens of living witnesses, Brewer has compiled a rich and true tale of the impact, recovery, and lingering torment from a multiple-vortex, F5 tornado. Warnings weren't too accurate or timely then; the weather bulletin advised residents only of the threat of high winds and hail. When the vortex struck, 44 people died, over 500 others lay injured, and thousands of families' lives were torn loose from the security of bustling, post-war, Levittown-style suburbia. As the stories unfold, one can almost see the smoldering rubble, and smell the aroma of electrical ozone and shredded trees.

Concurrent parts of the survivors' inverviews are excerpted together in each chronological chapter, from the tornado's first sightings to recollection from the 1990s. The book could have used another diligent proofreader or two. Its organization is rather choppy; and there are too many misspellings. The research, however, was resoundingly thorough, rendering a richly endowed anthology of personal tales from a single evening of terror long ago.

Tornado survivors, disaster historians and Kansas City residents alike will appreciate Caught in the Path; however, its most needed audience may be severe weather aficionados: storm chasers, storm spotters and professional meteorologists. To them (and me, a former NSSFC forecaster), Brewer shows the side of severe weather we too often fail to appreciate when we research, forecast, or observe storms. Through these pages, the survivors of Kansas City's last violent tornado teach us lessons about what happens beneath those radar echoes and dark clouds. Their tales of survival show us why we do what we do -- to minimize such carnage and horror whenever the big one hits again, anywhere, anytime.

A time warp to my childhood
Carolyn Brewer's book took me on a journey to my past, Her recounting of the Ruskin Heights tornado through interviews with survivors made those intense Summer evenings come rushing back like the storm winds themselves. No one who grew up in "Tornado Alley" could read this book and not be moved. I applaud her courage and that of the people who shared that night of terror with all of us.

Ruskin Revisited
The book was perhaps more interesting since I have not been back to Ruskin. I was also a classmate of Judy Hembree and others in the book. We did not dwell on the tornado aftermath in the 60s, but now realize that it shaped our reaction to crisis.

Nice read.

Great content, could have used better editing
This book is a gripping and compelling story of the May 20 1957 tornado in the words of the survivors 20-30 years later. It has personal interest to me as a life-long Kansas City resident, tornado obsessor and '50s buff. In the mid to late 1980s, I resided in apartments which were adjacent to the railroad tracks and just south of the Ruskin shopping center. I figuratively could not put the book down once I started. My only criticism would be the large number of spelling and grammar errors.

A roaring success!
I came across this book on a visit to St. Louis and grabbed it. It may just be the best book ever written about a tornado--it's riveting start to finish and the spotlight is on people and their lives. It's a great movie in print with a terrific plot, memorable characters and a lot of heroism mixed in. ... Read more

Product Description

Information and many photos, charts & graphs of tornadoes & their aftermath. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A real twist
I really enjoyed reading this book with my class for information about tornadoes and hurricanes. The book presents many facts about these storms in a very kid friendly way. the format for the book is questions and answers. The book provides just enough information to keep it interesting for student readers. The pictures are not real, but are realistic. I like how the authors write a note in the beginning of the story inviting the reader to read their book. This book will be appealing for students in the upper elementary grades. It is a good beginning book for research. ... Read more

Book Description

Award-winning science writer takes you where only the bravest souls have ventured, and survived - into the frightening path of these violent twisters. He also gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Warner Bros. film from the creators of Jurassic Park and the director of Speed. In collaboration with the makers of the film, Davidson explores the many challenges faced by the producers, the stars, the director and the special effects experts who re-created this wild, mysterious experience. Through fascinating interviews, you'll come to understand just how these incredible storms came to life on the big screen.

Of all the atmospheric storms, tornadoes are the fiercest, concentrating as much energy into a small space and time as numerous atomic-bomb blasts, and posing grave danger to the scientists who study this incredible phenomenon. Swirling at speeds of up to three hundred miles per hour and spewing debris as far as two hundred files away, a writhing tornado leaves behind a trail of tragedy: lives are ruined, families are wiped out, and entire towns are erased from the face of the Earth.

