Kerry Emanuel

This is a short, cutesy book that lays out the facts of climate change as of 2007. I don't really like the bottom line that the only way we can fix the system is through political (and of course, scientific) channels. There is no further analysis into why the political system is too flawed to fix the problems of climate change, and to be honest I didn't expect it from such a small book. But I really hate it when books like this tell people that they can help save the world by driving 30 show more miles less per month, buying new CF bulbs, or buying a Prius and throwing away their old clunker. Clearly, if things were that easy, this planet should have no problems with global warming. show less

Large, colorful, glossy book - reminscient of a coffee-table book. The short chapters each address a single aspect of the structure, development, and life of a hurricane. These technical chapters, complete with charts, diagrams, and mathmatical formulas, alternate with prose chapters each telling the story of a well-known hurricane or cyclone. The end of every chapter includes a reproduction of a painting and a poem or other literary excerpt relating to hurricanes.

The book is easy to read, show more even for a lay person. The technical chapters sometimes become too much so, but it is easy enough to skim the hard parts and quickly arrive at the clearly explained conclusion or point. The prose chapters are well-written. The storm aspects are pointed out (usually having been explained in some detail in an earlier chapter), but the most impressive part of these sections are the details relating to the effect on the local populations. The contributing factors to large loss of life and property are explained. The aftermath stories are often moving, and are accompanied by stunning photos of more recent events.

The only disappointment in this book for me, in light of our recent collective memories, is that it was published just before Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in August, 2005 so no mention could be made of it here. This book ought to delight anyone who is fascinated by weather and storms, and those who, like me, are just geeky enough to enjoy being impressed by the vastness and power of our world. show less

It takes pains to disentangle the main different effects that drive climate, including anthropogenic and otherwise, the different time scales at which they operate, and at which scales it is hard to tell apart noise from signal (

Kerry Emanuel, a MIT professor and expert on Hurricanes, has written a tight and thoughtful essay explaining what is Climate Change, and the dangers to humanity, if we fail to take action on it. An excellent introduction that can be read in a afternoon.