Great on its own or to read with the series, 18 Nov 2008
I saw this book in Sainsbury's and suggested to my wife that it would be a good birthday present. Sure enough, guess what I got on my birthday. I love the underwater world as I am a scuba diver so anything like this is right down my street. The images are superb and the tone of the text makes it very easy to read. It'd be quite suitable to read in its own right but as the TV series is on at the moment it makes a great accompanyment to that as well. Definately recommended.

Great on its own or to read with the series, 18 Nov 2008
I saw this book in Sainsbury's and suggested to my wife that it would be a good birthday present. Sure enough, guess what I got on my birthday. I love the underwater world as I am a scuba diver so anything like this is right down my street. The images are superb and the tone of the text makes it very easy to read. It'd be quite suitable to read in its own right but as the TV series is on at the moment it makes a great accompanyment to that as well. Definately recommended.

Really interesting book, 07 Oct 2008
This book is brilliant! It uses maps of the world to display data by distorting the physical size of countries according to the relevant data - the result is a very visual feel for the data - much more powerful than figures or words could be. Every page has a global map displaying a different set of data and the range of data is huge, spanning from spread of diseases to energy use, from prevalence of national disasters to effectiveness of legal systems.

The book is pretty large and an ideal coffee table read. You don't need to be particularly analytical to get a lot from it - just need to be interested in the world. A fantastic new way of looking at the world.

Great on its own or to read with the series, 18 Nov 2008
I saw this book in Sainsbury's and suggested to my wife that it would be a good birthday present. Sure enough, guess what I got on my birthday. I love the underwater world as I am a scuba diver so anything like this is right down my street. The images are superb and the tone of the text makes it very easy to read. It'd be quite suitable to read in its own right but as the TV series is on at the moment it makes a great accompanyment to that as well. Definately recommended.

Really interesting book, 07 Oct 2008
This book is brilliant! It uses maps of the world to display data by distorting the physical size of countries according to the relevant data - the result is a very visual feel for the data - much more powerful than figures or words could be. Every page has a global map displaying a different set of data and the range of data is huge, spanning from spread of diseases to energy use, from prevalence of national disasters to effectiveness of legal systems.

The book is pretty large and an ideal coffee table read. You don't need to be particularly analytical to get a lot from it - just need to be interested in the world. A fantastic new way of looking at the world.

Well impressed!, 26 Sep 2008
I had the choice between this book and the readers digest equivalent. The Book People were at work so all I got was a quick look through and decided on this one pretty much just down to the fact this book had little maps which provided an overveiw of each walk - I have to have maps wherever I go because I will get lost otherwise.

I got back to my desk, had a look at reviews on Amazon for both books and was pleased when the Readers Digest one didnt seem to do too great but this was then blown away because this book had NO reveiws.. and to be honest I don't know why.

When I got home I had a good look through and I was very pleased this was my choice.. it is so well thought out. I'm not particularly into walking but I do go camping now and again and I bought it for ideas of what to do and where to go.

* The book provides a number of walks on the Coast of England Scotland and Wales, and also a couple of little isles.
* The 1st page gives an overview of the British Isles with each walk located by number and colour-coded to the difficulty of the walk.
* The walks are featured in the book in numbered order as you go clockwise round the map of Brtain so you dont have to go routing through the whole book to find a particular walk.
* Each walk is not only colour-coded for easy, meduim or hard, but it also tells you whether it has access for wheelchairs and/or pushchairs, and also tells you how long in miles each walk is.
* Each walk has a small box with a little map in which gives an overview of each walk with the route highlighted in yellow (be careful because now and again there will be a road which is coloured a slightly different shade of yellow which can be confusing if you're not careful!). With the map there is also a bit more info, including the start and finishing points of the walk.
* On the maps the are numbers which represent specific sights or buildings, etc. for the walk and these are explained and described quite in depth in the walk decription, along with various colour photos so you can identify the features and grasp and appreciate the history of each town/village/area.
* The maps also show camping sights, parking, etc which most maps do, just so you are more aware of your surroundings.

There are walks for everyone whether you are more into the countryside or picturesque citys or marinas. I can't wait to go camping again and using the book although the coast of Britian isn't covered 100%, it's a good start!

The only thing I will say it that I could do with it being a little bit smaller and wlaker-user friendly only because I WILL be taking it around with me and I think it may get ruined as I'm rambling through one of it's walks, probably reading it as I go just to make sure I don't miss anything!

As I said I bought it for something to do when I am holidaying within Britain so as a novice I think it is great. If you are a more accomplished walker then perhaps you'll need to go to a bookshop to flick through to make sure you don't already know the stuff in it.

Even so I would definately recomend it to anyone even slightly interested in this sort of thing because there is so much information but not too much to overwhelm you, it is very user friendly in its layout and the information in it and a real bargain (I am even more impressed I got it brand new for £5!) but I would be prepared to pay Amazons price also.

Great on its own or to read with the series, 18 Nov 2008
I saw this book in Sainsbury's and suggested to my wife that it would be a good birthday present. Sure enough, guess what I got on my birthday. I love the underwater world as I am a scuba diver so anything like this is right down my street. The images are superb and the tone of the text makes it very easy to read. It'd be quite suitable to read in its own right but as the TV series is on at the moment it makes a great accompanyment to that as well. Definately recommended.

Really interesting book, 07 Oct 2008
This book is brilliant! It uses maps of the world to display data by distorting the physical size of countries according to the relevant data - the result is a very visual feel for the data - much more powerful than figures or words could be. Every page has a global map displaying a different set of data and the range of data is huge, spanning from spread of diseases to energy use, from prevalence of national disasters to effectiveness of legal systems.

The book is pretty large and an ideal coffee table read. You don't need to be particularly analytical to get a lot from it - just need to be interested in the world. A fantastic new way of looking at the world.

Well impressed!, 26 Sep 2008
I had the choice between this book and the readers digest equivalent. The Book People were at work so all I got was a quick look through and decided on this one pretty much just down to the fact this book had little maps which provided an overveiw of each walk - I have to have maps wherever I go because I will get lost otherwise.

I got back to my desk, had a look at reviews on Amazon for both books and was pleased when the Readers Digest one didnt seem to do too great but this was then blown away because this book had NO reveiws.. and to be honest I don't know why.

When I got home I had a good look through and I was very pleased this was my choice.. it is so well thought out. I'm not particularly into walking but I do go camping now and again and I bought it for ideas of what to do and where to go.

