`Geography has never been such fun before!', 08 Feb 2007
`Does Geography grind you down?
Fed up with miserable maps, rotten rock piles and dire diagrams?
Wave goodbye to boring geography lessons as you brace yourself for the shocking world of `Earth-shattering Earthquakes'......
Gasp! ...at the earthquake that made a river run backwards.
Run for your life! ...as an earthquake sends the sea surging towards you in a gigantic wave.
Giggle!...at the hamster shaken out of its cage by an earthquake.
And..... if that is not ground-breaking enough for you.......find out what it takes to become an earthquake expert, learn how to survive if an earthquake strikes and discover how rats and snakes can predict tremors.
It's earth shatteringly exciting!
Geography has never been so horrible!'

127 pages, split over 10 chapters:-

Introduction
A shocking true story
Cracking up
Whose fault is it?
Shattering shock waves
On very shaky ground
Earthquake experts
Shocking warning signs
Surviving the shock
A shaky future?

Written with the typical humour of this series of books, in a variety of fonts, interspersed with numerous black and white illustrations/cartoons.


V. Good book on earthquakes, how to track them, etc., 29 Dec 2000
Very humourous book on earthquakes, and very easy to read.If you like Ganeri's other books in the "Horrible Geography" series, then you'll like this.

`Geography has never been such fun before!', 08 Feb 2007
`Does Geography grind you down?
Fed up with miserable maps, rotten rock piles and dire diagrams?
Wave goodbye to boring geography lessons as you brace yourself for the shocking world of `Earth-shattering Earthquakes'......
Gasp! ...at the earthquake that made a river run backwards.
Run for your life! ...as an earthquake sends the sea surging towards you in a gigantic wave.
Giggle!...at the hamster shaken out of its cage by an earthquake.
And..... if that is not ground-breaking enough for you.......find out what it takes to become an earthquake expert, learn how to survive if an earthquake strikes and discover how rats and snakes can predict tremors.
It's earth shatteringly exciting!
Geography has never been so horrible!'

127 pages, split over 10 chapters:-

Introduction
A shocking true story
Cracking up
Whose fault is it?
Shattering shock waves
On very shaky ground
Earthquake experts
Shocking warning signs
Surviving the shock
A shaky future?

Written with the typical humour of this series of books, in a variety of fonts, interspersed with numerous black and white illustrations/cartoons.


V. Good book on earthquakes, how to track them, etc., 29 Dec 2000
Very humourous book on earthquakes, and very easy to read.If you like Ganeri's other books in the "Horrible Geography" series, then you'll like this.

Seems somewhat dated in 2001. Hard to read., 22 Nov 2001
This is one book given in a long preparatory reading list provided by the Open University for a course on "The Earth's Interior".
This is the 5th of the list which I have read. It has been the least readable. It muddles cause and effect. It jumps between sections of a subject without good signposting. It states categorically that full information can be found about a subject in a twenty-year-old paper. It often makes annoying statements that the research results affect geological processes, when it should say that the research affects the interpretation of geological processes.
There are a few topics in this book in which the explanations are better than in other books of similar topics.
It has been a most disappointing read, when I had expected that it would have been much more enlightening and clearer.
It is described as a "second edition", but is not as up-to-date as would be expected for a subject area in which there has been so much recent progress.

`Geography has never been such fun before!', 08 Feb 2007
`Does Geography grind you down?
Fed up with miserable maps, rotten rock piles and dire diagrams?
Wave goodbye to boring geography lessons as you brace yourself for the shocking world of `Earth-shattering Earthquakes'......
Gasp! ...at the earthquake that made a river run backwards.
Run for your life! ...as an earthquake sends the sea surging towards you in a gigantic wave.
Giggle!...at the hamster shaken out of its cage by an earthquake.
And..... if that is not ground-breaking enough for you.......find out what it takes to become an earthquake expert, learn how to survive if an earthquake strikes and discover how rats and snakes can predict tremors.
It's earth shatteringly exciting!
Geography has never been so horrible!'

127 pages, split over 10 chapters:-

Introduction
A shocking true story
Cracking up
Whose fault is it?
Shattering shock waves
On very shaky ground
Earthquake experts
Shocking warning signs
Surviving the shock
A shaky future?

Written with the typical humour of this series of books, in a variety of fonts, interspersed with numerous black and white illustrations/cartoons.


V. Good book on earthquakes, how to track them, etc., 29 Dec 2000
Very humourous book on earthquakes, and very easy to read.If you like Ganeri's other books in the "Horrible Geography" series, then you'll like this.

Seems somewhat dated in 2001. Hard to read., 22 Nov 2001
This is one book given in a long preparatory reading list provided by the Open University for a course on "The Earth's Interior".
This is the 5th of the list which I have read. It has been the least readable. It muddles cause and effect. It jumps between sections of a subject without good signposting. It states categorically that full information can be found about a subject in a twenty-year-old paper. It often makes annoying statements that the research results affect geological processes, when it should say that the research affects the interpretation of geological processes.
There are a few topics in this book in which the explanations are better than in other books of similar topics.
It has been a most disappointing read, when I had expected that it would have been much more enlightening and clearer.
It is described as a "second edition", but is not as up-to-date as would be expected for a subject area in which there has been so much recent progress.

Alien Volcanoes: don't forget the artist!, 12 Jun 2008
I was surprised (and disappointed) that the author is given only as 'RMC Lopes'. The authors are clearly identified on the cover as 'Rosaly M.C.Lopes and Michael W. Carroll'. Michael not only co-wrote the text, but as a prominent space artist he provided numerous excellent paintings of scenes it is not yet possible to photograph. These are therefore essential to this book, and also make it not only better to look at but enhance the understanding of the reader. This is an excellent treatise on the thermally active planets and satellites of our Solar System covering volcanoes (extinct and active), vents, geysers and cryovulcanism, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
David A. Hardy, FBIS, FIAAA (co-author/illustrator of THE FIRES WITHIN, FUTURES: 50 YEARS IN SPACE, etc.)

`Geography has never been such fun before!', 08 Feb 2007
`Does Geography grind you down?
Fed up with miserable maps, rotten rock piles and dire diagrams?
Wave goodbye to boring geography lessons as you brace yourself for the shocking world of `Earth-shattering Earthquakes'......
Gasp! ...at the earthquake that made a river run backwards.
Run for your life! ...as an earthquake sends the sea surging towards you in a gigantic wave.
Giggle!...at the hamster shaken out of its cage by an earthquake.
And..... if that is not ground-breaking enough for you.......find out what it takes to become an earthquake expert, learn how to survive if an earthquake strikes and discover how rats and snakes can predict tremors.
It's earth shatteringly exciting!
Geography has never been so horrible!'

