Book Description
The creators of POOP are back with an entertaining look at the most incredible survivors on Earth.
Are you ready for the competition? From the persevering emperor penguins of the South Pole to the brave bacteria inside bubbling volcanoes, from the hardy reptiles of the driest deserts to the squash-proof creatures of the deepest seabeds, animals have adapted to survive in conditions that would kill a human faster than you can say "coffin." Discover how they do it in this amazing natural history book from a celebrated team — and find out who wins the title of the toughtest animal of them all!
Customer Reviews:
Definitely not just a children's book.......2007-06-06
I love this book. It is fun to browse through (cartoon-like illustrations make it fun). But it is definitely a book chock full of information. How do seals dive so deep and not get the bends? How do frogs survive winter after being frozen like popsicles? Can an organism really survive temperatures exceeding 230 degrees or as low as absolute zero, -459 F? Not only does this little book provide these answers and explanations, it will leave the reader hungry for more mind-blowing revelations about life on this planet, and perhaps on the next. Warning: It will be difficult not to read snippets to whomever is in the room with you.
A fun factual read.......2007-03-01
Lots of people have written about penguins, polar bears, and bacteria--but not this way! Nicola Davies has written stories about the roughest, toughest, baddest animals there are, so funny I was laughing out loud and so good I couldn't put it down.
She brings life to the dullest subjects. Is a sponge an interesting creature? It never was to me, but her account is. She says, "To be honest, even live sponges don't do much. They just sort of sit there and grow. But put one in a blender and you'll see that they do something no other animal can: pour your sponge smoothie back into its seawater home, and it will put itself back together..."
Explanations that are accurate but make sense to a non-scientist (animals with "antifreeze" in their bodies, for example) and deceptively simple illustrations by Neal Layton make this one of my new favorite books.
Book Description
Waves are hypnotic and beautiful. They can also be great fun. But Katrina and Rita taught us that they can be powerful and deadly while the 2004 tsunami proved that some waves are absolutely devastating. Science is the best tool for understanding and predicting the most extreme waves.
Where do waves come from? Why are some big and some small? From winter to summer, the nature of the beach changes, sculpted by the tireless energy of waves. Most waves are simply rhythmic expressions of the Earth's movement through space and the changes they bring to our shorelines are gradual. But given the right weather conditions and combination of natural forces, waves can wreak havoc.
These are extreme waves, waves that stretch 100 feet high - posing an imminent threat to large sea vessels and coastal structures. There are even waves that have stripped trees from mountains as they surged to an estimated 1700 feet high. But even less massive waves are dangerous to ships and coastlines. Indeed, the lessons of the 2004 Bay of Bengal tsunami and the damage wrought by recent tidal surges in New Orleans underscore the need for better tracking and prediction of extreme waves.
Extreme Waves is a fascinating history of waves. Covering both the headline stories as well as incidents that are less well-known but equally startling, author and amateur sailor will have you riveted from the first chapter to the last.
Customer Reviews:
Just About Everything on Ocean Waves.......2007-03-22
The author, an ardent sailor, has written a book on just about everything anyone would ever want to know about water waves. This amazing book covers everything from how waves are formed, what makes them grow, how they move and interfere with each other, to their impact on ocean-going vessels and man-made structures along the coasts. Storms, hurricanes, tsunami and swells are all discussed as are freak, rogue and giant (extreme) waves. Scientists' efforts in trying to develop models to better predict the occurrences of extreme waves are also discussed. Keeping marine jargon to a minimum, the author recounts various extreme wave-related sea disasters that have occurred mainly in the recent past; these stories, some told by the survivors, are absolutely gripping. The prose is very friendly yet authoritative, clear and very engaging. This book will appeal to seasoned mariners or landlubbers like me who are fascinated by huge ocean waves: their nature, their causes and their possible effects.
Smith Does It Again.......2006-11-29
Craig Smith has produced another great book. His previous work, "How The Great Pyramid Was Built," analyzed the original construction of the Great Pyramid in Egypt using modern engineering principles and tools. His explanations and conclusions in that book were crisp and credible. Reading it was a pleasure. His new book,"Extreme Waves," demonstrates again his ability to take a complex subject and explain it to ordinary people, without losing them in a fog of technical jargon.
Nearly two years ago a massive tsunami raged through the Indian Ocean, leaving at least 250,000 people dead. Although this may have been the deadliest "extreme wave" in recent memory, it is surely not alone. Every year, hundreds of vessels, large and small, are sunk by massive walls of water striking without much warning. Smith's book removes the mystery from these waves. He explains how they form, how they differ, where they can be expected, and how they distroy property and kill people.