* The book provides a number of walks on the Coast of England Scotland and Wales, and also a couple of little isles.
* The 1st page gives an overview of the British Isles with each walk located by number and colour-coded to the difficulty of the walk.
* The walks are featured in the book in numbered order as you go clockwise round the map of Brtain so you dont have to go routing through the whole book to find a particular walk.
* Each walk is not only colour-coded for easy, meduim or hard, but it also tells you whether it has access for wheelchairs and/or pushchairs, and also tells you how long in miles each walk is.
* Each walk has a small box with a little map in which gives an overview of each walk with the route highlighted in yellow (be careful because now and again there will be a road which is coloured a slightly different shade of yellow which can be confusing if you're not careful!). With the map there is also a bit more info, including the start and finishing points of the walk.
* On the maps the are numbers which represent specific sights or buildings, etc. for the walk and these are explained and described quite in depth in the walk decription, along with various colour photos so you can identify the features and grasp and appreciate the history of each town/village/area.
* The maps also show camping sights, parking, etc which most maps do, just so you are more aware of your surroundings.

There are walks for everyone whether you are more into the countryside or picturesque citys or marinas. I can't wait to go camping again and using the book although the coast of Britian isn't covered 100%, it's a good start!

The only thing I will say it that I could do with it being a little bit smaller and wlaker-user friendly only because I WILL be taking it around with me and I think it may get ruined as I'm rambling through one of it's walks, probably reading it as I go just to make sure I don't miss anything!

As I said I bought it for something to do when I am holidaying within Britain so as a novice I think it is great. If you are a more accomplished walker then perhaps you'll need to go to a bookshop to flick through to make sure you don't already know the stuff in it.

Even so I would definately recomend it to anyone even slightly interested in this sort of thing because there is so much information but not too much to overwhelm you, it is very user friendly in its layout and the information in it and a real bargain (I am even more impressed I got it brand new for £5!) but I would be prepared to pay Amazons price also.

fascinating stuff, 19 Nov 2008
I found this book fascinating. I really enjoyed reading about the records concerning British weather, such as The Weirdest Showers or The 1987 Storm. It is interesting to see how the British climate has changed so much over the 1000 years the book covers and the freakish goings on of our weather!

Snowballing bandwagons, 15 Nov 2008
No one would accuse Simons of being a stylist. Observe the steady drizzle of cliche ('The disaster sent shock waves through the public. The Bridge had been opened only for 18 months, and was seen as a triumph of Victorian engineering'). Marvel as he mixes his metaphors ('But the white Christmas bandwagon snowballed and the icy charms of A Christmas Carol struck a chord with the Victorians, nostalgic for the past...'). Shiver at the redundancies ('By 1779 Britain was almost on the verge of bankruptcy...'). He can keep this up for pages, the prose equivalent of a wet November.

But the style is not the only annoying feature of the book. Although marketed as 'a complete guide to record-breaking weather in the British Isles', there is no index or indeed any other reliable way of locating information about the wettest day or the biggest hail-stones.

Nor does Simons acknowledge any of his sources, so there is no way of checking up on the information, or reading further into the subject. Numerous typos and missing words also betray the speed and lack of care with which the book has been assembled.

The subject matter is, of course, fascinating. But it could all have been done so much better.

Great on its own or to read with the series, 18 Nov 2008
I saw this book in Sainsbury's and suggested to my wife that it would be a good birthday present. Sure enough, guess what I got on my birthday. I love the underwater world as I am a scuba diver so anything like this is right down my street. The images are superb and the tone of the text makes it very easy to read. It'd be quite suitable to read in its own right but as the TV series is on at the moment it makes a great accompanyment to that as well. Definately recommended.

Really interesting book, 07 Oct 2008
This book is brilliant! It uses maps of the world to display data by distorting the physical size of countries according to the relevant data - the result is a very visual feel for the data - much more powerful than figures or words could be. Every page has a global map displaying a different set of data and the range of data is huge, spanning from spread of diseases to energy use, from prevalence of national disasters to effectiveness of legal systems.

The book is pretty large and an ideal coffee table read. You don't need to be particularly analytical to get a lot from it - just need to be interested in the world. A fantastic new way of looking at the world.

Well impressed!, 26 Sep 2008
I had the choice between this book and the readers digest equivalent. The Book People were at work so all I got was a quick look through and decided on this one pretty much just down to the fact this book had little maps which provided an overveiw of each walk - I have to have maps wherever I go because I will get lost otherwise.

I got back to my desk, had a look at reviews on Amazon for both books and was pleased when the Readers Digest one didnt seem to do too great but this was then blown away because this book had NO reveiws.. and to be honest I don't know why.

When I got home I had a good look through and I was very pleased this was my choice.. it is so well thought out. I'm not particularly into walking but I do go camping now and again and I bought it for ideas of what to do and where to go.

* The book provides a number of walks on the Coast of England Scotland and Wales, and also a couple of little isles.
* The 1st page gives an overview of the British Isles with each walk located by number and colour-coded to the difficulty of the walk.
* The walks are featured in the book in numbered order as you go clockwise round the map of Brtain so you dont have to go routing through the whole book to find a particular walk.
* Each walk is not only colour-coded for easy, meduim or hard, but it also tells you whether it has access for wheelchairs and/or pushchairs, and also tells you how long in miles each walk is.
* Each walk has a small box with a little map in which gives an overview of each walk with the route highlighted in yellow (be careful because now and again there will be a road which is coloured a slightly different shade of yellow which can be confusing if you're not careful!). With the map there is also a bit more info, including the start and finishing points of the walk.
* On the maps the are numbers which represent specific sights or buildings, etc. for the walk and these are explained and described quite in depth in the walk decription, along with various colour photos so you can identify the features and grasp and appreciate the history of each town/village/area.
* The maps also show camping sights, parking, etc which most maps do, just so you are more aware of your surroundings.

There are walks for everyone whether you are more into the countryside or picturesque citys or marinas. I can't wait to go camping again and using the book although the coast of Britian isn't covered 100%, it's a good start!

The only thing I will say it that I could do with it being a little bit smaller and wlaker-user friendly only because I WILL be taking it around with me and I think it may get ruined as I'm rambling through one of it's walks, probably reading it as I go just to make sure I don't miss anything!

As I said I bought it for something to do when I am holidaying within Britain so as a novice I think it is great. If you are a more accomplished walker then perhaps you'll need to go to a bookshop to flick through to make sure you don't already know the stuff in it.

Even so I would definately recomend it to anyone even slightly interested in this sort of thing because there is so much information but not too much to overwhelm you, it is very user friendly in its layout and the information in it and a real bargain (I am even more impressed I got it brand new for £5!) but I would be prepared to pay Amazons price also.

fascinating stuff, 19 Nov 2008
I found this book fascinating. I really enjoyed reading about the records concerning British weather, such as The Weirdest Showers or The 1987 Storm. It is interesting to see how the British climate has changed so much over the 1000 years the book covers and the freakish goings on of our weather!

Snowballing bandwagons, 15 Nov 2008
No one would accuse Simons of being a stylist. Observe the steady drizzle of cliche ('The disaster sent shock waves through the public. The Bridge had been opened only for 18 months, and was seen as a triumph of Victorian engineering'). Marvel as he mixes his metaphors ('But the white Christmas bandwagon snowballed and the icy charms of A Christmas Carol struck a chord with the Victorians, nostalgic for the past...'). Shiver at the redundancies ('By 1779 Britain was almost on the verge of bankruptcy...'). He can keep this up for pages, the prose equivalent of a wet November.