127 pages, split over 10 chapters:-

Introduction
A shocking true story
Cracking up
Whose fault is it?
Shattering shock waves
On very shaky ground
Earthquake experts
Shocking warning signs
Surviving the shock
A shaky future?

Written with the typical humour of this series of books, in a variety of fonts, interspersed with numerous black and white illustrations/cartoons.


V. Good book on earthquakes, how to track them, etc., 29 Dec 2000
Very humourous book on earthquakes, and very easy to read.If you like Ganeri's other books in the "Horrible Geography" series, then you'll like this.

Seems somewhat dated in 2001. Hard to read., 22 Nov 2001
This is one book given in a long preparatory reading list provided by the Open University for a course on "The Earth's Interior".
This is the 5th of the list which I have read. It has been the least readable. It muddles cause and effect. It jumps between sections of a subject without good signposting. It states categorically that full information can be found about a subject in a twenty-year-old paper. It often makes annoying statements that the research results affect geological processes, when it should say that the research affects the interpretation of geological processes.
There are a few topics in this book in which the explanations are better than in other books of similar topics.
It has been a most disappointing read, when I had expected that it would have been much more enlightening and clearer.
It is described as a "second edition", but is not as up-to-date as would be expected for a subject area in which there has been so much recent progress.

Alien Volcanoes: don't forget the artist!, 12 Jun 2008
I was surprised (and disappointed) that the author is given only as 'RMC Lopes'. The authors are clearly identified on the cover as 'Rosaly M.C.Lopes and Michael W. Carroll'. Michael not only co-wrote the text, but as a prominent space artist he provided numerous excellent paintings of scenes it is not yet possible to photograph. These are therefore essential to this book, and also make it not only better to look at but enhance the understanding of the reader. This is an excellent treatise on the thermally active planets and satellites of our Solar System covering volcanoes (extinct and active), vents, geysers and cryovulcanism, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
David A. Hardy, FBIS, FIAAA (co-author/illustrator of THE FIRES WITHIN, FUTURES: 50 YEARS IN SPACE, etc.)

Sedimentary geology as an integrated discipline!, 29 Sep 2000
I think Leeder's textbook will appeal to anyone who's striving to learn more about sedimentology and dynamic stratigraphy. It's a concise, yet thorough introduction to many topics selected within the vast, ever-expanding (and worryingly so! ) field of sedimentary geology... The author's main goal was probably to provide readers with a clear sense of how well integrated sedimentary geology now is with many other branches of earth and life sciences, physics and chemistry. And in my opinion such aim is succesfully achieved. The book will be suitable read to all those who have already taken an introductory, comprehensive course in sedimentology, and are on the look for something else to be inspired in their reflections. Reading through many of the chapters, newcomers will learn how many precious contributions sedimentology gained from other sciences, as well as just how much of a contribution the discipline can be in itself to the whole bandwagon of geology. It takes a holistical approach to Earth system science to highlight this, and the book hits this mark. I appreciated particularly a brief, separate chapter dealing with the properties and stuctures of fine, cohesive sediments, which is a refreshing perspective on the structural and dynamic sedimentology of muds... And a longer one introducing sediment sources as resulting from the interaction of tectonics and erosional processes. What left me rather disappointed was a too cursory mention of base-level control on successions, and its logical development into sequence stratigraphy, not as a preconceived model but as a new philosophy in tackling with the complexity of the stratigraphical record. But something had to be probably neglected or the tome would have become real cumbersome to handle physically! Also, I wonder whether Coriolis force really bears any influence upon such small-scale systems as lakes...? But this is an aside... All in all, the book is enjoyable and informative, the author's style pleasant and clear, the artwork excellent, and if you wanted to try out something alternative for mumbling on the hidden meanings of sands, muds and other slimy stuff we like so much, a go at this book would be very much worth the price...

`Geography has never been such fun before!', 08 Feb 2007
`Does Geography grind you down?
Fed up with miserable maps, rotten rock piles and dire diagrams?
Wave goodbye to boring geography lessons as you brace yourself for the shocking world of `Earth-shattering Earthquakes'......
Gasp! ...at the earthquake that made a river run backwards.
Run for your life! ...as an earthquake sends the sea surging towards you in a gigantic wave.
Giggle!...at the hamster shaken out of its cage by an earthquake.
And..... if that is not ground-breaking enough for you.......find out what it takes to become an earthquake expert, learn how to survive if an earthquake strikes and discover how rats and snakes can predict tremors.
It's earth shatteringly exciting!
Geography has never been so horrible!'

127 pages, split over 10 chapters:-

Introduction
A shocking true story
Cracking up
Whose fault is it?
Shattering shock waves
On very shaky ground
Earthquake experts
Shocking warning signs
Surviving the shock
A shaky future?

Written with the typical humour of this series of books, in a variety of fonts, interspersed with numerous black and white illustrations/cartoons.


V. Good book on earthquakes, how to track them, etc., 29 Dec 2000
Very humourous book on earthquakes, and very easy to read.If you like Ganeri's other books in the "Horrible Geography" series, then you'll like this.

Seems somewhat dated in 2001. Hard to read., 22 Nov 2001
This is one book given in a long preparatory reading list provided by the Open University for a course on "The Earth's Interior".
This is the 5th of the list which I have read. It has been the least readable. It muddles cause and effect. It jumps between sections of a subject without good signposting. It states categorically that full information can be found about a subject in a twenty-year-old paper. It often makes annoying statements that the research results affect geological processes, when it should say that the research affects the interpretation of geological processes.
There are a few topics in this book in which the explanations are better than in other books of similar topics.
It has been a most disappointing read, when I had expected that it would have been much more enlightening and clearer.
It is described as a "second edition", but is not as up-to-date as would be expected for a subject area in which there has been so much recent progress.

Alien Volcanoes: don't forget the artist!, 12 Jun 2008
I was surprised (and disappointed) that the author is given only as 'RMC Lopes'. The authors are clearly identified on the cover as 'Rosaly M.C.Lopes and Michael W. Carroll'. Michael not only co-wrote the text, but as a prominent space artist he provided numerous excellent paintings of scenes it is not yet possible to photograph. These are therefore essential to this book, and also make it not only better to look at but enhance the understanding of the reader. This is an excellent treatise on the thermally active planets and satellites of our Solar System covering volcanoes (extinct and active), vents, geysers and cryovulcanism, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
David A. Hardy, FBIS, FIAAA (co-author/illustrator of THE FIRES WITHIN, FUTURES: 50 YEARS IN SPACE, etc.)