Smith is an engineer and a sailor and a fine storyteller. He uses these personal skills to weave together a great tale of huge waves crisscrossing the oceans creating havoc in the shipping lanes and mayhem on the shores. Many of the pieces of this story are made clear by Smith's skillful recounting of his personal sailing experiences or those of mariners who know "Extreme Waves" because they have encountered them in person. In other sections of the book, Smith aids our understanding by adding to the narrative useful examples taken from "real life" of ships sunk and lives lost. In still other portions, Smith lets the scientists and safety experts tell their stories in their own words.
Although "Extreme Waves" is downright scary in places, this is not an "alarmist" tract, calculated to raise our fear level and keep us out of the oceans and off the shores. Using all the latest knowledge gained from satelites, ocean research, and shipping records, Smith explains the statistics of these waves and the safety issues that they raise. He offers concrete suggestions on how to resolve these issues. All-in-all, Craig Smith has delivered a great book on a very timely subject.
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Extreme Events: A Physical Reconstruction and Risk Assessment
Jonathan Nott
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Environmental Science
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ASIN: 0521824125 |
Book Description
The assessment of risks posed by natural hazards such as floods, droughts, earthquakes, tsunamis or cyclones, may not reflect the full range or magnitude of events possible. As human populations grow, especially in hazard-prone areas, methods for accurately assessing natural hazard risks are becoming increasingly important. Jonathan Nott describes the many methods used to reconstruct such hazards from natural long-term records. He demonstrates how long-term records are essential in gaining a realistic understanding of the variability of natural hazards, and how short-term historical records can often misrepresent likely risks.
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- Politics, personalities, and science of the dark world
- Geology & Biology Intwined
- Damn interesting, heavy on the human drama
- Nanobacteria, A New Form of Life and Its Pathology in Humans
- Space science can still be an adventure - here's your guide.
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Dark Life: Martian Nanobacteria, Rock-Eating Cave Bugs, and Other Extreme Organisms of Inner Earth and Outer Space
Michael Ray Taylor
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0684841916 |
Amazon.com
The microbes that caver Michael Ray Taylor calls "dark life" are found deep in the earth, in boiling oceanic vents, Antarctic ice, and lots of other places far from the reach of the sun's energy. These "extremophiles" are energy opportunists, subsisting on chemicals, radioactivity, or the faint light of molten rock. The study of these organisms is quite new, and scientists are learning that examining them may provide hints about the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Dark Life is a first-person tour of the places Taylor has looked for archaebacteria and other strange microorganisms--Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico, the hot springs of Viterbo in central Italy, NASA laboratories, and the halls of academia. Taylor met with passionate scientists searching for answers about how things can live deep in the earth and if they can survive in the unimaginable cold of outer space while hitchhiking on meteors. Dark Life chronicles the triumphs and disappointments of this new field of science with engaging and personal stories.
The steady but frustrating progress of science is never more apparent than in the passages relating to the rise and fall of ALH84001. The potato-sized meteorite from Mars (and the scientists who analyzed it) enjoyed brief but frenzied attention when it was announced that microscopic forms in the rock may have indicated the presence of nanobacteria. But if you're expecting resolution to this question in Dark Life, be warned: to Taylor, it's the journey that's most exciting. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
In a narrative that combines cutting-edge science with intense physical adventure, Dark Life tells the fascinating story of the quest to find life far underground and deep in space.
Able to thrive without sunlight or oxygen, dark life is a mass of subterranean bacteria that would likely tip the scale if weighed against all other living matter combined. Journalist Michael Ray Taylor takes us from Antarctic lakes to Hawaiian volcanoes to the satellites of Jupiter in search of these mysterious underground creatures that are redefining our understanding of evolution.
Taylor serves as a field assistant on several key scientific expeditions. He descends deep into New Mexico's tortuous Lechuguilla Cave and focuses powerful NASA microscopes on never-before-seen life-forms. He accompanies a young NASA intern who unknowingly kicks off a raging international scientific debate when she uncovers traces of dark life in a rock extracted from nearly two miles below Washington State -- traces that appear identical to the "micro-fossils" found in a Martian meteorite. He meets another scientist who has staked his reputation on using dark life to generate a cure for breast cancer. Throughout his adventures, Taylor gains unique insight into a growing controversy about the very definition of life itself -- an issue that scientists had long ago considered settled. Whether he is exploring the structures of a mysterious cell or reconnoitering tropical caves, Michael Ray Taylor is an adventurer for the new millennium.