But the style is not the only annoying feature of the book. Although marketed as 'a complete guide to record-breaking weather in the British Isles', there is no index or indeed any other reliable way of locating information about the wettest day or the biggest hail-stones.

Nor does Simons acknowledge any of his sources, so there is no way of checking up on the information, or reading further into the subject. Numerous typos and missing words also betray the speed and lack of care with which the book has been assembled.

The subject matter is, of course, fascinating. But it could all have been done so much better.



Beautiful! Ideal for the the armchair cloudwatcher., 04 Sep 2008

This is a fantastic book and I was glad I bought it. The foreword is very informative and well written and doesn't boggle the reader with too much science. This book is ideal for those armchair cloud watchers who know a bit about clouds but need to further their knowledge. This book is an essential guide to cloud identification and provides some stunning photos of the clouds themselves. The book is also handy for being able to forecast the weather as you will soon get to know the cloud types and the associated weather that comes with them.



The sky's the limit, 27 May 2008
Recently I found a book that I could only dream of as a child, but which didn't seem to exist. Then I was fascinated by the weather and wanted a book classifying the cloud types with the correct names, symbols and pictures to demonstrate. Richard Hamblyn's "The Cloud Book" does all these things. The beauty of the photographs means it easily qualifies for the coffee tables of the less geeky among us, while neatly illustrating the text for the cloud afficianado. It is not often that you can say a book is perfect in all respects, but may be this is one.

Great on its own or to read with the series, 18 Nov 2008
I saw this book in Sainsbury's and suggested to my wife that it would be a good birthday present. Sure enough, guess what I got on my birthday. I love the underwater world as I am a scuba diver so anything like this is right down my street. The images are superb and the tone of the text makes it very easy to read. It'd be quite suitable to read in its own right but as the TV series is on at the moment it makes a great accompanyment to that as well. Definately recommended.

Really interesting book, 07 Oct 2008
This book is brilliant! It uses maps of the world to display data by distorting the physical size of countries according to the relevant data - the result is a very visual feel for the data - much more powerful than figures or words could be. Every page has a global map displaying a different set of data and the range of data is huge, spanning from spread of diseases to energy use, from prevalence of national disasters to effectiveness of legal systems.

The book is pretty large and an ideal coffee table read. You don't need to be particularly analytical to get a lot from it - just need to be interested in the world. A fantastic new way of looking at the world.

Well impressed!, 26 Sep 2008
I had the choice between this book and the readers digest equivalent. The Book People were at work so all I got was a quick look through and decided on this one pretty much just down to the fact this book had little maps which provided an overveiw of each walk - I have to have maps wherever I go because I will get lost otherwise.

I got back to my desk, had a look at reviews on Amazon for both books and was pleased when the Readers Digest one didnt seem to do too great but this was then blown away because this book had NO reveiws.. and to be honest I don't know why.

When I got home I had a good look through and I was very pleased this was my choice.. it is so well thought out. I'm not particularly into walking but I do go camping now and again and I bought it for ideas of what to do and where to go.

* The book provides a number of walks on the Coast of England Scotland and Wales, and also a couple of little isles.
* The 1st page gives an overview of the British Isles with each walk located by number and colour-coded to the difficulty of the walk.
* The walks are featured in the book in numbered order as you go clockwise round the map of Brtain so you dont have to go routing through the whole book to find a particular walk.
* Each walk is not only colour-coded for easy, meduim or hard, but it also tells you whether it has access for wheelchairs and/or pushchairs, and also tells you how long in miles each walk is.
* Each walk has a small box with a little map in which gives an overview of each walk with the route highlighted in yellow (be careful because now and again there will be a road which is coloured a slightly different shade of yellow which can be confusing if you're not careful!). With the map there is also a bit more info, including the start and finishing points of the walk.
* On the maps the are numbers which represent specific sights or buildings, etc. for the walk and these are explained and described quite in depth in the walk decription, along with various colour photos so you can identify the features and grasp and appreciate the history of each town/village/area.
* The maps also show camping sights, parking, etc which most maps do, just so you are more aware of your surroundings.

There are walks for everyone whether you are more into the countryside or picturesque citys or marinas. I can't wait to go camping again and using the book although the coast of Britian isn't covered 100%, it's a good start!

The only thing I will say it that I could do with it being a little bit smaller and wlaker-user friendly only because I WILL be taking it around with me and I think it may get ruined as I'm rambling through one of it's walks, probably reading it as I go just to make sure I don't miss anything!

As I said I bought it for something to do when I am holidaying within Britain so as a novice I think it is great. If you are a more accomplished walker then perhaps you'll need to go to a bookshop to flick through to make sure you don't already know the stuff in it.

Even so I would definately recomend it to anyone even slightly interested in this sort of thing because there is so much information but not too much to overwhelm you, it is very user friendly in its layout and the information in it and a real bargain (I am even more impressed I got it brand new for £5!) but I would be prepared to pay Amazons price also.

fascinating stuff, 19 Nov 2008
I found this book fascinating. I really enjoyed reading about the records concerning British weather, such as The Weirdest Showers or The 1987 Storm. It is interesting to see how the British climate has changed so much over the 1000 years the book covers and the freakish goings on of our weather!

Snowballing bandwagons, 15 Nov 2008
No one would accuse Simons of being a stylist. Observe the steady drizzle of cliche ('The disaster sent shock waves through the public. The Bridge had been opened only for 18 months, and was seen as a triumph of Victorian engineering'). Marvel as he mixes his metaphors ('But the white Christmas bandwagon snowballed and the icy charms of A Christmas Carol struck a chord with the Victorians, nostalgic for the past...'). Shiver at the redundancies ('By 1779 Britain was almost on the verge of bankruptcy...'). He can keep this up for pages, the prose equivalent of a wet November.

But the style is not the only annoying feature of the book. Although marketed as 'a complete guide to record-breaking weather in the British Isles', there is no index or indeed any other reliable way of locating information about the wettest day or the biggest hail-stones.

Nor does Simons acknowledge any of his sources, so there is no way of checking up on the information, or reading further into the subject. Numerous typos and missing words also betray the speed and lack of care with which the book has been assembled.

The subject matter is, of course, fascinating. But it could all have been done so much better.



Beautiful! Ideal for the the armchair cloudwatcher., 04 Sep 2008

This is a fantastic book and I was glad I bought it. The foreword is very informative and well written and doesn't boggle the reader with too much science. This book is ideal for those armchair cloud watchers who know a bit about clouds but need to further their knowledge. This book is an essential guide to cloud identification and provides some stunning photos of the clouds themselves. The book is also handy for being able to forecast the weather as you will soon get to know the cloud types and the associated weather that comes with them.