Sedimentary geology as an integrated discipline!, 29 Sep 2000
I think Leeder's textbook will appeal to anyone who's striving to learn more about sedimentology and dynamic stratigraphy. It's a concise, yet thorough introduction to many topics selected within the vast, ever-expanding (and worryingly so! ) field of sedimentary geology... The author's main goal was probably to provide readers with a clear sense of how well integrated sedimentary geology now is with many other branches of earth and life sciences, physics and chemistry. And in my opinion such aim is succesfully achieved. The book will be suitable read to all those who have already taken an introductory, comprehensive course in sedimentology, and are on the look for something else to be inspired in their reflections. Reading through many of the chapters, newcomers will learn how many precious contributions sedimentology gained from other sciences, as well as just how much of a contribution the discipline can be in itself to the whole bandwagon of geology. It takes a holistical approach to Earth system science to highlight this, and the book hits this mark. I appreciated particularly a brief, separate chapter dealing with the properties and stuctures of fine, cohesive sediments, which is a refreshing perspective on the structural and dynamic sedimentology of muds... And a longer one introducing sediment sources as resulting from the interaction of tectonics and erosional processes. What left me rather disappointed was a too cursory mention of base-level control on successions, and its logical development into sequence stratigraphy, not as a preconceived model but as a new philosophy in tackling with the complexity of the stratigraphical record. But something had to be probably neglected or the tome would have become real cumbersome to handle physically! Also, I wonder whether Coriolis force really bears any influence upon such small-scale systems as lakes...? But this is an aside... All in all, the book is enjoyable and informative, the author's style pleasant and clear, the artwork excellent, and if you wanted to try out something alternative for mumbling on the hidden meanings of sands, muds and other slimy stuff we like so much, a go at this book would be very much worth the price...

Excellent educational material, 17 Nov 2004
My daughter is six years old and she loves this book!

The photography is terrific, full of vibrant energy and sumptuous colour. The topic is one of everybody's favourites - volcanoes. But don't be fooled by the title; this work covers volcanoes, tectonic plates and earthquakes.

Gina Nuttall's excellent descriptive style is pitched at just the right level for kids without being patronising. It's challenging stuff, but it has great educational value and is able to impart more information than you might think given the overall length of the work.

I highly recommend it.

From aa to Yellowstone, if it's got anything at all to do with earthquakes or volcanoes, you're likely to find it within the pages of the updated Encyclopedia of Earthquakes and Volcanoes from science journalist David Ritchie and geology professor Alexander Gates.

The 1,000-plus alphabetical listings range from historical volcanoes and quakes (both famous and obscure) to entries on specific seismic phenomenon (everything from parasitic cones to jökulhlaup) and general geological principles, including a few excellent in-depth discussions on topics like plate tectonics and seismic wave types. The encyclopaedia also includes a lengthy bibliography, a list of Internet resources, a chronological listing of notable quakes and eruptions, and a handful of unforgettable eyewitness accounts (after the eruption of Vesuvius in A.D.79, apparently Pliny the Elder's party went out "having pillows tied upon their heads with napkins; and this was their whole defence against the storm of stones that fell around them").

With its clear, newspaper-style entries, the Encyclopedia of Earthquakes and Volcanoes will be navigable even to geo-newbies, but its a-to-z organisation makes it more useful as a reference than as a stand-alone text. Then again, given its liberal cross-referencing, you can easily find yourself led onto a long, enjoyable read. --Paul Hughes

`Geography has never been such fun before!', 08 Feb 2007
`Does Geography grind you down?
Fed up with miserable maps, rotten rock piles and dire diagrams?
Wave goodbye to boring geography lessons as you brace yourself for the shocking world of `Earth-shattering Earthquakes'......
Gasp! ...at the earthquake that made a river run backwards.
Run for your life! ...as an earthquake sends the sea surging towards you in a gigantic wave.
Giggle!...at the hamster shaken out of its cage by an earthquake.
And..... if that is not ground-breaking enough for you.......find out what it takes to become an earthquake expert, learn how to survive if an earthquake strikes and discover how rats and snakes can predict tremors.
It's earth shatteringly exciting!
Geography has never been so horrible!'

127 pages, split over 10 chapters:-

Introduction
A shocking true story
Cracking up
Whose fault is it?
Shattering shock waves
On very shaky ground
Earthquake experts
Shocking warning signs
Surviving the shock
A shaky future?

Written with the typical humour of this series of books, in a variety of fonts, interspersed with numerous black and white illustrations/cartoons.


V. Good book on earthquakes, how to track them, etc., 29 Dec 2000
Very humourous book on earthquakes, and very easy to read.If you like Ganeri's other books in the "Horrible Geography" series, then you'll like this.

Seems somewhat dated in 2001. Hard to read., 22 Nov 2001
This is one book given in a long preparatory reading list provided by the Open University for a course on "The Earth's Interior".
This is the 5th of the list which I have read. It has been the least readable. It muddles cause and effect. It jumps between sections of a subject without good signposting. It states categorically that full information can be found about a subject in a twenty-year-old paper. It often makes annoying statements that the research results affect geological processes, when it should say that the research affects the interpretation of geological processes.
There are a few topics in this book in which the explanations are better than in other books of similar topics.
It has been a most disappointing read, when I had expected that it would have been much more enlightening and clearer.
It is described as a "second edition", but is not as up-to-date as would be expected for a subject area in which there has been so much recent progress.

Alien Volcanoes: don't forget the artist!, 12 Jun 2008
I was surprised (and disappointed) that the author is given only as 'RMC Lopes'. The authors are clearly identified on the cover as 'Rosaly M.C.Lopes and Michael W. Carroll'. Michael not only co-wrote the text, but as a prominent space artist he provided numerous excellent paintings of scenes it is not yet possible to photograph. These are therefore essential to this book, and also make it not only better to look at but enhance the understanding of the reader. This is an excellent treatise on the thermally active planets and satellites of our Solar System covering volcanoes (extinct and active), vents, geysers and cryovulcanism, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
David A. Hardy, FBIS, FIAAA (co-author/illustrator of THE FIRES WITHIN, FUTURES: 50 YEARS IN SPACE, etc.)