Customer Reviews:
Politics, personalities, and science of the dark world .......2004-12-18
_Dark Life_ by Michael Ray Taylor was a very interesting book. The author began it writing as a science journalist - having written a previous book on cave exploration as well has having articles published in such magazines as _Audubon_ - but over the course of the two and a half years he worked on this book went from becoming an observer to an active participant, a point he himself made several times in amazement and wonder. Originally he had set out to chronicle what was known about "dark life," microorganisms that dwell far underground or in the deep sea, organisms that derive their nourishment from sources independent of sunlight. These organisms, which have been found in such varied places as salt domes, Antarctic ice cores, and in highly acidic caves, have continually challenged notions of what life can tolerate, organisms so common that they may outnumber surface organisms (indeed Taylor rejected the commonly used term "extremophile" as he believes the term implies that these organisms are a "rare curiosity"). Taylor wrote of the history of the search for these microbes, the personalities involved, and where current research was in the field (as well as possible applications of this research).
Somewhere along the way he became part of the story, as he became the friend and later colleague of several of the researchers he covered. While not a trained scientist per se, at least not in the field of microbiology, he assisted in and even proposed a number of experiments in the search for controversial nanobacteria (microbes with a size of less than 0.2 micrometers, once thought to be too small to be an independent functioning organism or at least too small for a prokaryotic organism, including known bacteria and archaea; not a virus) in a variety of environments, mostly notably Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. By the end of the book he was regularly exchanging email with researchers, providing samples for them, and even had co-authored a few presentations at various seminars.
Much of the book is focused on personalities - understandable given Taylor's increasing personal involvement in the story himself - though mainly in the context of research on the topic at hand. The main characters (if you will) in the book were Larry Mallory (a scientist who had devoted his career to harvesting and culturing cave microbes in a promising search for a cure for cancer, particularly from microbes from the fascinating Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico, an interesting place described in great detail in the book), Bob Folk (a colorful scientist who discovered nanobacteria and their presence in a number of substances and had been in the lead in efforts to prove that microorganisms are vital in the formation of travertine in caves and hot springs as well as in some cases at least entire caves and cave systems), and Anne Taunton (an undergraduate student who as part of a NASA internship became embroiled in the efforts to determine whether or not the famed Martian meteorite ALH 84001 contained fossils of extraterrestrial nanobacteria). Others are followed to lesser degrees, among them Finnish nanobacteria expert E. Olavi Kajander, who had done pioneer work showing that nanobacteria may be the possible agents of many maladies such as kidney stones, Alzheimer's, and Mad Cow Disease that involve mineral precipitation in the body. In large measure these and other personalities faced considerable skepticism, criticism, and worse in their studies, as scientists found it hard to accept (in different instances) what was thought of as "impossibly" small bacteria, biological origins for various types of minerals and mineral formations, and the presence of microfossils in ALH 84001. Mallory had to leave his university because he was essentially denied tenure, the administration not believing his study of cave microorganisms important, Folk faced considerable criticism for suggesting that such substances as travertine owed their origins to bacteria, and Taunton (and the team she worked with) had a very difficult time with several scientists - including even her own undergraduate academic advisor - over efforts to demonstrate that the ALH 84001 microfossils were evidence of Martian life or even life of any kind. Although Taylor did a good job of showing the fact there was sometimes intense and even rather personal criticism in science, I don't know if he always showed why people had such a hard time accepting bold new theories. In particular some of the opposition to ALH 84001 fossils was quite heated.
Though much of the focus was on personalities, politics, and the process of research the microbes were much discussed as well, many with bizarre biologies. Some cold-loving organisms were termed "psychrophiles," capable of growth below freezing, at -5 degrees Celsius, organisms that exhibit slower metabolisms at temperatures above freezing and death at anything approaching human body temperature (organisms that for years - like many other examples of dark life - proved difficult to study and culture in the lab). Some organisms found in apparently solid rock two miles deep, existing only on hydrogen and water, have unbelievably slow metabolisms, appearing to divide cells no more than once per century. Though many caves and indeed individual pools in caves produced unique microorganisms there were also astonishing similarities; the closest relatives to some sulfur-oxidizing thermophilic (heat-loving) bacteria from a cave in Kentucky were found to be a sulfur-oxidizing, symbiotic bacterium from a deep sea polychaeta worm, a relationship that has not yet been explained.