The sky's the limit, 27 May 2008
Recently I found a book that I could only dream of as a child, but which didn't seem to exist. Then I was fascinated by the weather and wanted a book classifying the cloud types with the correct names, symbols and pictures to demonstrate. Richard Hamblyn's "The Cloud Book" does all these things. The beauty of the photographs means it easily qualifies for the coffee tables of the less geeky among us, while neatly illustrating the text for the cloud afficianado. It is not often that you can say a book is perfect in all respects, but may be this is one.

Informative and Invividual - Excellent read , 08 Oct 2008
This is a good book for anyone interested not just in disasters, but in the Weather & Climate of the British Isles.

It is easy to read, irrespective of your level of knowledge on the subject, and is very well researched.

It is written in an individual, sometimes amusing, but always informative style

Highly recommended


its helped me with my exams!, 24 Sep 2007
philip edan has helped me to understand alot more about weather and has got me interested in taking the study of weather patterns further! he has mainly helped me with my geography exams!

Great on its own or to read with the series, 18 Nov 2008
I saw this book in Sainsbury's and suggested to my wife that it would be a good birthday present. Sure enough, guess what I got on my birthday. I love the underwater world as I am a scuba diver so anything like this is right down my street. The images are superb and the tone of the text makes it very easy to read. It'd be quite suitable to read in its own right but as the TV series is on at the moment it makes a great accompanyment to that as well. Definately recommended.

Really interesting book, 07 Oct 2008
This book is brilliant! It uses maps of the world to display data by distorting the physical size of countries according to the relevant data - the result is a very visual feel for the data - much more powerful than figures or words could be. Every page has a global map displaying a different set of data and the range of data is huge, spanning from spread of diseases to energy use, from prevalence of national disasters to effectiveness of legal systems.

The book is pretty large and an ideal coffee table read. You don't need to be particularly analytical to get a lot from it - just need to be interested in the world. A fantastic new way of looking at the world.

Well impressed!, 26 Sep 2008
I had the choice between this book and the readers digest equivalent. The Book People were at work so all I got was a quick look through and decided on this one pretty much just down to the fact this book had little maps which provided an overveiw of each walk - I have to have maps wherever I go because I will get lost otherwise.

I got back to my desk, had a look at reviews on Amazon for both books and was pleased when the Readers Digest one didnt seem to do too great but this was then blown away because this book had NO reveiws.. and to be honest I don't know why.

When I got home I had a good look through and I was very pleased this was my choice.. it is so well thought out. I'm not particularly into walking but I do go camping now and again and I bought it for ideas of what to do and where to go.

* The book provides a number of walks on the Coast of England Scotland and Wales, and also a couple of little isles.
* The 1st page gives an overview of the British Isles with each walk located by number and colour-coded to the difficulty of the walk.
* The walks are featured in the book in numbered order as you go clockwise round the map of Brtain so you dont have to go routing through the whole book to find a particular walk.
* Each walk is not only colour-coded for easy, meduim or hard, but it also tells you whether it has access for wheelchairs and/or pushchairs, and also tells you how long in miles each walk is.
* Each walk has a small box with a little map in which gives an overview of each walk with the route highlighted in yellow (be careful because now and again there will be a road which is coloured a slightly different shade of yellow which can be confusing if you're not careful!). With the map there is also a bit more info, including the start and finishing points of the walk.
* On the maps the are numbers which represent specific sights or buildings, etc. for the walk and these are explained and described quite in depth in the walk decription, along with various colour photos so you can identify the features and grasp and appreciate the history of each town/village/area.
* The maps also show camping sights, parking, etc which most maps do, just so you are more aware of your surroundings.

There are walks for everyone whether you are more into the countryside or picturesque citys or marinas. I can't wait to go camping again and using the book although the coast of Britian isn't covered 100%, it's a good start!

The only thing I will say it that I could do with it being a little bit smaller and wlaker-user friendly only because I WILL be taking it around with me and I think it may get ruined as I'm rambling through one of it's walks, probably reading it as I go just to make sure I don't miss anything!

As I said I bought it for something to do when I am holidaying within Britain so as a novice I think it is great. If you are a more accomplished walker then perhaps you'll need to go to a bookshop to flick through to make sure you don't already know the stuff in it.

Even so I would definately recomend it to anyone even slightly interested in this sort of thing because there is so much information but not too much to overwhelm you, it is very user friendly in its layout and the information in it and a real bargain (I am even more impressed I got it brand new for £5!) but I would be prepared to pay Amazons price also.

fascinating stuff, 19 Nov 2008
I found this book fascinating. I really enjoyed reading about the records concerning British weather, such as The Weirdest Showers or The 1987 Storm. It is interesting to see how the British climate has changed so much over the 1000 years the book covers and the freakish goings on of our weather!

Snowballing bandwagons, 15 Nov 2008
No one would accuse Simons of being a stylist. Observe the steady drizzle of cliche ('The disaster sent shock waves through the public. The Bridge had been opened only for 18 months, and was seen as a triumph of Victorian engineering'). Marvel as he mixes his metaphors ('But the white Christmas bandwagon snowballed and the icy charms of A Christmas Carol struck a chord with the Victorians, nostalgic for the past...'). Shiver at the redundancies ('By 1779 Britain was almost on the verge of bankruptcy...'). He can keep this up for pages, the prose equivalent of a wet November.

But the style is not the only annoying feature of the book. Although marketed as 'a complete guide to record-breaking weather in the British Isles', there is no index or indeed any other reliable way of locating information about the wettest day or the biggest hail-stones.

Nor does Simons acknowledge any of his sources, so there is no way of checking up on the information, or reading further into the subject. Numerous typos and missing words also betray the speed and lack of care with which the book has been assembled.

The subject matter is, of course, fascinating. But it could all have been done so much better.



Beautiful! Ideal for the the armchair cloudwatcher., 04 Sep 2008

This is a fantastic book and I was glad I bought it. The foreword is very informative and well written and doesn't boggle the reader with too much science. This book is ideal for those armchair cloud watchers who know a bit about clouds but need to further their knowledge. This book is an essential guide to cloud identification and provides some stunning photos of the clouds themselves. The book is also handy for being able to forecast the weather as you will soon get to know the cloud types and the associated weather that comes with them.



The sky's the limit, 27 May 2008
Recently I found a book that I could only dream of as a child, but which didn't seem to exist. Then I was fascinated by the weather and wanted a book classifying the cloud types with the correct names, symbols and pictures to demonstrate. Richard Hamblyn's "The Cloud Book" does all these things. The beauty of the photographs means it easily qualifies for the coffee tables of the less geeky among us, while neatly illustrating the text for the cloud afficianado. It is not often that you can say a book is perfect in all respects, but may be this is one.

Informative and Invividual - Excellent read , 08 Oct 2008
This is a good book for anyone interested not just in disasters, but in the Weather & Climate of the British Isles.