Sedimentary geology as an integrated discipline!, 29 Sep 2000
I think Leeder's textbook will appeal to anyone who's striving to learn more about sedimentology and dynamic stratigraphy. It's a concise, yet thorough introduction to many topics selected within the vast, ever-expanding (and worryingly so! ) field of sedimentary geology... The author's main goal was probably to provide readers with a clear sense of how well integrated sedimentary geology now is with many other branches of earth and life sciences, physics and chemistry. And in my opinion such aim is succesfully achieved. The book will be suitable read to all those who have already taken an introductory, comprehensive course in sedimentology, and are on the look for something else to be inspired in their reflections. Reading through many of the chapters, newcomers will learn how many precious contributions sedimentology gained from other sciences, as well as just how much of a contribution the discipline can be in itself to the whole bandwagon of geology. It takes a holistical approach to Earth system science to highlight this, and the book hits this mark. I appreciated particularly a brief, separate chapter dealing with the properties and stuctures of fine, cohesive sediments, which is a refreshing perspective on the structural and dynamic sedimentology of muds... And a longer one introducing sediment sources as resulting from the interaction of tectonics and erosional processes. What left me rather disappointed was a too cursory mention of base-level control on successions, and its logical development into sequence stratigraphy, not as a preconceived model but as a new philosophy in tackling with the complexity of the stratigraphical record. But something had to be probably neglected or the tome would have become real cumbersome to handle physically! Also, I wonder whether Coriolis force really bears any influence upon such small-scale systems as lakes...? But this is an aside... All in all, the book is enjoyable and informative, the author's style pleasant and clear, the artwork excellent, and if you wanted to try out something alternative for mumbling on the hidden meanings of sands, muds and other slimy stuff we like so much, a go at this book would be very much worth the price...

Excellent educational material, 17 Nov 2004
My daughter is six years old and she loves this book!

The photography is terrific, full of vibrant energy and sumptuous colour. The topic is one of everybody's favourites - volcanoes. But don't be fooled by the title; this work covers volcanoes, tectonic plates and earthquakes.

Gina Nuttall's excellent descriptive style is pitched at just the right level for kids without being patronising. It's challenging stuff, but it has great educational value and is able to impart more information than you might think given the overall length of the work.

I highly recommend it.

I REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK!, 05 May 1999
Hi, I really like this book. It's bben helpfully to me for my carrer. Thanks, Michelle Trzecisnki

Excellent introduction., 16 Feb 1998
In a unique and very handy A-Z format, here in one volume is all the information you are ever likely to need on these most dramatic natural phenomena.
The great earthquakes and famous volcanic eruptions are comprehensively covered, with clear explanations of the geologic concepts and terms, interesting photos and maps, and thumbnail biographies of leading figures in the study of these majestic forces of nature. A particularly interesting feature is the inclusion of each state with an evaluation of its seismic potential. (There are some surprises here). Highly recommended as a very useful single-volume introduction for libraries and interested individuals.

(The "score" rating is an ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

`Geography has never been such fun before!', 08 Feb 2007
`Does Geography grind you down?
Fed up with miserable maps, rotten rock piles and dire diagrams?
Wave goodbye to boring geography lessons as you brace yourself for the shocking world of `Earth-shattering Earthquakes'......
Gasp! ...at the earthquake that made a river run backwards.
Run for your life! ...as an earthquake sends the sea surging towards you in a gigantic wave.
Giggle!...at the hamster shaken out of its cage by an earthquake.
And..... if that is not ground-breaking enough for you.......find out what it takes to become an earthquake expert, learn how to survive if an earthquake strikes and discover how rats and snakes can predict tremors.
It's earth shatteringly exciting!
Geography has never been so horrible!'

127 pages, split over 10 chapters:-

Introduction
A shocking true story
Cracking up
Whose fault is it?
Shattering shock waves
On very shaky ground
Earthquake experts
Shocking warning signs
Surviving the shock
A shaky future?

Written with the typical humour of this series of books, in a variety of fonts, interspersed with numerous black and white illustrations/cartoons.


V. Good book on earthquakes, how to track them, etc., 29 Dec 2000
Very humourous book on earthquakes, and very easy to read.If you like Ganeri's other books in the "Horrible Geography" series, then you'll like this.

Seems somewhat dated in 2001. Hard to read., 22 Nov 2001
This is one book given in a long preparatory reading list provided by the Open University for a course on "The Earth's Interior".
This is the 5th of the list which I have read. It has been the least readable. It muddles cause and effect. It jumps between sections of a subject without good signposting. It states categorically that full information can be found about a subject in a twenty-year-old paper. It often makes annoying statements that the research results affect geological processes, when it should say that the research affects the interpretation of geological processes.
There are a few topics in this book in which the explanations are better than in other books of similar topics.
It has been a most disappointing read, when I had expected that it would have been much more enlightening and clearer.
It is described as a "second edition", but is not as up-to-date as would be expected for a subject area in which there has been so much recent progress.

Alien Volcanoes: don't forget the artist!, 12 Jun 2008
I was surprised (and disappointed) that the author is given only as 'RMC Lopes'. The authors are clearly identified on the cover as 'Rosaly M.C.Lopes and Michael W. Carroll'. Michael not only co-wrote the text, but as a prominent space artist he provided numerous excellent paintings of scenes it is not yet possible to photograph. These are therefore essential to this book, and also make it not only better to look at but enhance the understanding of the reader. This is an excellent treatise on the thermally active planets and satellites of our Solar System covering volcanoes (extinct and active), vents, geysers and cryovulcanism, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
David A. Hardy, FBIS, FIAAA (co-author/illustrator of THE FIRES WITHIN, FUTURES: 50 YEARS IN SPACE, etc.)

Sedimentary geology as an integrated discipline!, 29 Sep 2000
I think Leeder's textbook will appeal to anyone who's striving to learn more about sedimentology and dynamic stratigraphy. It's a concise, yet thorough introduction to many topics selected within the vast, ever-expanding (and worryingly so! ) field of sedimentary geology... The author's main goal was probably to provide readers with a clear sense of how well integrated sedimentary geology now is with many other branches of earth and life sciences, physics and chemistry. And in my opinion such aim is succesfully achieved. The book will be suitable read to all those who have already taken an introductory, comprehensive course in sedimentology, and are on the look for something else to be inspired in their reflections. Reading through many of the chapters, newcomers will learn how many precious contributions sedimentology gained from other sciences, as well as just how much of a contribution the discipline can be in itself to the whole bandwagon of geology. It takes a holistical approach to Earth system science to highlight this, and the book hits this mark. I appreciated particularly a brief, separate chapter dealing with the properties and stuctures of fine, cohesive sediments, which is a refreshing perspective on the structural and dynamic sedimentology of muds... And a longer one introducing sediment sources as resulting from the interaction of tectonics and erosional processes. What left me rather disappointed was a too cursory mention of base-level control on successions, and its logical development into sequence stratigraphy, not as a preconceived model but as a new philosophy in tackling with the complexity of the stratigraphical record. But something had to be probably neglected or the tome would have become real cumbersome to handle physically! Also, I wonder whether Coriolis force really bears any influence upon such small-scale systems as lakes...? But this is an aside... All in all, the book is enjoyable and informative, the author's style pleasant and clear, the artwork excellent, and if you wanted to try out something alternative for mumbling on the hidden meanings of sands, muds and other slimy stuff we like so much, a go at this book would be very much worth the price...

