Weather Books

The Rough Guide to Climate change was a surprising masterpiece. It presents complex scientific concepts in a highly readable manner. It is extremely informative, with more perspectives on the climate change debate than other sources I have checked out. And it makes sense of the diversity of opinions in the scientific community about the ways in which global warming is and will be effecting the world. In this sense, it is a very balanced sourcebook. Most of all, it is incredibly interesting. Not only does the formatting make for constantly intriguing reading, but the content itself is very interesting. Is it too much to say that on top of it all, Henson is a great writer. Making a book like this a Rough Guide really downplays what a gem this book is. Even if you already know a lot about climate change, this book will have a great deal to teach you.

I am using the Rough Guide to Climate change in a college course that I am currently taking about global warming and climate change. The second edition wasn't out when I started the class, so I started with the first edition and then switched when this edition did come out.

The book is a perfect example of how to write a science book for nonscientists. I have a degree in environmental science, but climate science involves so many disciplines that it is hard for even a trained professional to keep up and digest the information from all the various fields. Henson has done a remarkable job of taking the science and laying it out in an easy to understand way and in a very logical sequence.

The book is broken into parts in a flow that works well. The first section is about the basics of climate change, the second is about the symptoms we are or will be seeing as a result of climate change, the third is about the actual science behind climate change and the fourth presents a nicely balanced set of solutions and some of the detractors from those solutions. There is also a very comprehensive further exploration section at the rear.

The book is up to date and is, by far, the best source of scientific information available to the general reader about global warming. Buy it now...it might change your mind!

What a remarkable book this is - disguised as a simple guide to climate change, but actually a very sophisticated, balanced, thoughtful analysis of the many aspects of climate change: the physical causes of climate change, the symptoms of a warming planet, what the average person can do, and the politics surrounding the entire issue.

Loaded with great information and highly readable, although it never talks down to the intended audience, which is aimed at everybody (may be too difficult for people under the age of 12). Lots of photographs and charts to help explain what climate change is, what causes it, and what the symptoms are.

The only weakness of the book, which is ironically one of its strengths, is that it is refreshingly free of a certain preachy tone that can creep into some books on the environment - however, because the book is studiously non-political, only half a page is dedicated to "lobbying for change" in the chapter titled "What You Can Do - Reducing Your Carbon Footprint and Lobbying For Action". Most of that chapter is dedicated towards small things everybody can do (adjust thermostat properly, drive hybrid cars, walk or bike, etc.). However, real change will probably only happen when entire countries set policies and laws into place that mandate fewer greenhouse gas emissions. (This is a scholarly bureaucrat writing this, after all.)

Having pointed out a minor weakness, I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to anybody wishing to learn more about climate change and global warming. The book doesn't actually let "big business" or current government leadership around the world completely off the hook - the book duly notes that conducting business as usual has gotten us into this mess, and that most businesses, and most governments have no real reason to change business as usual - after all, if they are still in business, or still in power, the status quo must be working well for them.

I cannot tell a lie. Along with Michael Badham, I wrote SAILORS' SECRETS. Aside from learning the tricky placement of the apostrophe (for "sailors'" to make it plural) in the title, the toughest part was "what to put in and what to leave out" after five years. We went after under-known gems of wisdom and expertise from sailors who had been there. We got them, by the boatload. It's a bit hard to use the index and/or the table of contents diasl up a particular reference. Maybe that's because, after five years of interviewing sailors, assembling biographies, doing illustrations, collecting permissions, and organizing the work into "commandments," for the average guy, I (we) found it hard to pour still more time into refining and cross-referencing our opus. Other than that , however, SAILORS'SECRETS has stood the test of thousands of readers and the passage of another five years with superior results and reviews. Trendy as sailing can be, our book hits the basics of racing, cruising and boat owning that aren't likely to go out of date.

This book povided us with many helpful sujestions and ideas on various subjects. It is great for the new-commer to sailing AND the experianced sailor. Recomended to anyone who is willing to improve!