It is easy to read, irrespective of your level of knowledge on the subject, and is very well researched.

It is written in an individual, sometimes amusing, but always informative style

Highly recommended


its helped me with my exams!, 24 Sep 2007
philip edan has helped me to understand alot more about weather and has got me interested in taking the study of weather patterns further! he has mainly helped me with my geography exams!

It's Real Alright, 21 Jun 2008
Colin has captured the genuine feel of what may have been a physically run-down area but what the people turned into a tightly-knit community. To anyone growing up in 1950's or early 1960's Glasgow the Gorbals was an area to be avoided. These infamous slums however had a heart - the people of The Gorbals. Colin gives voice to how people had a strong community spirit that survived the 1960's redevelopment of the area and why even today people will be proud to say "Ah'm fae the Gorbals". I understand he is producing a follow-up to come out in late 2008 recounting his own change from a Gorbals Boy to a cosmopolitan man. I look forward to reading it knowing that you cannot take the Gorbals out of the boy (and I'm sure he wouldn't want it any other way).

Magnificent amusing stupendous book, 08 Jan 2008
The Real Gorbals Story is quite simply a magnificently funny. moving, sometimes brutally candid account of being brought up in the old Gorbals of the 1960s. It's a book that will uplift your mood and make you think about how people had to cope with those times on the meanest of Glasgow streets. Macfarlane has done himself and the Gorbals people proud. I defy anyone from the old Gorbals to write a better book.


YOU WOULD BE A MUG NOT TO BUY THIS!, 04 Jan 2008
The Real Gorbals Story is the best book ever written about the place. Unlike all the other Gorbals tomes Macfarlane captures the humour and all the characters perfectly. This really would make a great movie as it is full of little unexpected endings and humorous events that continually takes the reader by surprise.

GREAT BOOK ABOUT GREAT TIME A MUST READ FOR ALL, 03 Jan 2008
THIS IS A GREAT BOOK FULL OF ANECDOTES AND TWISTS AND TURNS ABOUT THE OLD GORBALS. I DEFY ANYONE TO BRING OUT A BETTER BOOK ABOUT THE GORBALS THAN THIS. THE REAL GORBALS STORY IS QUITE SIMPLY A BRILLIANT TRUE LIFE ACCOUNT OF WHAT IT WAS REALLY LIKE TO LIVE ON GLASGOW'S MEANEST STREETS. THE DAILY RECORD EVEN HAILED IT AS BRILLIANT AND I CAN'T DISAGREE!

This is a very good read full of true life stories from the gorbals, 03 Jan 2008
I was born in Thistle Street in 1953 and The Real Gorbals Story has got the feel of the place and the characters spot on. The last reviewer says he can only remember three characters well perhaps unlike like the rest of us he did not venture out enough to experience what was going on the the magical old gorbals. I know I was there and I can remember Macfarlane and his pals...this book is a must for all those interested in the old place. I still live in the Gorbals and all the boys agree that this book has got to be one of the best ever. Buy it and see!

Great on its own or to read with the series, 18 Nov 2008
I saw this book in Sainsbury's and suggested to my wife that it would be a good birthday present. Sure enough, guess what I got on my birthday. I love the underwater world as I am a scuba diver so anything like this is right down my street. The images are superb and the tone of the text makes it very easy to read. It'd be quite suitable to read in its own right but as the TV series is on at the moment it makes a great accompanyment to that as well. Definately recommended.

Really interesting book, 07 Oct 2008
This book is brilliant! It uses maps of the world to display data by distorting the physical size of countries according to the relevant data - the result is a very visual feel for the data - much more powerful than figures or words could be. Every page has a global map displaying a different set of data and the range of data is huge, spanning from spread of diseases to energy use, from prevalence of national disasters to effectiveness of legal systems.

The book is pretty large and an ideal coffee table read. You don't need to be particularly analytical to get a lot from it - just need to be interested in the world. A fantastic new way of looking at the world.

Well impressed!, 26 Sep 2008
I had the choice between this book and the readers digest equivalent. The Book People were at work so all I got was a quick look through and decided on this one pretty much just down to the fact this book had little maps which provided an overveiw of each walk - I have to have maps wherever I go because I will get lost otherwise.

I got back to my desk, had a look at reviews on Amazon for both books and was pleased when the Readers Digest one didnt seem to do too great but this was then blown away because this book had NO reveiws.. and to be honest I don't know why.

When I got home I had a good look through and I was very pleased this was my choice.. it is so well thought out. I'm not particularly into walking but I do go camping now and again and I bought it for ideas of what to do and where to go.

* The book provides a number of walks on the Coast of England Scotland and Wales, and also a couple of little isles.
* The 1st page gives an overview of the British Isles with each walk located by number and colour-coded to the difficulty of the walk.
* The walks are featured in the book in numbered order as you go clockwise round the map of Brtain so you dont have to go routing through the whole book to find a particular walk.
* Each walk is not only colour-coded for easy, meduim or hard, but it also tells you whether it has access for wheelchairs and/or pushchairs, and also tells you how long in miles each walk is.
* Each walk has a small box with a little map in which gives an overview of each walk with the route highlighted in yellow (be careful because now and again there will be a road which is coloured a slightly different shade of yellow which can be confusing if you're not careful!). With the map there is also a bit more info, including the start and finishing points of the walk.
* On the maps the are numbers which represent specific sights or buildings, etc. for the walk and these are explained and described quite in depth in the walk decription, along with various colour photos so you can identify the features and grasp and appreciate the history of each town/village/area.
* The maps also show camping sights, parking, etc which most maps do, just so you are more aware of your surroundings.

There are walks for everyone whether you are more into the countryside or picturesque citys or marinas. I can't wait to go camping again and using the book although the coast of Britian isn't covered 100%, it's a good start!

The only thing I will say it that I could do with it being a little bit smaller and wlaker-user friendly only because I WILL be taking it around with me and I think it may get ruined as I'm rambling through one of it's walks, probably reading it as I go just to make sure I don't miss anything!

As I said I bought it for something to do when I am holidaying within Britain so as a novice I think it is great. If you are a more accomplished walker then perhaps you'll need to go to a bookshop to flick through to make sure you don't already know the stuff in it.

Even so I would definately recomend it to anyone even slightly interested in this sort of thing because there is so much information but not too much to overwhelm you, it is very user friendly in its layout and the information in it and a real bargain (I am even more impressed I got it brand new for £5!) but I would be prepared to pay Amazons price also.

fascinating stuff, 19 Nov 2008
I found this book fascinating. I really enjoyed reading about the records concerning British weather, such as The Weirdest Showers or The 1987 Storm. It is interesting to see how the British climate has changed so much over the 1000 years the book covers and the freakish goings on of our weather!