At least as far as this reader is concerned Taylor made his case that nanobacteria exist, that they are key in the formation of some minerals and many caves, and I am very open to the idea that ALH 84001 may indeed contain Martian microfossils. I enjoyed reading about the discussions scientists had about whether or not subsurface Antarctic lakes such as Lake Vostok and Jovian moon of Europa might have dark life and hope that both can be analyzed in the not too distant future.
Geology & Biology Intwined.......2001-05-21
For starters I will never look at my mineral collection quite the same again. Dark Life has shown that nanobacteria (only recently confirmed)is the absolute frontier of a new world. Minerals and "life" coexist and the nanobacteria "feed" upon the chemical compositions of minerals. The scientific world will be turned on its' head in the near future as a whole new science emerges. This book is easy to understand for those of us who aren't scientits but who are interested. As one who also has Multiple Sclerosis the possible connection with nanobacteria and mineral plaques in the brain was astounding as I read it.
Damn interesting, heavy on the human drama.......2001-01-21
I read this book after buying on a discout shelf in some clearance book seller. It was a pleasant surprise. It, as I wrote in the title, a little heavy on human drama and soap operatic themes. The science behind it is absolutely interesting and has spurred me to read further on the topic of nanobacteria. This is a great starting out book, but not a great book for those reading for the science of it.
Nanobacteria, A New Form of Life and Its Pathology in Humans.......2000-10-16
Nanobacteria have been researched by many prominent scientists worldwide. This book looks at the findings of scientists with respect to Nanobacteria and the science of Geology. Nanobacteria, specifically Nanobacterium Sanguineum, have been studied by scientists and medical researchers as they pertain to causing human disease or Pathology as well. Nanobacterium Sanguineum is a Nanobacteria that is approximately 10,000 times smaller than regular bacteria. It replicates from 1000 to 10,000 times slower than regular bacteria as well. It grows in the human system in blood, and has been found by various medical researchers and scientists to cause many human problems. Some of the various diseases that it has either been implicated to be involved with or to cause are: Calcification in atherosclerotic plaque, kidney stones, calcification in the lenses of eyes that ultimately causes "cataracts", soft tissue calcification in scleroderma, calcification in tumors, calcification in arthritis or osteoarthritis and other pathological disease states in humans. These Nanobacteria colonize and secrete a "biofilm" over themselves that causes them to be covered by a calcium "shell". These Nanobacteria are implicated to be the cause of all calcification in the human system that you were not born with, that you subsequently develop as you age. These Nanobacteria are also implicated in causing some forms of cancer and "apoptosis" or cell death. Scientists are now working on ways to eradicate Nanobacterium Sanguineum with prescription medications. Please keep your eyes open for further research regarding Nanobacteria. Try surfing on the web for "nanobacteria". Sincerely, Gary S. Mezo, President of the Academy of Medical NanoScience, Tel:813-264-2241.
Space science can still be an adventure - here's your guide........1999-12-02
This book documents journeys of discovery and transformation at several levels. It documents a journalist's personal journey from observer to active participant. It also serves as a chronicle of the journeys being taken by scientists all over (and underneath) the Earth and across our solar system to obtain an understanding of life's amazing ability to exist and thrive in the most improbable places.
The author starts out as a spelunking (cave exploring) science journalist and ends up as an active participant in the science he had originally set out to cover. In so doing he has provided an interesting mix of observer and participant perspectives. Being a seasoned cave explorer, the author is at home and adept at describing the techniques and hazards of natural laboratories such as Lechuguilla Cave located in New Mexico.
Astrobiologists have found caves to be excellent laboratories for the extreme environments that may be found on other worlds such as Mars. Moreover, the amazing adaptations Earth life has made to these environments also serve as indicators of what is possible in terms of life's ability to adapt - and may be indicative of what we might find underneath Mars. Getting around in these caves is not your run of the mill field trip. Sulfurous and caustic fumes, anoxic conditions, temperature extremes, risk of injury, and a myriad of other hazards all combine to make these explorations something that only skilled individuals should undertake. In so doing, the rewards to the risk takers are obvious - and are thoroughly documented by the author.
There is much more to this book than crawling around stinky caves with excited astrobiologists. There is tedious work back at the lab, and the inevitable politics that accompanies academic life and government-sponsored research. Given that the discoveries being made about life in extreme environments are brushing aside long held views about biology, the politics can get rather nasty at times. The author provides a cogent description of what happens when the politics and dogma of science collide with new data and ideas. As you read this book you can almost hear the old paradigms crumbling as life's very definitions get an overhaul.
