Volcanoes in Human History: The Far-Reaching Effects of Major Eruptions

Customer Reviews:

The Vibrating String

By William Holmes "semloh2287" - January 26, 2002

For someone who enjoys both history and natural science, "Volcanoes in Humany History" is a happy marriage. It's not exactly a page-turner, because the authors don't try to be too dramatic. They do, however, write simply and clearly, letting the eruptions and their consequences speak for themselves.The authors' thesis is that each major eruption produces a "vibrating string" of historical effects, ranging from the eruption itself, to the immediate aftermath, to climate change, famine and epidemic, to economic and ecological revival, and finally to cultural effects that can span centuries.The book covers nine volcanic systems, their eruptions and the resulting historical fallout: The Hawaiian Islands, where the clash between lava and ocean gave rise to a colorful mythology; Thera, whose catastrophic eruption in the Bronze Age may have destroyed Minoan civilization and produced the legend of Atlantis; Mount Vesuvius, whose eruption in 79 AD entombed and... read more

Volcanoes in Human History

By Chris Balsley - January 13, 2002

The new book, Volcanoes in Human History by Dr. Jelle DeBoer and Theodore Sanders is a must-have for anyone interested in, or teaching, volcanism. Dr. DeBoer is the Stearns Professor of Earth Science at Wesleyan University (CT), and Mr. Sanders has been a petroleum geologist and science editor. Having taught Honors Earth Science in high school for the last 26 years, I can attest to the relevance of the book. The authors show how nine of the most famous eruptions have affected human history. Each chapter discusses one eruption, in both scientific and historical detail. The science is immediately useful in teaching a high school or introductory college level class. I found new information about all nine eruptions that I will use in my classes, combining it with an AP text. The long lasting effects that these eruptions have had on human history will make the study of volcanoes even more interesting. Relating the earlier eruptions with folklore and mythology shows the effects, other than... read more

An exciting and fascinating read

By A Customer - December 20, 2001

I do quite a bit of research in nonfiction, and find so many science texts that may be full of wonderful information, but are like trying to wade through oatmeal. This book is wonderful! Informative, fascinating--but also a wonderful book to read, even for a lay person. It covered so many dimensions to these disasters--political, social, even literary--that it made me rethink about how we've historically formed our religious and social views. The science/geology is equally well done, but it's 'bigger'than just a science book, and I would think, interesting to everyone.

AVAILABILITY
Merchant	Format	Price
Amazon US	Paperback	$8.26 - $28.95
eBooks.com	Digital (PDF)	$28.95
BookByte	Paperback	$18.71
eCampus	Paperback	~~$2.50~~ discount!