Snowballing bandwagons, 15 Nov 2008
No one would accuse Simons of being a stylist. Observe the steady drizzle of cliche ('The disaster sent shock waves through the public. The Bridge had been opened only for 18 months, and was seen as a triumph of Victorian engineering'). Marvel as he mixes his metaphors ('But the white Christmas bandwagon snowballed and the icy charms of A Christmas Carol struck a chord with the Victorians, nostalgic for the past...'). Shiver at the redundancies ('By 1779 Britain was almost on the verge of bankruptcy...'). He can keep this up for pages, the prose equivalent of a wet November.

But the style is not the only annoying feature of the book. Although marketed as 'a complete guide to record-breaking weather in the British Isles', there is no index or indeed any other reliable way of locating information about the wettest day or the biggest hail-stones.

Nor does Simons acknowledge any of his sources, so there is no way of checking up on the information, or reading further into the subject. Numerous typos and missing words also betray the speed and lack of care with which the book has been assembled.

The subject matter is, of course, fascinating. But it could all have been done so much better.



Beautiful! Ideal for the the armchair cloudwatcher., 04 Sep 2008

This is a fantastic book and I was glad I bought it. The foreword is very informative and well written and doesn't boggle the reader with too much science. This book is ideal for those armchair cloud watchers who know a bit about clouds but need to further their knowledge. This book is an essential guide to cloud identification and provides some stunning photos of the clouds themselves. The book is also handy for being able to forecast the weather as you will soon get to know the cloud types and the associated weather that comes with them.



The sky's the limit, 27 May 2008
Recently I found a book that I could only dream of as a child, but which didn't seem to exist. Then I was fascinated by the weather and wanted a book classifying the cloud types with the correct names, symbols and pictures to demonstrate. Richard Hamblyn's "The Cloud Book" does all these things. The beauty of the photographs means it easily qualifies for the coffee tables of the less geeky among us, while neatly illustrating the text for the cloud afficianado. It is not often that you can say a book is perfect in all respects, but may be this is one.

Informative and Invividual - Excellent read , 08 Oct 2008
This is a good book for anyone interested not just in disasters, but in the Weather & Climate of the British Isles.

It is easy to read, irrespective of your level of knowledge on the subject, and is very well researched.

It is written in an individual, sometimes amusing, but always informative style

Highly recommended


its helped me with my exams!, 24 Sep 2007
philip edan has helped me to understand alot more about weather and has got me interested in taking the study of weather patterns further! he has mainly helped me with my geography exams!

It's Real Alright, 21 Jun 2008
Colin has captured the genuine feel of what may have been a physically run-down area but what the people turned into a tightly-knit community. To anyone growing up in 1950's or early 1960's Glasgow the Gorbals was an area to be avoided. These infamous slums however had a heart - the people of The Gorbals. Colin gives voice to how people had a strong community spirit that survived the 1960's redevelopment of the area and why even today people will be proud to say "Ah'm fae the Gorbals". I understand he is producing a follow-up to come out in late 2008 recounting his own change from a Gorbals Boy to a cosmopolitan man. I look forward to reading it knowing that you cannot take the Gorbals out of the boy (and I'm sure he wouldn't want it any other way).

Magnificent amusing stupendous book, 08 Jan 2008
The Real Gorbals Story is quite simply a magnificently funny. moving, sometimes brutally candid account of being brought up in the old Gorbals of the 1960s. It's a book that will uplift your mood and make you think about how people had to cope with those times on the meanest of Glasgow streets. Macfarlane has done himself and the Gorbals people proud. I defy anyone from the old Gorbals to write a better book.


YOU WOULD BE A MUG NOT TO BUY THIS!, 04 Jan 2008
The Real Gorbals Story is the best book ever written about the place. Unlike all the other Gorbals tomes Macfarlane captures the humour and all the characters perfectly. This really would make a great movie as it is full of little unexpected endings and humorous events that continually takes the reader by surprise.

GREAT BOOK ABOUT GREAT TIME A MUST READ FOR ALL, 03 Jan 2008
THIS IS A GREAT BOOK FULL OF ANECDOTES AND TWISTS AND TURNS ABOUT THE OLD GORBALS. I DEFY ANYONE TO BRING OUT A BETTER BOOK ABOUT THE GORBALS THAN THIS. THE REAL GORBALS STORY IS QUITE SIMPLY A BRILLIANT TRUE LIFE ACCOUNT OF WHAT IT WAS REALLY LIKE TO LIVE ON GLASGOW'S MEANEST STREETS. THE DAILY RECORD EVEN HAILED IT AS BRILLIANT AND I CAN'T DISAGREE!

This is a very good read full of true life stories from the gorbals, 03 Jan 2008
I was born in Thistle Street in 1953 and The Real Gorbals Story has got the feel of the place and the characters spot on. The last reviewer says he can only remember three characters well perhaps unlike like the rest of us he did not venture out enough to experience what was going on the the magical old gorbals. I know I was there and I can remember Macfarlane and his pals...this book is a must for all those interested in the old place. I still live in the Gorbals and all the boys agree that this book has got to be one of the best ever. Buy it and see!

lovely reference book, 18 May 2008
This book is a great for those who have a 'beginner' interest in clouds, as it is mostly pictorial. I bought it as a gift for my boyfriend and he has great fun trying to identify what types of cloud are in the sky.

Such a dreadful shame, 26 Dec 2007
A beautiful book. I received a copy for Christmas (at my specific request!). I'm so sorry I can't give it the 5 stars it ought to have. Why? Because the quality of the photographic printing so often leaves a lot to be desired. I just don't believe that so many of the photos were, in their originals, as grainy as they have been reproduced. Even the paper feels rough! Pages 94/95 are just one example of many. I have loved clouds for decades and was really hoping for a set of photographs of coffee table standard. I am very disappointed. However, I would far rather have the book than not - and in spite of my criticism.

Wonderful, 27 Sep 2007
A marvellous book, pictures are wonderful, only minor niggle is that the author quotes figures in miles otherwise a wonderful book with the pictures taking pride of place, pity there isn't a DVD to show movement.

Superb!, 25 Dec 2006

Any aviator would tell you about the importance of the need to have a thorough understanding of the different types of clouds, how they are formed, and most especially, what they are telling us.

Look up in the sky and you'll see that each and every bit of cloud is telling us a different story, in addition to the spectacle you see right before your eyes.

Needless to say, it would be most foolish of any pilot not to fully understand the implication of the different types of clouds whilst on the ground, before a flight, as well as whilst in the air.

My interest in the clouds started a few years ago due to a near-miss air accident whilst learning to fly GA aircraft. My instructor and I nearly got sucked into the clouds, due to the fact that he, my instructor, being the pilot in command, failed to maintain the specified distance from the clouds whilst flying under VFR. Needless to say, we were lucky to get out of the way of the swelling cumulus which seemed to be coming after us as we were about to be sucked in. Phew, never again with a cloud suck!!