In describing some of the research done at NASA on the ALH84001 Martian meteorite, Taylor provides a classic description of paradigm crumbling - and the threat it can represent to the status quo. The events described surround the work of a student involved in a career-making discovery (possible fossils within a piece of Mars) and an advisor who disputes the findings and seeks to thwart her education at every turn.
While not nearly as dramatic, the author describes many other situations wherein old accepted notions about what life is and where it can be found are challenged. As you travel around - and under - the world with Taylor, you learn about life at abyssal ocean depths, within rocks miles under the Earth's surface, in the cold dry Antarctic, within volcanic deposits, and within highly radioactive environments. Such are the abodes of Earth's so-called "extremophiles".
If astrobiologists have learned anything in the past decade or so, it is that Earth life is capable of existing everywhere that it can theoretically exist. Since some of these "extreme environments" may well pass for "normal" elsewhere in the solar system, the chances of finding life elsewhere start to become quite probable. It is that exciting prospect which is woven by the author throughout the fabric of this book.
The author has gone to great physical extremes to write this book - and it shows. If you want a status report on how astrobiologists are using the Earth as a laboratory for what life may be possible on other worlds, this is it. Moreover, if you are looking for proof that science can still be a bona fide adventure in this Internet-shrunken world, then this book offers that as well.
Book Description
The killer tsunami of 2004 and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina remind us of the fragility of mans place on his home planet.Now Time explores the past, present and future of this unpredictable planet, tracing the rise and fall of ancient civilizations, exploring earths most extreme environments and flying with scientists into the wildest of weather systems. An attractive volume that combines Times world-famous writing with a collection of powerful photographs Time has been at the forefront of modern discoveries and is uniquely positioned to provide a fascinating look back at the discoveries that changed the world
Customer Reviews:
Better than Inconvenient Truth, A Tremendous Contribution.......2006-07-08
The ideal combination for anyone seeking to understand what Al Gore calls "Inconvenient Truth" is the video by Gore and this book. I would supplement that with J. F. Richard's "HIGH NOON" and E. O. Wilson's "The Future of Life."
Unlike the Gore book, which is admirable in its content and purpose, but got lost with an explosion of varying font sizes and color schemes that block knowledge transmission rather than aid it, this book by TIME has the investigative journalistic rigor and the editorial maturity that I look for in Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) products--tailored knowledge helpful in making major public policy decisions.
The structure of this book is perfect: Inside the Planet; The Water Planet; The Land Planet; and Above the Planet. There is an index and the maps and graphics are world-class. The content is presented in a straight-forward analytic fashion. CIA should do work this good.
I have often wished that TIME might adjust its editorial mind-set to be the de facto Public Intelligence Agency for the planet. This book addresses threat number three of the ten threats identified by the High Level Threat Panel of the United Nations. The other threats, in order, are poverty, infectuous disease, [environmental degradation], inter-state war, civil war, genocide, other atrocities (e.g. trade in women and children, kidnapping for body parts or forced labor including prostitution), proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, and crime. I would be quite thrilled if TIME committed to doing books on each of these threats, and creating an interactive Public Intelligence Website that tied the books together and to the actual budgets of the United States and other nations, in that way showing how our USA national budget is badly mis-directed, and perhaps inspiring other nations once we get our priorities right ourselves.
This book is a joy to read, intelligent, a real keeper.
Average customer rating:
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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Extreme Weather (Complete Idiot's Guide to)
Julie Bologna , and
Christopher K. Passante
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Atmospheric Disturbances
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ASIN: 1592575536 |
Book Description
ItÂ'll blow readers away. CD-ROM included!
The past few years have delivered some of the most awesome and destructive weather patterns in history. From blistering heat and icy blasts, to hurricane winds and the Greenhouse Effect, The Compete IdiotÂ's Guide® to Extreme Weather enables readers to experience the incredible ferocity of big, bad weather without getting soaked, wind-tossed, thunderstruck, or frozen. And with the CD-ROM that accompanies the book, theyÂ'll learn what itÂ's like to be a real- life storm tracker.
