Man vs. Weather: Be Your Own Weatherman (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: backyard meteorologist, snow gauge, cirrocumulus clouds, United States, North America, New Jersey (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Now here’s something you don’t see every day: a science book written by a humorist. This is a serious exploration of weather and weather prediction, but it’s written in a light,  breezy, sometimes laugh-out-loud manner. You have to love a guy who calls the hydrological cycle “the weather’s circuitous dance of terror,” or who explains the amount of the sun’s radiation that reaches the earth’s surface in terms of commemorative Elvis candles. There is a ton of information in the book, about everything from fog to humidity to weather-measuring instruments to catastrophic weather events, and it’s all presented in a user-friendly style that entertains as it informs. DiClaudio writes like that teacher you had in high school—the one who used jokes and stories to teach you about stuff you’d otherwise ignore. Great fun. --David Pitt

Product Description

A humorous and practical guide to the history and science of understanding the weather—plus, how to build your own barometer!

For as long as man has walked upon this earth, he has been forced to survive under the cruel tyranny of weather. Let’s face it: there is no escape. Now, in Man vs. Weather, humorist Dennis DiClaudio offers up the knowledge to beat weather at its own game. Rooting through conventional wisdom, discovered gadgetry, and the advances of science, this book presents the geothermal mechanisms behind weather-related phenomena, the history of humanity’s relationship with the climate, as well as the truth surrounding atmospheric aphorisms. Have no fear: By the time you make your way through this book, you will be able to read, understand, and defend yourself against the elements!

• Is “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight” a helpful saying or just the ramblings of idiotic drunkards who like to rhyme?

• What are these Santa Ana winds that blow out warmly from the desert, and who is this hussy for which they are named?

• What is this Gulf Stream that flows out from Mexico before crossing the Atlantic toward Africa and Europe, and how can a stream cut through the ocean anyway?

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (October 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0143113631
• ISBN-13: 978-0143113638
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #697,281 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent conversation starter., March 30, 2009

By	Holly K. Lee (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Anyone who knows me personally can tell you that I am a bit of a weather enthusiast. I have been known to sit and watch the weather channel for hours on end. Yes I do realize that that is only acceptable behavior after the age of 80, but what can I say? My name is Holly, and I am a weather addict.

Let me start out by saying that this book is quite funny. It approaches the mundane topic of weather from a really entertaining angle. At the same time it manages to teach about even complex topics in weather. I never cared about the jet stream until I read this book. Now I know exactly how it works and why. I have tried explaining my new found knowledge to others, yet fail miserably, as I cannot serve up the info with such finesse as the author does.

The book is broken up in to chapters, each building upon the last. The first chapter dissects the atmosphere. After reading about the tropopause you will know what you are looking down at every time you get on a plane and look out the window wondering why the clouds seem to be hitting their heads on an invisible ceiling. Feel free to blurt out "Wow! What a great view of the tropopause!" People will wonder if a genius is among them. Then in the end it covers our dysfunctional relationship with weather. Including, but not limited to, the weathers insatiable appetite for human destruction. Smart, funny, well-written and informative, this book is a must. Weather enthusiast or not.

4.0 out of 5 stars An Informal View of Weather, April 14, 2009

By	dus7 (PacNW) - See all my reviews

This type of composition may not suit everyone, but I find the very informal presentation, almost smart-alecky in places, humorous and rather refreshing. The author manages to combine hard facts with a youthfully casual candor. I wonder that the editor and publisher let him do it. This is a different way of learning global weather basics and is suitable for both the young and the young at heart.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dennis DiClaudio = funniness, December 18, 2008

By	evanjamesroskos "ejr" (nj) - See all my reviews

Dennis knows where to put the commas and where to put the words. It also helps that he writes the way god intended us to write -- funny. clear. informative. but most importantly, funny.

I suggest you buy this book. It makes a great gift.