Enhanced with spectacular close-up photographs and easy-to-grasp graphics, TWISTER offers an enthralling profile of these powerful storms, including an in-depth look at the leading tornado-monitoring project, VORTEX. You'll discover a fascinating world of science and mystery, where storm chasers risk their lives for their work. And you'll hear from those who have experienced close encounters with tornadoes as they tell their unforgettable stories. Embark on a journey filled with terror, grief, triumph, and hope -- hope that scientists will soon be able to reliably predict, and in the distant future control, nature's most devastating force: tornadoes.

Reviews (4)

An Interesting Book
The main idea of the book is to narrate a scientist who studied and carried out about twister through out her life. She hoped that she could predict when the twister would come in order to reduce the loss and rescued people from twister. The story also contained some love element.
The leading man and woman both were scientists, and they had the same dreams. I felt that they were very great and brave because analyzing twister was not an easy job. It must spend a lot of time and it was very dangerous. They knew that there were many difficulties but they stilled sacrifice their lives to approach the danger.
After reading this book, I knew that how powerful the twister is. It can destroy all the things within a few minutes. Human is very weak and a lot of events cannot be control by us. We don¡¦t know what will happen, therefore we must cherish the things we have and to do more meaningful things to make our life colourful, just like the character.

INTERESTING, BUT A LITTLE LIGHTWEIGHT
Davidson certainly doesn't deceive anyone with the title of his book. It is about tornado science and the movie, although coverage of the movie making process was a bit spotty. Many will enjoy the tornado stories within; in one a woman is suspended high over a church steeple, afraid that she will collide with a horse suspended likewise.

Overall, though, I was less than fully pleased with this book for two reasons. First of all, it never flows neatly from topic to topic but jumps around instead. Davidson will be telling us about our tornado history and then abruptly switch to talk about the life of a meteorologist or the physics of airflows. There is a lot to cover when writing about tornadoes, but the chapters could have been organized a bit better.

Secondly, the writing style made me feel like a small child in school again. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seemed at times as though Davidson were writing for an audience no older than thirteen. Readers can judge for themselves.

This book will blow your mind!
I was very impressed with this book. It gives in-depth detail about the world of tornado research, and how the movie "Twister" was created. It discusses what VORTEX was, along with personal interviews with the admirable Dr. Erik N. Rasmussen. The stories the victims share are quite amazing as well.

~Laura Duchesne (Storm Chaser)

ENTERTAINING AND INFORMATIONAL FROM COVER TO COVER!
MY HUSBAND GAVE ME THIS BOOK FOR MY BIRTHDAY, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST GIFTS I EVER RECEIVED. THE SECTIONS ON PEOPLES PAST TORNADO EXPERIENCES WERE WRITTEN SO WELL, I FELT I WAS LIVING IT AS I READ ... Read more

Book Description

At 4:33 P.M. on March 3, 1966, the skies above Jackson, Mississippi, turned an ominous yellow before going suddenly and violently black. A tornado of the F-5 category -- the most lethal -- struck without warning. It tore roofs off buildings, twisted metal, blew out windows, threw cars into the air, and killed fourteen people -- thirteen of them in a newly built shopping mall, the Candlestick Shopping Center. The fury and destruction ended in seconds, but in those moments the tornado had ripped through the heart of a community, changing lives forever.

In A World Turned Over, Lorian Hemingway returns to the Jackson she knew as a child and tells the story of the Candlestick Tornado, as it came to be known. Vividly re-creating the terrifying day of the tornado, she recounts the miracles and tragedies that also happened that day -- including the story of Donna Durr, who with her baby was lifted in her car seventy-five feet up into the vortex, and of eighteen-year-old Ronny Hannis, who survived to help rescue others, oblivious to the danger to his own life. Decades later, the devastation of that single day continues to reverberate and affect those left behind.

Lyrical and haunting, A World Turned Over is an unforgettable story of awesome destruction -- and a powerful testament to the extraordinary resilience, faith, and heroism of ordinary people visited by fate. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

lushly written
Lorian Hemingway's "A World Turned Over" is beautifully, lushly written. In a dreamer's evocative prose, she tells the story of the severe tornado that struck Jackson, Mississippi, in the spring of 1966, destroying the Candlestick Shopping Center. Hemingway, a girl of 10 at the time, had moved away shortly before the storm came.