Excellent educational material, 17 Nov 2004
My daughter is six years old and she loves this book!

The photography is terrific, full of vibrant energy and sumptuous colour. The topic is one of everybody's favourites - volcanoes. But don't be fooled by the title; this work covers volcanoes, tectonic plates and earthquakes.

Gina Nuttall's excellent descriptive style is pitched at just the right level for kids without being patronising. It's challenging stuff, but it has great educational value and is able to impart more information than you might think given the overall length of the work.

I highly recommend it.

I REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK!, 05 May 1999
Hi, I really like this book. It's bben helpfully to me for my carrer. Thanks, Michelle Trzecisnki

Excellent introduction., 16 Feb 1998
In a unique and very handy A-Z format, here in one volume is all the information you are ever likely to need on these most dramatic natural phenomena.
The great earthquakes and famous volcanic eruptions are comprehensively covered, with clear explanations of the geologic concepts and terms, interesting photos and maps, and thumbnail biographies of leading figures in the study of these majestic forces of nature. A particularly interesting feature is the inclusion of each state with an evaluation of its seismic potential. (There are some surprises here). Highly recommended as a very useful single-volume introduction for libraries and interested individuals.

(The "score" rating is an ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

The Days the Earth Moved, 29 Jun 2008
"Apocalypse" is a well-written and fascinating discussion of the role that earthquakes may have played in the Bronze Age history of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Nur is a geophysicist who argues that archaeologists are too ready to reject earthquakes as a cause of the widespread devastation that is sometimes found at ancient sites. According to Nur, the archaeologist's preferred interpretation is usually that invading armies caused the destruction.

Nur admits that this interpretation may be right in many cases, but persuasively argues that archaeologists too often ignore evidence that the real cause of the devastation might have been an earthquake. Nur brings a geophysicist's perspective to the archaeologist's world, observing that many ancient sites (such as Mycenae) are affected by significant fault lines that pass directly through ancient ruins, sometimes visibly offsetting walls and staircases. Others ruins contain the remains of people killed thousands of years ago by collapsing walls or ceilings--the skeletons bear the telltale signs of the crushing injuries typical of earthquake victims.

Nur suggests that some ancient abandonments and migrations might have been triggered by earthquakes. For example, some of the devastation usually attributed to the mysterious Sea Peoples may have been caused by earthquakes, either because the earthquakes caused the destruction outright, or because they severely damaged fortifications and killed large numbers of people, leaving cities vulnerable to opportunistic invaders.

Archaeologists have tended to dismiss the earthquake explanation for sometimes widespread devastation in the ancient world because much of it (such as the events around 1200BC that preciptated the Greek Dark Ages) appears to have happened suddenly over an implausibly wide area for an earthquake. But Nur argues that very widepsread damage could have been caused by either a single very large earthquake, or by an "earthquake storm" (a cascade of earthquakes caused when one quake increases pressure on another fault, leading to a series of events). Both of these possibilities are fair game from the perspective of a geophysicist, and Nur urges that archaeologists should consider the possibility carefully when interpreting ancient sites.

Nur's book is an enjoyable mix of geology, geophysics, ancient history, geology, and forensics, but it also contains a warning. What happened in the Mediterranean and the Middle East in the ancient world can happen again, as it did during the Jericho Earthquake of 1927. If archaeologists and geophysicists can learn from each other, they are more likely to spot major earthquake hazards that might otherwise be overlooked.

`Geography has never been such fun before!', 08 Feb 2007
`Does Geography grind you down?
Fed up with miserable maps, rotten rock piles and dire diagrams?
Wave goodbye to boring geography lessons as you brace yourself for the shocking world of `Earth-shattering Earthquakes'......
Gasp! ...at the earthquake that made a river run backwards.
Run for your life! ...as an earthquake sends the sea surging towards you in a gigantic wave.
Giggle!...at the hamster shaken out of its cage by an earthquake.
And..... if that is not ground-breaking enough for you.......find out what it takes to become an earthquake expert, learn how to survive if an earthquake strikes and discover how rats and snakes can predict tremors.
It's earth shatteringly exciting!
Geography has never been so horrible!'

127 pages, split over 10 chapters:-

Introduction
A shocking true story
Cracking up
Whose fault is it?
Shattering shock waves
On very shaky ground
Earthquake experts
Shocking warning signs
Surviving the shock
A shaky future?

Written with the typical humour of this series of books, in a variety of fonts, interspersed with numerous black and white illustrations/cartoons.


V. Good book on earthquakes, how to track them, etc., 29 Dec 2000
Very humourous book on earthquakes, and very easy to read.If you like Ganeri's other books in the "Horrible Geography" series, then you'll like this.

Seems somewhat dated in 2001. Hard to read., 22 Nov 2001
This is one book given in a long preparatory reading list provided by the Open University for a course on "The Earth's Interior".
This is the 5th of the list which I have read. It has been the least readable. It muddles cause and effect. It jumps between sections of a subject without good signposting. It states categorically that full information can be found about a subject in a twenty-year-old paper. It often makes annoying statements that the research results affect geological processes, when it should say that the research affects the interpretation of geological processes.
There are a few topics in this book in which the explanations are better than in other books of similar topics.
It has been a most disappointing read, when I had expected that it would have been much more enlightening and clearer.
It is described as a "second edition", but is not as up-to-date as would be expected for a subject area in which there has been so much recent progress.

Alien Volcanoes: don't forget the artist!, 12 Jun 2008
I was surprised (and disappointed) that the author is given only as 'RMC Lopes'. The authors are clearly identified on the cover as 'Rosaly M.C.Lopes and Michael W. Carroll'. Michael not only co-wrote the text, but as a prominent space artist he provided numerous excellent paintings of scenes it is not yet possible to photograph. These are therefore essential to this book, and also make it not only better to look at but enhance the understanding of the reader. This is an excellent treatise on the thermally active planets and satellites of our Solar System covering volcanoes (extinct and active), vents, geysers and cryovulcanism, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
David A. Hardy, FBIS, FIAAA (co-author/illustrator of THE FIRES WITHIN, FUTURES: 50 YEARS IN SPACE, etc.)

