Customer Reviews

Weather (Golden Guide)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was one of the original Golden Guides done back in the 50's, along with The Stars, Rocks and Minerals, Birds, North American Trees, and some others. I collected and read just about all of these and it's surprising how much info they got into these little books. Each book is exactly 160 pages, if I remember right. Thus, they have a fixed format, so they have to be very careful about what they select for material since it all has to fit.

These books sold for 75 cents or 95 cents originally. They were great little educational tools when I was a schoolboy, and I could still read them with profit many years later.

The more specialized ones, such as Pond Life, Structural Geology, The Heart, Insect Pests, Spiders and Their Kin, Mushrooms and Non-Vascular plants, were also very good.

I read this book during a rainy spring weekend. It gives a good understanding of meteorology and clouds, developing everything clearly. I have since taken several meteorology courses and read numerous books about the weather, but nothing has ever explained things as well or as simply as this book did. This book is filled with full-color illustrations, distinguishing it from most other books that just have black and white illustrations.

This is a short book, similar in format to the other Golden Guides. It's gone through several revisions, but the content remains consistent.

People interested in basic meteorology may consider this book a good starting point. It provides the basics on air currents, precipitation, clouds, fronts, etc. It may not be text book calibre, but it remains true to its roots. Teens may find the information useful, particularly if they have questions that parents cannot answer. There's not a lot of technical language that will only add to the confusion and the chapters are short enough to keep the reader on track.

As a child, I subscribed to the weekly reader book club in elementary school. My first book was the Weather Golden guide. Since then I have read and/or acquired Stars, Pond Life, Trees, Spiders and Their Kin, and Snakes of North America.
These books are wonderful for both the beginning hobbyist as well as the seasoned if somewhat jaded adult. Clear, concise, and without the modern politically correct drama that so often infects our children's textbooks today, the Golden Guides remain at the front of basic science and nature guides.

I purchased this book for, I think, $1.50 in paperback way back in about 1967. I was a budding meteorologist then and this was about the only book that I could find on the topic. I loved it! Even then it was a bit dated, but this book contains so much info for a young mind. As the years went by I purchased others in the series - Geology, Spiders, etc. The Weather book, though...I still have my copy, although the binding gave way long ago. It is in a sandwich bag in my library, and I still look at it every now and again and wow! does it take me back. That book helped cement my choice of career and even though newer and brighter books are out, nothing can replace this one for sheer amount of content.

The original version of this book was the first book I ever read about weather. 50+ years later, I am a professional meteorologist and author ( http://www.amazon.com/Warnings-Story-Science-Tamed-Weather/dp/1608320340/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270000055&sr=1-1 ) about weather. Weather: A Golden Guide is a superb, well-written, and well-illustrated book for just about anyone over the age of 7 with an interest in weather. Highly recommended.

Concise. Well illustrated with pictures and diagrams. Logical sequence of development of the basic ideas. All the main terms and ideas of meteorology are given good coverage, in comparison with other introductory texts. Reader level is secondary school/ adult level. 5 stars as a primer: just what one needs to start off with.

I bought this book 5 years ago from a hurricane gift shop in Galveston, TX. After setting up a weather station in my backyard. I turn to this book. I love the details on everything. When i need to know anything about the current weather this is the book i go for.

I don't know of any book on the subject of weather that is so concise and easy to understand. The illustrations are excellent as well. I highly recommend this little book to anyone interested in understanding this sometimes complex science...

At $22 this was a very good buy and it was delivered on time in excellent condition. Most booksellers charge upwards of $40 for a book in this condition.