I thought I knew a lot about sailing but this book is so jam packed with good ideas and tips that I've read it from cover to cover. The style is simple and the range of ideas comprehensive. If you have a sailor in your life, this is an excellent present.

SENTINELS OF THE SUN: FORECASTING SPACE WEATHER is for any collection strong in either astronomy or weather science - which will likely mean college-level, but also some public library holdings. General-interest readers will find most accessible this survey of space weather forecasting history and science, which surveys the idea and nature of space weather and the technology which seeks to predict it. An outstanding guide, SENTINELS OF THE SUN includes color charts, photos, and black and white shots and considers both civilian and military applications of space weather science.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

"Sentinels of the Sun: Forecasting Space Weather" is a readable and informative book that vastly increases the non-astronomers knowledge of the history and nature of space weather. As a regular reader of the New York Times Science section, I find that this book, by successful first-time authors, Barbara Poppe and Kristin Jorden, appeals to a similar audience--those interested, but not expert, in specific areas of science and its practical applications. Illustrated with a variety of interesting photos and graphics, "Sentinels of the Sun" fully engages its readers. I commend it to fellow Amazon-ites.

Yes, Virginia, there is weather in space. Not, of course, weather as we know it, but the sun puts out all kinds of radiation besides the visible light that makes day time. Of particular concern to the space-weather forecasters is measuring and predicting the radiation that would affect communications on earth or which might damage the instruments aboard satellites.

In October 2003 a major unpredicted solar storm occurred which caused hundreds of millions of dollars worth of satellites to stop working, permanently. They are now just floating space junk. Closer to home, airlines had to re-route flights (costing up to $100K per flight), electric power grids failed, radio communications were affected, homing pigeons get lost, and more.

This book summarizes the development of space weather analysis and forecasting over the past fifty years. It is part history, part science, part explanation of how it affects us. This is an interesting book on a subject that most of us have never heard of.

This is the quintessetial book about weather in the UP of Michigan. The combination of history, science, and fascinating stories makes this a book for every weather fan in and outside of Michigan.

Wonderfully written. As as lifetime "yooper", I know what they mean by the saying "only in the U.P., if you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes it will change". Great book Karl.

Written by weather forecaster Karl Bohnak, So Cold A Sky: Upper Michigan Weather Stories is a compilation of true tales of upper Michigan's extreme weather conditions, from pioneers who braved bone-chilling temperatures to settle the northern part of the state to modern snowstorms and heatwaves. Written in a straightforward narrative style and illustrated with numerous black-and-white photographs and artworks, So Cold A Sky is an enthralling chronicle of the eternal story of man versus nature. An incredible testimony to the endurance of Michigan's hardiest human inhabitants.

My 14 month old loves these soft books. This one is really very good because he can easily remove the objects because there are holes in them and he can pull them out without struggling. It's great for restaurants because he's still in the throwing stage and these won't harm anything.

Our daughter loves this book. As fast as we can put the shapes in the book, she takes them out. Hopefully, she will soon learn to put the shapes back in the book. She chews them, waves them, and hands them to us. They are also fun in the tub.

My one year old twins got this for their birthday and just love it. They can pop the shapes out and put them in their mouth. The pages are easy to turn for them and they seem to read the book longer than others. This book is my favorite in the series because all of the shapes have holes which make it easier to get the pieces out.

Gizzi helps the tradition to its feet and picks the gravel out of its knees.

Peter Gizzi's book Some Values of Landscape and Weather is not only a well crafted work but it is a work that is, in the best traditions of Pound and Olson international and American at the same time. The verse is well crafted and a delight to the reader who is a serious poet or a lay person but it is the fusion of European and Asian influences that make this work worth every moment. If you are looking for this generation's next great poet look no further than Peter Gizzi.

Peter Gizzi, Some Values of Landscape and Weather (Wesleyan, 2003)

I had the good fortune to see Peter Gizzi read at the Painted Bride in Philadelphia back in 1992 (and share a bleary late-night breakfast with him and a few others afterwards). That was many moons ago, of course, and my memory not being what it once was, the only impression I still have of that night is being very impressed with both of the night's featured readers, the other being Liz Willis. I'd picked up a chapbook of Willis' that night, so I've been able to keep my impressions vaguely fresh; not so with Gizzi. For some reason, it took me twelve years to pick up one of his books. I wish I'd done so sooner.