More than thirty years later, she returned to there to claim her own memories, and to record the recollections of people whose lives had been forever changed, some by the loss of a family member, some by witnessing sites that burned upon their souls. When they see the sky taking on that peculiar yellow tinge, when they hear the sirens, their bodies respond with pounding hearts, shallow breathing, goosebumps. They react not only to the sight and sounds, but to their own memories.

Suffused with that sense of place which other southern writers also express so well, with the scents, sounds, sights of that region called "home", Hemingway's book will transport you to the Jackson she knew as a child, and to that March afternoon when the familiar world was turned upside down.

This book deserves a wide readership! Highly recommended!

A piece of history for a fellow Jacksonian
I discovered this book through a mention of it in the New York Times Book Review. It caught my eye because I grew up in Jackson, MS. I had heard about the Candlestick Tornado many times in childhood, but knew little about the details. I really enjoyed Ms. Hemingway's ability to evoke the Jackson environment. We also ran behind the fog machine as children, although I lived in North Jackson and there we called it "the mosquito man." Ms. Hemingway writes lyrically, and her descriptions of the people and families affected by the tornado are quite affecting. I had tears in my eyes several times. The only reason I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 is because the book is a little repetitive, and because I wish she would have told us a little more about the aftermath, how the shopping center owner was able to afford to rebuild his building. A few facts and figures would have added to the book for me. Although I live in the North now, I can say that fellow Southerners will recognize immediately how well Ms. Hemingway describes Southern culture, both then and now. Northerners may learn a thing or two about Southerners by reading this book.

More childhood memoir than disaster book
This book seems out of place in the "disaster book" genre. The author seems more concerned with reliving her childhood. Not a very good read.

Highly Recommended
I would like to make two comments about this book. Most important, it is powerful, beautiful, and interesting, and is a great example of literary reporting, as well as memoir.
My second comment is to express my anger at the amazingly ill-informed and inaccurate comments made by "a reader from Arlington, Virginia," who saw fit to give the lowest rating possible to a book that, by all appearances, he or she has not even read. The comment that it is "poorly researched" could not be further from the truth, and his condescending suggestion that the author should have made use of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History makes him look like a fool, since that institution was cited as a source of information, as was the Eudora Welty Library. The reviewer is right that the town of "Byram" is not spelled correctly, though his argument is rather deflated in light of the fact that he cannot correctly spell the word "rectified" himself. There are many Jackson natives that would take issue with his assertion that there is not a single live oak tree in Jackson. One of the most amazingly ignorant "criticisms" is that "there were very few eyewitness interviews in the book"-----There were more than twenty. Even more outrageous is the claim that there is "very little on the impact the event had upon the community of South Jackson." (sic)
In reality, this impact is the subject of the ENTIRE BOOK.
It's unfortunate that this person's careless reading was translated into a review. Listen instead to The New York Times, which praised A World Turned Over and called it "lush" and "evocative."

Author needs to do her research.
As a native of Jackson, Mississippi (the Belhaven area was my home from birth until I moved to VA at the age of 23) I can honestly say that this book does not do justice to either the people involved or the event itself. I was born in 1973, several years after the infamous tornado, but am very familiar with the story and the places involved in the event. There are many errors regarding locations in south Jackson. The Green Derby (incorrectly listed in the book as the brown derby) was indeed located in south Jackson and was demolished in the late 80's... there is no possible way for the author to have seen it during her research as it simply was not there. The community of BYRAM is consistently referred to as Byrum (a simple glance at any map of the state would have rectified this error). Also, there are no live oaks in Jackson, they are located almost exclusively on the coast. There were very few eyewitness interviews in the book and very little on the impact the event had upon the community of south Jackson. If the author was unable to track down those involved the MS Dept. of Archives and History has a wonderful file filled with eyewitness accounts that is just waiting for a competent researcher. The author states that Candlestick was abandoned due to a lingering sense of doom brought forth by the tornado. In fact, the shopping center did very well for a number of years after the tornado and was only abandoned when the entire south side of Jackson became too dangerous for commerce. The shopping centers that line McDowell Road (mere blocks from Candlestick) are also in a state of disrepair and abandonment and were never subjected to a tornado's wrath. I did not care for Ms. Hemingway's style of writing in the least ... ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The best book ever written about tornadoes
Interesting, enlightening and useful are only a few of the adjectives that describe this book. It has everything from exciting stories to amazing facts. While the book includes many incredible photographs, they are intended to educate rather than just inspire awe. Whether you are interested in storm chasing or just want to recognize and protect your family from dangerous weather formations, this is the book for you. It truly has truly something for just about everyone from the light browser to the seasoned chaser. This is a book that everyone in tornado-prone areas should have as a reference!