• Includes a CD-ROM that explores extreme weather in all its frightening glory
• Features a listing of record-book extremes, from the worst storms in history to the wettest, hottest, coldest, driest, and snowiest places on Earth
Book Description
Going to Extremes is a four-partseries in which writer, presenter and Oxford geography don Nick Middleton visits the world's hottest, coldest, wettest and driest inhabited places. He will visit Oymyakon in Siberia, where the average winter temperature is -47 degrees and 40% of the population have lost their fingers to frostbite while changing the car wheel. Next he travels to Arica in Chile where there have been fourteen consecutive years without a drop of rain and so fog is people's only source of water. From the driest to the wettest: Mawsynram in India which annually competes for the title with its neighbour Cherrapunji. However, Nick discovers that during the dry season there is water shortage and one entrepreneur has started selling it bottled! Finally his journey takes him to Dalol in Ethiopia known as the 'hell hole of creation' where the temperature remains at 94 degrees year round. Here Nick will join miners who work all day with no shade, limited water and no protective clothing. The book and series will consider how and why people lives in these harsh environments. How will Nick's body react to these contrasting extremes? He will look at the geographical and meteorological conditions. He will meet local characters and discover the history of these settlements to find out how they ever became populated. Nick will look at the way both the population, and the flora and fauna, have adapted physically to the climate, and also considers the psychological impact of living under such conditions. The series will also have an ecological aspect and will consider global climatic conditions.
Customer Reviews:
The Whole is Less than the Sum of Its Parts.......2004-11-04
While the four individual sections (Coldest, Driest, Hottest, and Wettest) are enjoyable, I was disappointed that Nick Middleton makes no effort to connect the sections or even come to any overall conclusions about why people live in such extreme realms.
In addition, the sections themselves seemed occasionally padded. The Driest section is the worst offender, with a lengthy section on living at extreme Andean altitudes, which, while fascinating, isn't related to the main topic (this is ironic to me since it's the main reason I bought the book, having visited -- for twenty minutes -- the airport at Arica, Chile, enroute to La Paz, and being curious about this desert beachfront place).
The best section is the first (Coldest), being a rather vivid look at the peculiar adaptions the people in a Siberian town make to live with extreme cold, as well as some fascinating descriptions of the phenomena associated with a -50 degree climate.
Perhaps the TV series it's based on is more enlightening, but since it's not out on DVD yet, I can't find out
Book Description
In recent years, the number of presidential declarations of "major disasters" has skyrocketed. Such declarations make stricken areas eligible for federal emergency relief funds that greatly reduce their costs. But is federalizing the costs of disasters helping to lighten the overall burden of disasters or is it making matters worse? Does it remove incentives for individuals and local communities to take measures to protect themselves? Are people more likely to invest in property in hazardous locations in the belief that, if worse comes to worst, the federal government will bail them out?.
Disasters and Democracy addresses the political response to natural disasters, focusing specifically on the changing role of the federal government from distant observer to immediate responder and principal financier of disaster costs.
Customer Reviews:
A "Real-World" Look at U.S. Disaster Policy.......2000-05-01
Rud Platt is a land use lawyer at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Mr. Platt links the political aspects of U.S. disaster policy with the actual effects of major natural hazard events such as hurricanes, large floods and earthquakes. Based on knowledge gained from observing the response and recovery efforts in several disasters, Platt draws a number of key policy recommendations that are designed to move U.S. disater management policy in a more rational direction. Platt also includes a wealth of information based on interviews with key federal, state and local officials involved with disaster response and recovery. The book includes several very informative case studies provided by contributing authors on topics such as the 1993 Mid-west floods in Missouri.
This book is recommeded for those who want to learn more about this important national topic and those who may be involved in the formulation of future disater management policy at the local, state or national level.
Amazon.com
What were these guys thinking? In September, 1999, three young men set out to float the length of the Amazon River in a rubber raft for the sheer thrill of it. No National Geographic sponsorship, no high-end gear, no support team--just plenty of guts and a desire to do something that had never been done before. Having sailed around the world at the age of 19, author Colin Angus was no stranger to adventure. But he had only one season of river-rafting experience and that was more than the other two members of the expedition combined--hardly impressive credentials for such an ambitious, even foolhardy, exploit. After an auspicious start in which they nearly died of dehydration before even reaching the source of the river, they put their small raft in the water and experienced one adrenaline rush after another, including countless raging rapids, scarce food and clean water, and even Shining Path guerrillas. Refreshingly devoid of bravado and boasting, Angus at times makes the trip sound as if it was just another weekend jaunt into the woods rather than a five-month endurance test. That they survived at all is amazing enough--how they did it makes for an exciting and enjoyable read. The writing itself is not stellar, but they are a likable trio with pure intentions, and Angus, with help from journalist Ian Mulgrew, has created an enthusiastic recollection of the adventure of a lifetime. --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
The true story of three enthusiastic (but inexperienced) adventurers who attempt to become the first team to raft the entire length of the Amazon River–all 4,007 miles--and (barely) live to tell about it.