Sedimentary geology as an integrated discipline!, 29 Sep 2000
I think Leeder's textbook will appeal to anyone who's striving to learn more about sedimentology and dynamic stratigraphy. It's a concise, yet thorough introduction to many topics selected within the vast, ever-expanding (and worryingly so! ) field of sedimentary geology... The author's main goal was probably to provide readers with a clear sense of how well integrated sedimentary geology now is with many other branches of earth and life sciences, physics and chemistry. And in my opinion such aim is succesfully achieved. The book will be suitable read to all those who have already taken an introductory, comprehensive course in sedimentology, and are on the look for something else to be inspired in their reflections. Reading through many of the chapters, newcomers will learn how many precious contributions sedimentology gained from other sciences, as well as just how much of a contribution the discipline can be in itself to the whole bandwagon of geology. It takes a holistical approach to Earth system science to highlight this, and the book hits this mark. I appreciated particularly a brief, separate chapter dealing with the properties and stuctures of fine, cohesive sediments, which is a refreshing perspective on the structural and dynamic sedimentology of muds... And a longer one introducing sediment sources as resulting from the interaction of tectonics and erosional processes. What left me rather disappointed was a too cursory mention of base-level control on successions, and its logical development into sequence stratigraphy, not as a preconceived model but as a new philosophy in tackling with the complexity of the stratigraphical record. But something had to be probably neglected or the tome would have become real cumbersome to handle physically! Also, I wonder whether Coriolis force really bears any influence upon such small-scale systems as lakes...? But this is an aside... All in all, the book is enjoyable and informative, the author's style pleasant and clear, the artwork excellent, and if you wanted to try out something alternative for mumbling on the hidden meanings of sands, muds and other slimy stuff we like so much, a go at this book would be very much worth the price...

Excellent educational material, 17 Nov 2004
My daughter is six years old and she loves this book!

The photography is terrific, full of vibrant energy and sumptuous colour. The topic is one of everybody's favourites - volcanoes. But don't be fooled by the title; this work covers volcanoes, tectonic plates and earthquakes.

Gina Nuttall's excellent descriptive style is pitched at just the right level for kids without being patronising. It's challenging stuff, but it has great educational value and is able to impart more information than you might think given the overall length of the work.

I highly recommend it.

I REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK!, 05 May 1999
Hi, I really like this book. It's bben helpfully to me for my carrer. Thanks, Michelle Trzecisnki

Excellent introduction., 16 Feb 1998
In a unique and very handy A-Z format, here in one volume is all the information you are ever likely to need on these most dramatic natural phenomena.
The great earthquakes and famous volcanic eruptions are comprehensively covered, with clear explanations of the geologic concepts and terms, interesting photos and maps, and thumbnail biographies of leading figures in the study of these majestic forces of nature. A particularly interesting feature is the inclusion of each state with an evaluation of its seismic potential. (There are some surprises here). Highly recommended as a very useful single-volume introduction for libraries and interested individuals.

(The "score" rating is an ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

The Days the Earth Moved, 29 Jun 2008
"Apocalypse" is a well-written and fascinating discussion of the role that earthquakes may have played in the Bronze Age history of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Nur is a geophysicist who argues that archaeologists are too ready to reject earthquakes as a cause of the widespread devastation that is sometimes found at ancient sites. According to Nur, the archaeologist's preferred interpretation is usually that invading armies caused the destruction.

Nur admits that this interpretation may be right in many cases, but persuasively argues that archaeologists too often ignore evidence that the real cause of the devastation might have been an earthquake. Nur brings a geophysicist's perspective to the archaeologist's world, observing that many ancient sites (such as Mycenae) are affected by significant fault lines that pass directly through ancient ruins, sometimes visibly offsetting walls and staircases. Others ruins contain the remains of people killed thousands of years ago by collapsing walls or ceilings--the skeletons bear the telltale signs of the crushing injuries typical of earthquake victims.

Nur suggests that some ancient abandonments and migrations might have been triggered by earthquakes. For example, some of the devastation usually attributed to the mysterious Sea Peoples may have been caused by earthquakes, either because the earthquakes caused the destruction outright, or because they severely damaged fortifications and killed large numbers of people, leaving cities vulnerable to opportunistic invaders.

Archaeologists have tended to dismiss the earthquake explanation for sometimes widespread devastation in the ancient world because much of it (such as the events around 1200BC that preciptated the Greek Dark Ages) appears to have happened suddenly over an implausibly wide area for an earthquake. But Nur argues that very widepsread damage could have been caused by either a single very large earthquake, or by an "earthquake storm" (a cascade of earthquakes caused when one quake increases pressure on another fault, leading to a series of events). Both of these possibilities are fair game from the perspective of a geophysicist, and Nur urges that archaeologists should consider the possibility carefully when interpreting ancient sites.

Nur's book is an enjoyable mix of geology, geophysics, ancient history, geology, and forensics, but it also contains a warning. What happened in the Mediterranean and the Middle East in the ancient world can happen again, as it did during the Jericho Earthquake of 1927. If archaeologists and geophysicists can learn from each other, they are more likely to spot major earthquake hazards that might otherwise be overlooked.

Illuminating, 24 Feb 2007
This is the most accessible third level text book on vulcanism that I have read. It is scholarly and illuminating but infused with some wit even when dealing with geohazards! Aimed at the student of geology, it is nonetheless an accessible read for the enthusiastic amateur and I would highly recommend it.

Probably the best textbook I've ever read., 26 Jan 2007
Why can't all textbooks be like this? Peter Francis (and Clive Oppenheimer) have taken a slightly more relaxed approach to their textbook, making it a little more personal, with the odd glib opinion or personal remark on taste, which rather than annoying you makes the book instantly more readable, as you can relate to the authors and be transported into their exciting world. Despite the relaxed approach the book is detailed accurate and up-to-date regards the subject. I read this textbook from cover to cover whilst revising for my exams on the subject and for once really enjoyed my revision. If it the book was a little smaller I would even read it on the bus!!!

An excellent reference work, 07 Jan 2005
This book provides an excellent introduction to the study of volcanoes, both on Earth and in the Solar System in general, which is easily accessible to an interested amateur or an undergraduate in the early stages of their degree (it was recommended reading for several of my first year courses as an undergrad geologist). The late Professor Francis produced a work that is both informative and entertaining, whilst at no time trivialising the subject matter in hand. Pertinent examples and analogies are provided to clarify and illuminate rather than to dumb-down - a distinction sadly lacking from many other volumes covering similar topics. For a more comprehensive coverage of the topic, I would recommend referring to this book alongside either Igneous Petrology by Anthony Hall or Igneous Petrogenesis by Marge Wilson.