Having that bad experience and now flying the most personal form of aircraft, I searched around for a good book about the clouds. Luckily, I stumbled on this one and then decided to buy it.

Wow, what a book! This is a must-have for all pilots as well as anybody that's interested in the clouds. All credits to its author, Dr John A. Day, for his exposition of the subject like no other. He is indeed, the 'Cloud doctor'.

The author does not ramble on about the different cloud types, (that, indeed, would be most boring), rather, he gives a very short introduction to a particular type of cloud as well as the cloud family to which it belongs. This is then followed by photographs, more photographs and indeed more photographs.

Regarding each and every type of cloud, there's a very small but most important insert, showing its key characteristics, such as group, name, base, top, air mass stability, buoyancy, moisture content, temperature, frontal lift and precipitation type.

The key thing that sets this book apart from all the others out there is, its simplicity as well as the many photographs on each and every type of cloud formation that there is out there. So, so many photographs, you wouldn't believe it.

The best part is that most (if not all), of the photographs were actually taken by the author, who worked in the aviation industry until his retirement.

If you really need to understand the clouds, this is the book for you. It is a great book, bar none, in my humble opinion. Here's what I'd advice you to do inorder to get the most out of the book:

1. Firstly, read through the book from cover to cover.
2. Next, re-read it slowly and pay more attention.
3. Finally, close the book and leave it on your desk.
4. When you wake up from bed in the morning, just look out of your window and look at the sky. See if you can identify the type of cloud formation you see up there.
5. Can you identify the type of cloud? If so, what are its characteristics? If not, quickly refer to the book that's on your desk. Can you identify the cloud now after referring to the book? The photographs are all there for you to see. Do this as many times as possible until you really get to know the clouds. This is a must.
6. Are you a pilot? If so, after identifying the cloud, what would you say are its implications for flying? You really ought to get to grips with this aspect 'cos it's most crucial.

This is a superb book. Buy it if you can manage to get hold of it 'cos it sells like hot cake.



Ibiduo Chris Berepiki.









A tribute to the mutable majesty of clouds, 30 Aug 2006
John Day - or 'Cloudman' as he is known to thousands of Americans, both through his pioneering website and his visits to schools around the country - is truly the doyen of international cloud scholars. This book is the culmination of decades of research and reading, and is full of all manner of wit and wisdom concerning clouds, 'the patron goddesses of idle men', as the dramatist Aristophanes described them. The photographs, many of them taken by Day himself, are outstanding, and do much to bring the book to glorious life, showing how the sky really is an enormous free outdoor cinema screen. What a lovely book.

Great on its own or to read with the series, 18 Nov 2008
I saw this book in Sainsbury's and suggested to my wife that it would be a good birthday present. Sure enough, guess what I got on my birthday. I love the underwater world as I am a scuba diver so anything like this is right down my street. The images are superb and the tone of the text makes it very easy to read. It'd be quite suitable to read in its own right but as the TV series is on at the moment it makes a great accompanyment to that as well. Definately recommended.

Really interesting book, 07 Oct 2008
This book is brilliant! It uses maps of the world to display data by distorting the physical size of countries according to the relevant data - the result is a very visual feel for the data - much more powerful than figures or words could be. Every page has a global map displaying a different set of data and the range of data is huge, spanning from spread of diseases to energy use, from prevalence of national disasters to effectiveness of legal systems.

The book is pretty large and an ideal coffee table read. You don't need to be particularly analytical to get a lot from it - just need to be interested in the world. A fantastic new way of looking at the world.

Well impressed!, 26 Sep 2008
I had the choice between this book and the readers digest equivalent. The Book People were at work so all I got was a quick look through and decided on this one pretty much just down to the fact this book had little maps which provided an overveiw of each walk - I have to have maps wherever I go because I will get lost otherwise.

I got back to my desk, had a look at reviews on Amazon for both books and was pleased when the Readers Digest one didnt seem to do too great but this was then blown away because this book had NO reveiws.. and to be honest I don't know why.

When I got home I had a good look through and I was very pleased this was my choice.. it is so well thought out. I'm not particularly into walking but I do go camping now and again and I bought it for ideas of what to do and where to go.

* The book provides a number of walks on the Coast of England Scotland and Wales, and also a couple of little isles.
* The 1st page gives an overview of the British Isles with each walk located by number and colour-coded to the difficulty of the walk.
* The walks are featured in the book in numbered order as you go clockwise round the map of Brtain so you dont have to go routing through the whole book to find a particular walk.
* Each walk is not only colour-coded for easy, meduim or hard, but it also tells you whether it has access for wheelchairs and/or pushchairs, and also tells you how long in miles each walk is.
* Each walk has a small box with a little map in which gives an overview of each walk with the route highlighted in yellow (be careful because now and again there will be a road which is coloured a slightly different shade of yellow which can be confusing if you're not careful!). With the map there is also a bit more info, including the start and finishing points of the walk.
* On the maps the are numbers which represent specific sights or buildings, etc. for the walk and these are explained and described quite in depth in the walk decription, along with various colour photos so you can identify the features and grasp and appreciate the history of each town/village/area.
* The maps also show camping sights, parking, etc which most maps do, just so you are more aware of your surroundings.

There are walks for everyone whether you are more into the countryside or picturesque citys or marinas. I can't wait to go camping again and using the book although the coast of Britian isn't covered 100%, it's a good start!

The only thing I will say it that I could do with it being a little bit smaller and wlaker-user friendly only because I WILL be taking it around with me and I think it may get ruined as I'm rambling through one of it's walks, probably reading it as I go just to make sure I don't miss anything!

As I said I bought it for something to do when I am holidaying within Britain so as a novice I think it is great. If you are a more accomplished walker then perhaps you'll need to go to a bookshop to flick through to make sure you don't already know the stuff in it.

Even so I would definately recomend it to anyone even slightly interested in this sort of thing because there is so much information but not too much to overwhelm you, it is very user friendly in its layout and the information in it and a real bargain (I am even more impressed I got it brand new for £5!) but I would be prepared to pay Amazons price also.

fascinating stuff, 19 Nov 2008
I found this book fascinating. I really enjoyed reading about the records concerning British weather, such as The Weirdest Showers or The 1987 Storm. It is interesting to see how the British climate has changed so much over the 1000 years the book covers and the freakish goings on of our weather!

Snowballing bandwagons, 15 Nov 2008
No one would accuse Simons of being a stylist. Observe the steady drizzle of cliche ('The disaster sent shock waves through the public. The Bridge had been opened only for 18 months, and was seen as a triumph of Victorian engineering'). Marvel as he mixes his metaphors ('But the white Christmas bandwagon snowballed and the icy charms of A Christmas Carol struck a chord with the Victorians, nostalgic for the past...'). Shiver at the redundancies ('By 1779 Britain was almost on the verge of bankruptcy...'). He can keep this up for pages, the prose equivalent of a wet November.