Some Values of Landscape and Weather is a good, solid book of poetry in the tradition of good, solid American poetry of the latter half of the century that doesn't really correspond to a particular school; Yussef Komunyakaa would be a good parallel example. But between the good books and the very good books there is something indefinable. A way of seeing, perhaps, or a better ability than most to translate vision to the page. All the best American poets (and most likely all the rest) have it, in some fashion or another, be they as widely hailed as Hayden Carruth or as relatively unknown as Chris Stroffolino. Peter Gizzi has it. In spades. There is not a poem in this "long-awaited" (Booklist) collection that strays from whatever path it is they're on, rarely more than a word or two out of place. The descriptions and their underlying layers of meaning are as perfectly striated as the jaw muscles on a Mako. Simply, Gizzi can not only make you see, he can make you believe.

A fantastic piece of work. **** ½

This is a really, really useful book for those of us who only get two seasons...(searingly hot and humid, cloudy and humid), but the best feature is that the guy writes well and sensibly---no boring stuff, and no high-flown references to white-flower rooms at Sissinghurst. This ain't England.
I may start taking the book with me to the big box stores, in order to reduce the death toll among plants that never should have been sold here in the first place!

Gardeners in zones 7, 8 and 9 often endure drought and extremely hot and humid temperatures. Our plants often suffer as a result. This book, divided by sections of the southeast and the southwest, shows what plants will do well in these climates. The author also discusses winter gardening and how the sunbelt gardener can successfully have color in their gardens year round. The book is well organized and the photographs are spectacular. It will serve as a valuable reference to gardeners in this region.

In his first effort as a full-length work, Tom Peace has succeeded where others have failed. Finally, a resource for those of us who have longed for a lesson in hot-weather gardening! Rather than a book of charts and lists of what to plant when, the author provides us with the tools to make informed decisions. Resplendent with pages and pages of color photographs of the author's work, real-life examples of hot-weather gardens, this book is not to be missed. I can't wait to get started on my garden!

A friend flew to Mexico on a cheap 2-week holiday package and came home soaked. He hadn't known it was the rainy season. I vowed never to be caught like that. I searched for a weather book and found the Travel Planner's Weather Guide by Russell and Penny Jennings. I discovered that every country in the world is listed, as are many island dependencies. The weather of each country is described and supported by weather tables, and there is a recommendation for the best time to visit. Some large countries are divided into regions and the regional
weather is described, season by season.

The authors mentioned that they acquired 30 years of weather records from the World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, Switzerland and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Climate Data Center in North Carolina, USA. They have presented this data into easy-to-read
weather tables which show month by month weather and include morning and afternoon temperatures, rainfall in millimetres and inches, the number of rainy days expected per month and the average hours of sunshine per day. The book sparkles with information about each country - capital,languages and topography. Additionally, advice is given about where
and when to cruise, trek, dive and when to go on safari.

With the countries arranged in alphabetical order I could
quickly flip through the book for my country of choice. Alternatively, I could use the extensive 16-page index which makes the search for information a breeze. I highly recommend it.

A friend flew to Mexico on a cheap 2-week holiday package and came home soaked. He hadn't known it was the rainy season. I vowed never to be caught like that. I searched for a weather book and found the Travel Planner's Weather Guide by Russell and Penny Jennings. I discovered that every country in the world is listed, as are many island dependencies. The weather of each country is described and supported by weather tables, and there is a recommendation for the best time to visit. Some large countries are divided into regions and the regional
weather is described, season by season.

The authors mentioned that they acquired 30 years of weather records from the World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, Switzerland and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Climate Data Center in North Carolina, USA. They have presented this data into easy-to-read
weather tables which show month by month weather and include morning and afternoon temperatures, rainfall in millimetres and inches, the number of rainy days expected per month and the average hours of sunshine per day. The book sparkles with information about each country - capital,languages and topography. Additionally, advice is given about where
and when to cruise, trek, dive and when to go on safari.