To a trio of twenty-something adrenaline junkies, it sounded like an irresistible challenge: tackle the Amazon with nothing more than a rubber raft between them and fate. But when Colin Angus, Ben Kozel, and Scott Borthwick embarked on their fantastic voyage in September 1999, just climbing to the river’s source nearly killed them.
Beginning with the dehydration that nearly did the adventurers in as they hiked the Andes to the river's source, Amazon Extreme is a breathtaking account of the daily challenges, dangers, and triumphs experienced over the course of this five-month expedition. With no money to speak of and inaccurate, fifty-year-old maps to guide them, this intrepid trio manages to persevere through violent rapids, guerilla gunfire, mosquito-infested drinking water, and numerous bouts of sickness. But in spite of several near-death experiences, including one particularly terrifying moment when their raft is toppled in the raging white water, Angus's crew finds a reverence for the compelling beauty that makes this region so renowned. Amidst the hardship are moments of pure pleasure, from graceful dolphins and lush forests to the intriguing, gracious people who’ve made their homes along the riverbank.
An inspiring tale of courage and exploration, this is the story of three guys who truly went off the deep end, and one who came back to write a riveting recollection of it.
Customer Reviews:
Simply Wasn't..........2005-07-10
This book simply wasn't all that good. The adventure was amazing, the book it's self not so much. While I love Angus' wander-lust, his writing is bit repetitive and makes the book somewhat forgetable. I have a hard time really seeing what he sees and trully understanding what his adventure meant to him. I think I was looking for something a bit different. I was hoping to read another person's account of a pilgramige. I want to hear a traveler's soul speak through the book. While the book is gushing with action and suspense, (Of course, they nearly died), it didn't fill me in the way I had hoped. A Dissapointment over all but if you're just looking for action in plain language, this is your book.
amazon extreme.......2002-04-27
Several years ago, I read Joe Kane's "Running the Amazon" and I was interested to hear how Angus' journey compared. Not surprisingly "Amazon Extreme" proved to be every bit as exciting. The part that intrigued me the most was their budget. These three young men had just over ten thousand dollars for the entire five month journey - and that included their transportation and equipment. It is easy to see that the sheer determination of these men is what carried them across the South American Continent in one piece. For those of you who read this book, prepare to be inspired. Perhaps the writing isn't the best in the world, but the non-stop adventure more than makes up for it. Definitely worth reading!
This book is the definition of adventure.......2002-04-10
I had no idea that the Amazon was anything other than a flat meandering river flowing through the South American jungle. When my wife first gave me this book, I thought, 'so what? some guys went down a river.' I had no idea that only a select few have ever achieved this feat and that it was so incredibly difficult. Angus paints a magical picture of beauty and fear as they navigate the Amazon's treacherous headwaters. Snow-capped mountains, raging whitewater and excellent team-dynamics weave together to create a story like no other. I would definitely recomend this book to adventurers or adventurers at heart.
Book Description
The ultimate book for the weather enthusiast or anyone interested in the oddities and extremes of nature.
There are few thrills as exciting as weather at its worst. We often hear on the news that the day was the hottest, coldest, wettest, or snowiest on record. Is the climate really becoming more extreme as a result of global warming? The facts are in this book.
Extensively illustrated with color photographs of some of the most extreme weather ever captured on camera, dozens of color maps, and tables of weather records for over three hundred U.S. cities, this book is both an entertainment and an indispensable reference.
Also included are historical examples of some of the more bizarre weather events observed: heat bursts, electrified dust storms, snow rollers, pink snowstorms, luminous tornadoes, falls of fish and toads, ball lightning, super bolts, and other strange meteorological events. Here's the must-have book for Weather Channel and Guinness Book of World Records fans. 80 color and 35 black-and-white photos, 40 maps.
Customer Reviews:
Great Data/Photos.......2006-02-27
This is an excellent book that should actually be used as an accompying text to a regular weather text. The cartography is superb and the data is listed in an easy to understand fashion
A terrific reference.......2005-09-02
This is a wonderful book on weather. And the extreme values it gives are actually fairly interesting and fun to read about. Besides, we all like to know if we're in the middle of truly unusual weather.
The book starts with heat records for every state, both absolute maximums and July averages. As well as maps showing number of days with 90-degree (Fahrenheit) or higher temperatures. We learn about temperature-humidity indexes, heat waves, and even heat bursts. As well as extremes in temperature ranges. There's information about heat extremes in foreign countries as well.
