Volcanoes: Crucibles of Change [Hardcover]

Richard V. Fisher (Author), Jeffrey B. Hulen (Author), Grant Heiken (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 5, 1997

Probing the science and mystery of volcanoes, this book chronicles not only their geologic behaviour, but also their profound effect on human life. From Mount Vesuvius to Mount St Helens, the book covers the surprisingly large variety of volcanoes, the subtle to conspicuous signs preceding eruptions and the far-reaching atmospheric consequences. Here scientific facts take on a very human dimension, as the authors draw upon actual encounters with volcanoes, often through firsthand accounts of those how have witnessed eruptions and miraculously survived the aftermath. The book beins with a description of the lethal May 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens, complete with an explanation of how safety officials and scientists tried to predict events and how unsuspecting campers and loggers miles away struggled against terrifying blasts of ash, stone and heat. The story moves quickly to the ways in which volcanoes have enhanced our lives, creating mineral-rich land, clean thermal energy and haunting landscapes that in turn benefit agriculture, recreation, mining and commerce. Religion and psychology embroider the account as the authors explore the impact of volcanoes on the human psyche through tales of volcano gods and attempts to appease them. The book concludes by assisting readers in experiencing these geological phenomena for themselves. A "tourist guide" to volcanoes outlines over 40 sites throughout the world.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The authors, professional volcanologists all, offer a rigorous geological account of the formation and composition of the many types of volcanoes, among them calderas, domes, and maars. They examine the chemistry of volcanic gases; consider the role volcanoes play in the formation of precious stones and minerals; and analyze advances in accurate seismological prediction and emergency disaster relief. They provide, in short, an admirably complete primer for volcano buffs, to which they add an unusual appendix describing the world's great volcanoes from a traveler's point of view, with directions for scaling peaks like Canada's Mount Garibaldi, Indonesia's Galanggung, and Italy's Stromboli.

Review

"Volcanoes: Crucibles of Change is written by three respected vulcanologists who, having witnessed several volcanic tragedies, hope to inform and educate people about the wonders, the thrills, and the dangers of volcanoes. . . .[It is an] informative and entertaining book." -- Hazel Rymer, The Times Higher Education Supplement

"A short course in volcanology offered by a team of scientists who bring both scholarship and something like glee to their work. . . . Abundantly illustrated, always accessible and sometimes downright chatty, Volcanoes is a work of science that has not lost its sense of wonder." -- Jonathan Kirsch, Los Angeles Times

"Avivid, insightful, heavily illustrated book. . . . Most important, Volcanoes is fun. The authors take us on a roller-coaster ride through centuries of volcanic thrills, keeping our attention riveted on the deadly fireworks, while giving us just enough science to deepen our awe." -- William J. Broad, The New York Times Book Review

"Volcanoes is a compendium of facts and observations, compellingly and concisely explained." -- Richard Fortey, London Review of Books

"[An] entertaining and informative book that puts volcanoes firmly in their social and cultural place, as well as summarizing the scientific advances that have helped us to understand why and when they erupt. . . . It's a good read, too, written with enthusiasm and expert knowledge, as well as deadpan humour." -- Sue Bowler, New Scientist

Volcanoes is a compendium of facts and observations, compellingly and concisely explained. -- Review

Happily, a team of geologists has produced a vivid, insightful, heavily illustrated book that not only illuminates the wonder of incandescent rock and its constant reworking of the planet's surface but deftly explains, as Lane has put it, " why science and technology matter in people's lives." Most important, Volcanoes: Crucibles of Change is fun. -- The New York Times Book Review, William J. Broad

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 344 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (May 5, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 069101213X
• ISBN-13: 978-0691012131
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,361,440 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Neither too little or too much, April 27, 1998

By 

Dale Dworak (Cleveland, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Volcanoes: Crucibles of Change (Hardcover)

Neither too little or too much, Volcanoes: Crucibles of Change is the best volume I have ever read on Volcanology. Written for the intelligent layperson, the book never talks down to its reader or loses them in mult-semicolon sentances of unintelligble jargon as so many other books by scientists do. If you want the latest theories on volcanoes, this is th book for you. I was especially surprised by how many dormant/active volcanoes there are in the lower 48. And as one who has flown from the U.S. to Japan, the chapter on planes and volcanoes was both fascinating and scary.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars one thumb up, one thumb down, June 7, 2001

By 

rommel villagomez (St. Louis, MO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Volcanoes (Paperback)

I found that this book has some positives and negatives: Positives: 1. the authors have compiled a wealth of information about volcanoes all over the world: Mt. St. Helens catastrophe, planes flying over eruption clouds, eruption accounts from Krakatua, etc, etc. 2. For a geologist like me, when we study about volcanoes, we tend to forget the human factor, not only hazards, but also how it affects agriculture, tourism, etc. Which I think this book pinpoints very well. Negatives: 1. The book doesn't flow: lots of information, but in my opinion disorganized. Except for the chapter about Mt. St. Helens, I didn't understand the point that the authors were trying to make (or probably there was no point, and it was just a plain description). 2. Any time you touch a scientific subject, you are immersed in having to use scientific terms. Since this book is trying to reach a general audience (I think), it will benefit a lot by having a glossary. 3. Some chapters are really weak, like the one that talks about plate tectonics. Plate tectonics is the driving force of volcanoes (mostly) and should have more emphasis on the book, and be explained in more simple terms. 4. The decimal metric system is used throughout the book. This is good when you are writing a paper to publish on a specialized journal, but not for a book aimed at general audiences. The equivalence in the English system should probably go in parentheses.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A most excellent book on volcanoes, October 29, 2003

By 

Jerald R Lovell (Clinton Township, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Volcanoes: Crucibles of Change (Hardcover)

I recommend this book most highly. It is well-organized, easily read by anyone with a high school education and a limited scientific background, and all-encompassing on the subject of volcanoes. The latest developments in volcanic petrology, pyroclastic flow study, caldera formation, supervolcanic eruptions and their horrific consequences, and the like are superbly covered. Additionally, the book contains excellent narratives of nearly all significant late 20th Century eruptions, such as Pinatubo, El Chichon, St. Helens, and Paricutin. The research is copious, and the results highly accurate.

The book has been well-proofed, with the pleasurable consequence that distortive prose, inaccurate figures, and like blips are virtually non-existent. A fellow reviewer has stated that plate tectonics is not well-covered, but this writer's view is that the scope of the book lies beyond such basics. Anyone unfamiliar with basic volcanological concepts should first read "Teach Yourself Volcanoes", and then move into this book.

Again, I enjoyed this book to the hilt, and would prize it above most other books on the subject. I strongly believe it is the best non-technical book on the subject.