Great for beginner storm chasers or Midwest residents.
Well, it's not quite everything, but if you live in the Midwest you should really consider getting this book, whether it be used or new. It offers many different images as far as storm structures, tornado structures and clouds.

Diagrams are offered for 1) viewing the inside of a "worst-first" thunderstorm, 2) viewing the inside of a "worst-last" thunderstorm, 3) inside a tornado, 4) two pages of drawings of different "breeds" of tornadoes, 5) damage paths with debris location, etc.

There are small side notes on almost every page including "weird" information, myths, quick reference, highlights and checklists.

As for beginning chasers or settled chasers with bad luck (such as I), this is a great book to get started with. Aside from Arjen and Jerrine talking about one specific storm that spawned two tornadoes, you'll also learn about "The Storm Environment" (p.68). The Storm Environment explains the different types of clouds that are present with storms and what to expect with them. This section lasts two pages. The "Weather Words" section will get you up to date on your vocabulary used throughout the book. Although there are no scientific words that you'll never understand written throughout the book at all, it does contain words like aloft, updraft, downdraft, inflow, outflow and core. If you're unfamiliar with these words (or you simply think you know what they mean) this could come in handy. A small section is given to weather offices, such as SKYWARN and CANWARN.

This book will also describe to you the difference between a tornado, twister, funnel, funnel cloud, wall cloud, etc. Some of them have no differences at all, even though they are thought to have different meanings.

So far, I have only gotten through the two chapters focusing on Severe Storms and Tornadoes. I'll be back to update the review after I've gotten through the entire book. Enjoy!

Pleasantly written, diverse & well-illustrated tornado tome

Although the authors are Canadian, and aim the book at an audience north of the U.S., American weather enthusiasts and anyone wondering about tornadoes will soak this up. "Under the Whirlwind" is a solid work overall; and for a self-published book, it is amazingly informative and accurate. Readers may be as surprised at the Verkaiks' insight into severe storms issues, since they are not meteorologists. However, their devotion to learning scientific concepts, combined with their extensive storm observing experience and conversational writing style, allows them to succeed with this book. Although the reading is light in a purely technical sense, I found only a few typos and insignificant errors. More important are the clear messages of practicality, realism, education and compassion in the book -- which includes numerous suvivors' tales as well as segments on insurance coverage and helping children to deal with storm-related tragedy. The authors convey a wise message of safety and responsibility as well, for example: "After damaging tornadoes strike there are usually calls for better alert systems -- more bells and whistles.... But the best warning you can have comes from keeping your eye on the sky."

The illustrations are numerous and excellent, without peer in popular severe weather literature. Their deep artistic and educational appreciation for the wonders of a stormy sky pours forth in the form of dozens of full-color photos -- many consisting of spectacular storm structure scenes taken on their forays to the American Great Plains. These aren't presented just to show off the Verkaiks' mastery of storm photography, but to aid in interpreting cloud features. There are also several interesting, high-quality, contributed photos of Canadian tornadoes which never have been published before. The Verkaiks richly endow the volume with drawings, tables and color graphs as well, including numerous inset trivia boxes scattered throughout the book related to debunked tornado myths and tornado oddities.

Because this hasn't been a widely advertised book or peddled by a major publishing house since its 1997 debut, it may go under the radar, so to speak. But it is well worth the cost for students and general audiences curious about the mysteries of tornadoes.

It was the best book I have ever read on the subject.
Under The Whirlwind is, one of the best books about tornadoes available. By reading the book, you will gain an amazing amount of knowledge, and be able to look at the sky with amazement and knowledge about what you see happening. It explains everything you ever wanted or need to know about severe weather and tornadoes, and it is written in understandable terms. Buy this book, and impress your friends with your knowledge of the stormy sky!