The ideal companion for any volcano enthusiast, 13 Dec 2004
This book is the easiest 'textbook' I have ever read. It is informative and scientific whilst being succinct, educational and entertaining. Francis has an excellent, friendly writing style and the delight and passion he has for the subject matter is plain to see. This book is a must-have for wannabe volcanologists and for anyone with an interest in natural hazards.

A good flowing style, but avoiding trivia., 22 Nov 2001
This was a book in a long list of preparatory recommended reading for a second level Open University course.
The style of writing is excellent. The content follows naturally from topic to topic. The level of detailis suitable for preparation for a second level University course. It would also be excellent reading for anyone with a general interest in matters scientific. The range of topics is wide and interesting.

`Geography has never been such fun before!', 08 Feb 2007
`Does Geography grind you down?
Fed up with miserable maps, rotten rock piles and dire diagrams?
Wave goodbye to boring geography lessons as you brace yourself for the shocking world of `Earth-shattering Earthquakes'......
Gasp! ...at the earthquake that made a river run backwards.
Run for your life! ...as an earthquake sends the sea surging towards you in a gigantic wave.
Giggle!...at the hamster shaken out of its cage by an earthquake.
And..... if that is not ground-breaking enough for you.......find out what it takes to become an earthquake expert, learn how to survive if an earthquake strikes and discover how rats and snakes can predict tremors.
It's earth shatteringly exciting!
Geography has never been so horrible!'

127 pages, split over 10 chapters:-

Introduction
A shocking true story
Cracking up
Whose fault is it?
Shattering shock waves
On very shaky ground
Earthquake experts
Shocking warning signs
Surviving the shock
A shaky future?

Written with the typical humour of this series of books, in a variety of fonts, interspersed with numerous black and white illustrations/cartoons.


V. Good book on earthquakes, how to track them, etc., 29 Dec 2000
Very humourous book on earthquakes, and very easy to read.If you like Ganeri's other books in the "Horrible Geography" series, then you'll like this.

Seems somewhat dated in 2001. Hard to read., 22 Nov 2001
This is one book given in a long preparatory reading list provided by the Open University for a course on "The Earth's Interior".
This is the 5th of the list which I have read. It has been the least readable. It muddles cause and effect. It jumps between sections of a subject without good signposting. It states categorically that full information can be found about a subject in a twenty-year-old paper. It often makes annoying statements that the research results affect geological processes, when it should say that the research affects the interpretation of geological processes.
There are a few topics in this book in which the explanations are better than in other books of similar topics.
It has been a most disappointing read, when I had expected that it would have been much more enlightening and clearer.
It is described as a "second edition", but is not as up-to-date as would be expected for a subject area in which there has been so much recent progress.

Alien Volcanoes: don't forget the artist!, 12 Jun 2008
I was surprised (and disappointed) that the author is given only as 'RMC Lopes'. The authors are clearly identified on the cover as 'Rosaly M.C.Lopes and Michael W. Carroll'. Michael not only co-wrote the text, but as a prominent space artist he provided numerous excellent paintings of scenes it is not yet possible to photograph. These are therefore essential to this book, and also make it not only better to look at but enhance the understanding of the reader. This is an excellent treatise on the thermally active planets and satellites of our Solar System covering volcanoes (extinct and active), vents, geysers and cryovulcanism, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
David A. Hardy, FBIS, FIAAA (co-author/illustrator of THE FIRES WITHIN, FUTURES: 50 YEARS IN SPACE, etc.)

Sedimentary geology as an integrated discipline!, 29 Sep 2000
I think Leeder's textbook will appeal to anyone who's striving to learn more about sedimentology and dynamic stratigraphy. It's a concise, yet thorough introduction to many topics selected within the vast, ever-expanding (and worryingly so! ) field of sedimentary geology... The author's main goal was probably to provide readers with a clear sense of how well integrated sedimentary geology now is with many other branches of earth and life sciences, physics and chemistry. And in my opinion such aim is succesfully achieved. The book will be suitable read to all those who have already taken an introductory, comprehensive course in sedimentology, and are on the look for something else to be inspired in their reflections. Reading through many of the chapters, newcomers will learn how many precious contributions sedimentology gained from other sciences, as well as just how much of a contribution the discipline can be in itself to the whole bandwagon of geology. It takes a holistical approach to Earth system science to highlight this, and the book hits this mark. I appreciated particularly a brief, separate chapter dealing with the properties and stuctures of fine, cohesive sediments, which is a refreshing perspective on the structural and dynamic sedimentology of muds... And a longer one introducing sediment sources as resulting from the interaction of tectonics and erosional processes. What left me rather disappointed was a too cursory mention of base-level control on successions, and its logical development into sequence stratigraphy, not as a preconceived model but as a new philosophy in tackling with the complexity of the stratigraphical record. But something had to be probably neglected or the tome would have become real cumbersome to handle physically! Also, I wonder whether Coriolis force really bears any influence upon such small-scale systems as lakes...? But this is an aside... All in all, the book is enjoyable and informative, the author's style pleasant and clear, the artwork excellent, and if you wanted to try out something alternative for mumbling on the hidden meanings of sands, muds and other slimy stuff we like so much, a go at this book would be very much worth the price...

Excellent educational material, 17 Nov 2004
My daughter is six years old and she loves this book!

The photography is terrific, full of vibrant energy and sumptuous colour. The topic is one of everybody's favourites - volcanoes. But don't be fooled by the title; this work covers volcanoes, tectonic plates and earthquakes.

Gina Nuttall's excellent descriptive style is pitched at just the right level for kids without being patronising. It's challenging stuff, but it has great educational value and is able to impart more information than you might think given the overall length of the work.

I highly recommend it.

I REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK!, 05 May 1999
Hi, I really like this book. It's bben helpfully to me for my carrer. Thanks, Michelle Trzecisnki

Excellent introduction., 16 Feb 1998
In a unique and very handy A-Z format, here in one volume is all the information you are ever likely to need on these most dramatic natural phenomena.
The great earthquakes and famous volcanic eruptions are comprehensively covered, with clear explanations of the geologic concepts and terms, interesting photos and maps, and thumbnail biographies of leading figures in the study of these majestic forces of nature. A particularly interesting feature is the inclusion of each state with an evaluation of its seismic potential. (There are some surprises here). Highly recommended as a very useful single-volume introduction for libraries and interested individuals.

(The "score" rating is an ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

The Days the Earth Moved, 29 Jun 2008
"Apocalypse" is a well-written and fascinating discussion of the role that earthquakes may have played in the Bronze Age history of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Nur is a geophysicist who argues that archaeologists are too ready to reject earthquakes as a cause of the widespread devastation that is sometimes found at ancient sites. According to Nur, the archaeologist's preferred interpretation is usually that invading armies caused the destruction.