With the countries arranged in alphabetical order I could
quickly flip through the book for my country of choice. Alternatively, I could use the extensive 16-page index which makes the search for information a breeze. I highly recommend it.

I bought this guide shortly before embarking on a recent 7 month journey all around Australia, North and SE Asia, and Arabia. I can say now that I have returned (Temporarily at least) that weather is a crucial part of the travel experience. WIthout a doubt, places where I knew the weather would be more humid, etc... stood out as much tougher places to travel in. Needless to say, I minimized this by using this guide.

In defense of "bad" weather - I will say that to get a true impression of places one should experience less than ideal (Or what most would think of as ideal) weather from time to time. In some places the changes can be dramatic - and it is different weather that forms a culture and people over time among several major factors. Certain festivals and/or animals also occur/appear outside of the most ideal touring weather.

This guide has little simple maps showing the location of a country relative to it's neighbors. Also regional maps. Larger countries are broken down also - such as the USA, Brazil, Indonesia, etc...the maps usually reflect this breakdown too.

Temperatures are given in both Celsius and Fahrenheit.

The only failing of this book then is that global weather patterns are changing and that the "best time" to travel to a country is relative (Which the authors also note somewhat in the beginning). But, for what most would consider "ideal and easy" it is good.

Improvements would be bar graphs (Like Lonely PLanet or a chart like in Rough Guides - though this might make the book much thicker) and more charts showing the time of year as it relates to such events as animal migrations - as the book has for Kenya. Alhough this latter improvement might change the scope of the book. Also, incorporating sunrise/sunset might be good.

Lastly - I'm not sure if the alphabetical order of countries is the best method - sorting by regions might be more useful.

FYI - there is a newer version of this book.

This is a great book ! It is fun to read and has applicable little experiments so your child can understand the weather.

I loved this book, my 9 year old son and I did the experiments together and he couldnt wait come home from school and see what we got to do next, this book was well written and makes learning and teaching how weather works fun and interesting for everyone. I loved it so much I bought a copy for his teacher.... This a a must have if you have children!

I love "The Weather Detectives"!! It has a clever plot--three globe-trotting kids who keep getting caught in extreme storms. The main character, Brian Bronson, reminds me of Encyclopedia Brown or The Great Brain. My children (ages 16,15,13,and 11)enjoyed reading it and my two youngest have especially enjoyed doing the experiments from the book. "The Weather Detectives" is a great tool for helping kids understand how our weather works and what conditions produce certain kinds of weather--like tornados, hurricanes, and thunderstorms--especially when they can do the experiments and make it a hands-on learning experience. I wish we'd had this book when a couple of my kids did weather units in science! The only thing I wonder is: where are these kids' parents and why are they letting them run around the world without supervision?!

Quincy Troupe is my favorite poet of all time and this book has it all. I was first introduced to this book in highschool about a year ago, and instantly was captivated by his works. His style is so unique, it's like nothing i've heard before. This is as close to music as poetry can get. His poetry has inspired two of my own poems, one of which is currently a national semifinalist in a poetry competition. This book will definately strike some creativity in yourself and will make you want to go out and buy all of his books.

Excellent poems that are about love, basketball, family. Full of verve & fire. Troupe is a genius!

I AM A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO MET WITH Mr. Quincy Troupe ONEON ONE TODAY. I LOVE IN STAMFORD CONNECTICUT AND I GO TO WESTHILL HIGHSCHOOL. MR TROUPE CAME TO MY SCHOOL TO TELL US ABOUT HIS LIFE AND HIS ART. HE HAD A SPECIAL ATITUDE ABOUT HIM THAT I ENJOYED. HE WAS DOWN TO EARTH YET SO SPACY AND MYSTERIOUS. I REALLY ENJOYED HIS POEMS AND I HAVE RUN OUT TODAY AND BOUGHT HIS BOOKS. HE IS A VERY TALENTED MAN AND HAS A SPECIAL GIFT