Every year from June through November, the eastern and southern coastal regions of the United States brace themselves for another hurricane season. (The Weather Channel becomes the most watched TV channel in my family!) And if living through a hurricane is not enough to satisfy your lust for natural disasters, then Eric Jay Dolin’s book, A Furious Sky, offers the reader insights into the consequences of hurricanes throughout our history from the nameless storms during Christopher Columbus’s explorations through the 5th most active storm season of 2019.
Dolin writes in detail about some of the most famous hurricanes in history including the deadliest, the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 where over 6,000 died. There is a chapter called The Rogue’s Gallery that recounts some of the worst storms to hit America, including Hurricanes Camille and Katrina. Dolin also recounts the centuries-old battle over hurricane science which continues today with our inability to predict exactly when and where hurricanes will hit, as well as some of the more infamous historical tidbits such as a crown being given for many years for a Miss Hurricane Hunter.
In closing, Dolin offers no predictions for the future of our war against the weather, but asks us to realize that as bad as past hurricane seasons have been, it will probably only get worse in the future, stating that we need to develop a new relationship with our planet and our changing climate. Readers will benefit much from reading A Furious Sky, finding it extremely informative on the subject of hurricanes and written in an easy-to-read, story-telling style.
Availability: Book Rating: **** Stars (I really liked it)
Reviewer: Helen, Technical Services Librarian
ARE YOU AND THIS BOOK A GOOD MATCH? DISCOVER MORE WITH NOVELIST APPEALS! A Furious Sky
GENRE: History Writing; Nature Writing; Science Writing TONE: Dramatic
WRITING STYLE: Compelling; Comprehensive STORYLINE: Sweeping
LOCATION: Atlantic Ocean; Gulf of Mexico; United States
SUBJECT: Climate Change; Global Warming; Humans; Hurricanes; Meteorology; Natural Disasters; Storms; Weather Forecasting
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