This is the best Ontario tornado book out there!
I am very pleased with this book. It gives great in-depth detail about what a victim goes through during a tornado, how to read the stormy sky, about the tornadoes in Ontario, and what to do after a tornado. I have personally met the authors.

~Laura Duchesne (Storm Chaser) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Best Book about Tornadoes. And I live near Waco!
If you haven't read this book you don't know what a best seller is about. It was pure fact, electric and mesmerizing. I couldn't put it down. The author interviewed the survivors first hand. Not some fictional made-for-TV slop.

Its a pretty good book but not many pictures
I bought this bookin hope it had some fascinating pictures,I was dissapointed in that aspect, but it had some of the best info about tornadoes i have ever seen!!!!!! bottom line its a good book if you're into tornadoes!!!

The best tornado narrative available !
This book is a must have for anybody interested in tornadoes. It tells in detail about the lives that were forever changed when a massive tornado ripped through Waco Texas in 1953. This is one of the few times a tornado has hit a downtown area head on. This may happen again, especially with the huge population growth. It is also rumored to be the theme of the sequel to the Twister ! movie. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very Good Book
It was very cool! It had lots of information and awesome pictures. I like the part about the black plague. This a very good book about disasters. I wish they had a sequel to it.

Great for educators and students
This is an excellent book for teachers and librarians to share with a group. The pictures are bright and detailed and there is a lot of useful descriptive information. The book could be used to initiate discussion about the natural disasters as well topics in history, geography, and science.

A must for children and teachers!
This book illustrates and explains very well about cyclones, earhtquakes, floods, etc. that happened in the past.For children it's very important to know what kind of natural disasters (still) can happen, all over the world. Disasters is really a valuable book of reference for all ages. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

An excellent tornado book!
I have read this book several times over the years, and it holds my interest all the way to the end each time. It reads easily and quickly, and yet gives great detail to the horrific events of Friday, May 31st, 1985. This book is even more important to me because I live about 43 miles away from where the nearest tornado hit- Newton Falls, Ohio. If you are a severe storm and/or tornado buff, or just want to learn more about this particular tornado outbreak, this book is for you.

Best Tornado Book I have ever read!!
This is truely the best tornado book I ever read. I lived not far from several of where these tornadoes struck. An F4 tornado just passed south of my hometown, Warren PA, and struck Tionesta and Northern Forest County, killing 7. I found out about this rare, yet fascinating outbreak in PA. I recommend this book to be read by any tornado enthusiast.

The best tornado book ever
This is the best tornado book that I have ever read. This incident happened about 50 miles from my hometown which makes it more exiting yet.The author's chronological story from the start to end keeps the reader's interest through out the whole book. I am currently looking fo a copy of this book

A must-read book for tornado enthusiasts
This is a must-read book if you have any interest in tornadoes. It is a gripping tale of small town America against the unforseen fury of one of the largest tornado outbreaks in the world. You don't just get facts - you get behind-the-scenes work on what meteorologists do to predict and forewarn for severe weather outbreaks. You are taken, step by step, through the history of these fantastic forces of nature, from the earliest signs of unstable air to the advent of the outbreak to the in-house experience to the grief and cleanup.

A very good book for anyone who enjoys a disaster story.
TORNADO WATCH #211, By John Grant Fuller *A Review By Mike Colclough* On May 31, 1985, a whirling melee of cloud and debris descended upon several unsuspecting towns along the countryside of the Ohio/Pennsylvania border. What had started out as a humid but quiet day in late spring turned quickly into one of the worst tornado outbreaks ever recorded in this nation. Very few people expected it, or even knew what to do when it hit. There was warning by weather forecasters--though not much--but most people refused to heed it anyway. The results were mass casualties and devastation. In this suspenseful non-fiction thriller, John G. Fuller (author of The Ghost Of Flight 401) keeps the disaster story-lover on-edge for most of the book, as he describes--in well-researched detail--the way events unfolded for both weather watchers and citizens alike on that day. Fuller even takes the reader into the lives of some of those affected and makes one feel as if (s)he, too, is present in the area for which the National Severe Storms Forecast Center has just issued Tornado Watch #211. Aspiring news writers should read this book to see how cataclysmic events should be covered (but frequently are not). Anyone who is a meteorologist, weather watcher, fire chief, civil defense director, or concerned citizen should want this book for his/her personal library. ... Read more