Next we get to cold weather! Heat records for every state, both absolute minimums and January averages. Cold waves. Wind chill. And international extremes. Did you know that near Lake Vostok, in Antarctica, the temperature once reached minus 128.6 degrees Fahrenheit? Brrrr!
We learn about the snowiest cities. And then we get to rainfall records for a big bunch of American cities. There are also records for varying amounts of time. What's the record for rainfall in 30 minutes? It's over 11 inches! And it fell in Sikeshugou, China. And there's material about floods, thunderstorms, hail, and tornadoes. As well as wind and fog!
There is a fascinating chapter on hurricanes. I vividly remember Hurricane Carol, which struck in August of 1954. And there's a picture of Providence, Rhode Island, after it was hit by the storm surge from that hurricane. There is also an excellent map of the American Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean coasts, with probabilities per year of being hit by a hurricane, as well as probabilities of being hit by 125 mile-per-hour winds or greater. The five areas that in 2004 that were "overdue" for a hurricane are listed. Of course, as any technical person knows, being "overdue" for a storm does not increase the chance of being hit, if anything, it decreases it. But it does imply that one may be less prepared for one when it does hit. New Orleans is listed as one of the five areas (it was hit by Betsy in 1965 and not hit again until Katrina in 2005). The book explains that the dikes protecting downtown New Orleans, including the French Quarter, from the water in Lake Pontchartrain would almost certainly be overwhelmed by a Category 4 or 5 storm surge. And that if they were, much of that area could be swamped under 20 feet of water. I wish that more people with the responsibility for protecting the city of New Orleans (or voting for its protection) had been more aware of this, so that some of the damage caused by Katrina might have been lessened.
I highly recommend this book.
Very interesting and readable.......2005-08-14
This is a well written and fascinating book on weather extremes. I'm only about 100 pages into it, but I enjoyed it so much I wanted to make a brief comment.
Although the book is mostly about extreme weather phenomena, you'll also learn a lot about more normal types of weather, since if you understand how the more extreme storms are generated, you often can understand how the less severe ones occur as well. But this is done in the context of learning about the more severe and extreme types of weather, which I find an interesting approach. After all, there isn't much when it comes to natural phenomena that's scarier than a hurricane or a tornado (well, earthquakes and tsunamis of course are right up there too, but in weather, they're the kings :-)). I once read that a typical hurricane can release each second 100 times the energy in the first atomic bomb (which was a 20 kiloton bomb).
The book discusses weather extremes from rainfall to tornadoes for the U.S. and the rest of the world, including many fascinating topics, such as internally lit tornadoes that glowed with their own light. Witnesses reported orange lightning bolts coming out of the bottom of the spout which would then be sucked up by the violent winds into the interior, thereby lighting up the entire tornado. There are a couple of photos of these sorts of tornadoes, including a black and white one at night showing two luminous tornadoes that obviously had to be internally lit. Very cool stuff and my only complaint was there weren't more photos like this, but then these are very rare phenomena.
Also, the maximum winds typically don't exceed 325 miles per hour, and most tornadoes are usually more like 75-125 miles per hour. This is just one of the many very interesting topics covered.
Overall a very cool book on weather, and I'll have more to say about it later when I finish the book.
Lotta fun.......2005-05-02
Best book on weather I've read since Bomar's Texas Weather. As in Bomar's book, the author understands that it's the unusual weather events that are of most interest to most people, and he doesn't fail to disappoint on that score. A must for all weather nuts.
Excellent and Affordable.......2005-03-14
This is an excellent book and affordable. Some other reference books are very expensive and don't have the great photos and data presentations that this book has (I still highly recommend the others, but they are not cheap). This book saves a lot of time and makes it easy to show other people exactly what you are trying to say, and they will be impressed with the quality of this publication. Excellent book in its own right and can easily double as a "coffee table book" and a great conversation starter.
Books:
- Fairyopolis
- Field and Laboratory Methods for General Ecology
- From So Simple a Beginning: Darwin's Four Great Books (Voyage of the Beagle, The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man, The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals)
- Great Smoky Mountains: A Vistor's Companion (National Parks Visitor's Companions)
- Green Guide: Herbs of Britain and Europe (Michelin Green Guides)
- Grow Your Own Trees: A Book & Seeds
- Hill Folks: A History of Arkansas Ozarkers and Their Image
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- Hot Spots: America's Volcanic Landscapes
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