Nur admits that this interpretation may be right in many cases, but persuasively argues that archaeologists too often ignore evidence that the real cause of the devastation might have been an earthquake. Nur brings a geophysicist's perspective to the archaeologist's world, observing that many ancient sites (such as Mycenae) are affected by significant fault lines that pass directly through ancient ruins, sometimes visibly offsetting walls and staircases. Others ruins contain the remains of people killed thousands of years ago by collapsing walls or ceilings--the skeletons bear the telltale signs of the crushing injuries typical of earthquake victims.

Nur suggests that some ancient abandonments and migrations might have been triggered by earthquakes. For example, some of the devastation usually attributed to the mysterious Sea Peoples may have been caused by earthquakes, either because the earthquakes caused the destruction outright, or because they severely damaged fortifications and killed large numbers of people, leaving cities vulnerable to opportunistic invaders.

Archaeologists have tended to dismiss the earthquake explanation for sometimes widespread devastation in the ancient world because much of it (such as the events around 1200BC that preciptated the Greek Dark Ages) appears to have happened suddenly over an implausibly wide area for an earthquake. But Nur argues that very widepsread damage could have been caused by either a single very large earthquake, or by an "earthquake storm" (a cascade of earthquakes caused when one quake increases pressure on another fault, leading to a series of events). Both of these possibilities are fair game from the perspective of a geophysicist, and Nur urges that archaeologists should consider the possibility carefully when interpreting ancient sites.

Nur's book is an enjoyable mix of geology, geophysics, ancient history, geology, and forensics, but it also contains a warning. What happened in the Mediterranean and the Middle East in the ancient world can happen again, as it did during the Jericho Earthquake of 1927. If archaeologists and geophysicists can learn from each other, they are more likely to spot major earthquake hazards that might otherwise be overlooked.

Illuminating, 24 Feb 2007
This is the most accessible third level text book on vulcanism that I have read. It is scholarly and illuminating but infused with some wit even when dealing with geohazards! Aimed at the student of geology, it is nonetheless an accessible read for the enthusiastic amateur and I would highly recommend it.

Probably the best textbook I've ever read., 26 Jan 2007
Why can't all textbooks be like this? Peter Francis (and Clive Oppenheimer) have taken a slightly more relaxed approach to their textbook, making it a little more personal, with the odd glib opinion or personal remark on taste, which rather than annoying you makes the book instantly more readable, as you can relate to the authors and be transported into their exciting world. Despite the relaxed approach the book is detailed accurate and up-to-date regards the subject. I read this textbook from cover to cover whilst revising for my exams on the subject and for once really enjoyed my revision. If it the book was a little smaller I would even read it on the bus!!!

An excellent reference work, 07 Jan 2005
This book provides an excellent introduction to the study of volcanoes, both on Earth and in the Solar System in general, which is easily accessible to an interested amateur or an undergraduate in the early stages of their degree (it was recommended reading for several of my first year courses as an undergrad geologist). The late Professor Francis produced a work that is both informative and entertaining, whilst at no time trivialising the subject matter in hand. Pertinent examples and analogies are provided to clarify and illuminate rather than to dumb-down - a distinction sadly lacking from many other volumes covering similar topics. For a more comprehensive coverage of the topic, I would recommend referring to this book alongside either Igneous Petrology by Anthony Hall or Igneous Petrogenesis by Marge Wilson.

The ideal companion for any volcano enthusiast, 13 Dec 2004
This book is the easiest 'textbook' I have ever read. It is informative and scientific whilst being succinct, educational and entertaining. Francis has an excellent, friendly writing style and the delight and passion he has for the subject matter is plain to see. This book is a must-have for wannabe volcanologists and for anyone with an interest in natural hazards.

A good flowing style, but avoiding trivia., 22 Nov 2001
This was a book in a long list of preparatory recommended reading for a second level Open University course.
The style of writing is excellent. The content follows naturally from topic to topic. The level of detailis suitable for preparation for a second level University course. It would also be excellent reading for anyone with a general interest in matters scientific. The range of topics is wide and interesting.

Excellent photography, interesting science, 13 Dec 2004
An excellent beginner's look at volcanology. Amazing photographs which show the sheer scale and beauty of volcanoes, and the lengths scientists will got to in order to get close to them

Spectacular Photography, 17 Jan 2003
This is a fantastic book with large, glossy, breath-taking images of all aspects of volcanoes. From close ups of lava flows to massive panoramas.

It doesn't go into technical geological information on volcanoes - it just gives you the chance to marvel at their awsome power and beauty. If you want it as a coffee table book, make sure you have a big coffee table!

`Geography has never been such fun before!', 08 Feb 2007
`Does Geography grind you down?
Fed up with miserable maps, rotten rock piles and dire diagrams?
Wave goodbye to boring geography lessons as you brace yourself for the shocking world of `Earth-shattering Earthquakes'......
Gasp! ...at the earthquake that made a river run backwards.
Run for your life! ...as an earthquake sends the sea surging towards you in a gigantic wave.
Giggle!...at the hamster shaken out of its cage by an earthquake.
And..... if that is not ground-breaking enough for you.......find out what it takes to become an earthquake expert, learn how to survive if an earthquake strikes and discover how rats and snakes can predict tremors.
It's earth shatteringly exciting!
Geography has never been so horrible!'

127 pages, split over 10 chapters:-

Introduction
A shocking true story
Cracking up
Whose fault is it?
Shattering shock waves
On very shaky ground
Earthquake experts
Shocking warning signs
Surviving the shock
A shaky future?

Written with the typical humour of this series of books, in a variety of fonts, interspersed with numerous black and white illustrations/cartoons.


V. Good book on earthquakes, how to track them, etc., 29 Dec 2000
Very humourous book on earthquakes, and very easy to read.If you like Ganeri's other books in the "Horrible Geography" series, then you'll like this.

Seems somewhat dated in 2001. Hard to read., 22 Nov 2001
This is one book given in a long preparatory reading list provided by the Open University for a course on "The Earth's Interior".
This is the 5th of the list which I have read. It has been the least readable. It muddles cause and effect. It jumps between sections of a subject without good signposting. It states categorically that full information can be found about a subject in a twenty-year-old paper. It often makes annoying statements that the research results affect geological processes, when it should say that the research affects the interpretation of geological processes.
There are a few topics in this book in which the explanations are better than in other books of similar topics.
It has been a most disappointing read, when I had expected that it would have been much more enlightening and clearer.
It is described as a "second edition", but is not as up-to-date as would be expected for a subject area in which there has been so much recent progress.

Alien Volcanoes: don't forget the artist!, 12 Jun 2008
I was surprised (and disappointed) that the author is