But the style is not the only annoying feature of the book. Although marketed as 'a complete guide to record-breaking weather in the British Isles', there is no index or indeed any other reliable way of locating information about the wettest day or the biggest hail-stones.

Nor does Simons acknowledge any of his sources, so there is no way of checking up on the information, or reading further into the subject. Numerous typos and missing words also betray the speed and lack of care with which the book has been assembled.

The subject matter is, of course, fascinating. But it could all have been done so much better.



Beautiful! Ideal for the the armchair cloudwatcher., 04 Sep 2008

This is a fantastic book and I was glad I bought it. The foreword is very informative and well written and doesn't boggle the reader with too much science. This book is ideal for those armchair cloud watchers who know a bit about clouds but need to further their knowledge. This book is an essential guide to cloud identification and provides some stunning photos of the clouds themselves. The book is also handy for being able to forecast the weather as you will soon get to know the cloud types and the associated weather that comes with them.



The sky's the limit, 27 May 2008
Recently I found a book that I could only dream of as a child, but which didn't seem to exist. Then I was fascinated by the weather and wanted a book classifying the cloud types with the correct names, symbols and pictures to demonstrate. Richard Hamblyn's "The Cloud Book" does all these things. The beauty of the photographs means it easily qualifies for the coffee tables of the less geeky among us, while neatly illustrating the text for the cloud afficianado. It is not often that you can say a book is perfect in all respects, but may be this is one.

Informative and Invividual - Excellent read , 08 Oct 2008
This is a good book for anyone interested not just in disasters, but in the Weather & Climate of the British Isles.

It is easy to read, irrespective of your level of knowledge on the subject, and is very well researched.

It is written in an individual, sometimes amusing, but always informative style

Highly recommended


its helped me with my exams!, 24 Sep 2007
philip edan has helped me to understand alot more about weather and has got me interested in taking the study of weather patterns further! he has mainly helped me with my geography exams!

It's Real Alright, 21 Jun 2008
Colin has captured the genuine feel of what may have been a physically run-down area but what the people turned into a tightly-knit community. To anyone growing up in 1950's or early 1960's Glasgow the Gorbals was an area to be avoided. These infamous slums however had a heart - the people of The Gorbals. Colin gives voice to how people had a strong community spirit that survived the 1960's redevelopment of the area and why even today people will be proud to say "Ah'm fae the Gorbals". I understand he is producing a follow-up to come out in late 2008 recounting his own change from a Gorbals Boy to a cosmopolitan man. I look forward to reading it knowing that you cannot take the Gorbals out of the boy (and I'm sure he wouldn't want it any other way).

Magnificent amusing stupendous book, 08 Jan 2008
The Real Gorbals Story is quite simply a magnificently funny. moving, sometimes brutally candid account of being brought up in the old Gorbals of the 1960s. It's a book that will uplift your mood and make you think about how people had to cope with those times on the meanest of Glasgow streets. Macfarlane has done himself and the Gorbals people proud. I defy anyone from the old Gorbals to write a better book.


YOU WOULD BE A MUG NOT TO BUY THIS!, 04 Jan 2008
The Real Gorbals Story is the best book ever written about the place. Unlike all the other Gorbals tomes Macfarlane captures the humour and all the characters perfectly. This really would make a great movie as it is full of little unexpected endings and humorous events that continually takes the reader by surprise.

GREAT BOOK ABOUT GREAT TIME A MUST READ FOR ALL, 03 Jan 2008
THIS IS A GREAT BOOK FULL OF ANECDOTES AND TWISTS AND TURNS ABOUT THE OLD GORBALS. I DEFY ANYONE TO BRING OUT A BETTER BOOK ABOUT THE GORBALS THAN THIS. THE REAL GORBALS STORY IS QUITE SIMPLY A BRILLIANT TRUE LIFE ACCOUNT OF WHAT IT WAS REALLY LIKE TO LIVE ON GLASGOW'S MEANEST STREETS. THE DAILY RECORD EVEN HAILED IT AS BRILLIANT AND I CAN'T DISAGREE!

This is a very good read full of true life stories from the gorbals, 03 Jan 2008
I was born in Thistle Street in 1953 and The Real Gorbals Story has got the feel of the place and the characters spot on. The last reviewer says he can only remember three characters well perhaps unlike like the rest of us he did not venture out enough to experience what was going on the the magical old gorbals. I know I was there and I can remember Macfarlane and his pals...this book is a must for all those interested in the old place. I still live in the Gorbals and all the boys agree that this book has got to be one of the best ever. Buy it and see!

lovely reference book, 18 May 2008
This book is a great for those who have a 'beginner' interest in clouds, as it is mostly pictorial. I bought it as a gift for my boyfriend and he has great fun trying to identify what types of cloud are in the sky.

Such a dreadful shame, 26 Dec 2007
A beautiful book. I received a copy for Christmas (at my specific request!). I'm so sorry I can't give it the 5 stars it ought to have. Why? Because the quality of the photographic printing so often leaves a lot to be desired. I just don't believe that so many of the photos were, in their originals, as grainy as they have been reproduced. Even the paper feels rough! Pages 94/95 are just one example of many. I have loved clouds for decades and was really hoping for a set of photographs of coffee table standard. I am very disappointed. However, I would far rather have the book than not - and in spite of my criticism.

Wonderful, 27 Sep 2007
A marvellous book, pictures are wonderful, only minor niggle is that the author quotes figures in miles otherwise a wonderful book with the pictures taking pride of place, pity there isn't a DVD to show movement.

Superb!, 25 Dec 2006

Any aviator would tell you about the importance of the need to have a thorough understanding of the different types of clouds, how they are formed, and most especially, what they are telling us.

Look up in the sky and you'll see that each and every bit of cloud is telling us a different story, in addition to the spectacle you see right before your eyes.

Needless to say, it would be most foolish of any pilot not to fully understand the implication of the different types of clouds whilst on the ground, before a flight, as well as whilst in the air.

My interest in the clouds started a few years ago due to a near-miss air accident whilst learning to fly GA aircraft. My instructor and I nearly got sucked into the clouds, due to the fact that he, my instructor, being the pilot in command, failed to maintain the specified distance from the clouds whilst flying under VFR. Needless to say, we were lucky to get out of the way of the swelling cumulus which seemed to be coming after us as we were about to be sucked in. Phew, never again with a cloud suck!!

Having that bad experience and now flying the most personal form of aircraft, I searched around for a good book about the clouds. Luckily, I stumbled on this one and then decided to buy it.

Wow, what a book! This is a must-have for all pilots as well as anybody that's interested in the clouds. All credits to its author, Dr John A. Day, for his exposition of the subject like no other. He is indeed, the 'Cloud doctor'.

The author does not ramble on about the different cloud types, (that, indeed, would be most boring), rather, he gives a very short introduction to a particular type of cloud as well as the cloud family to which it belongs. This is then followed by photographs, more photographs and indeed more photographs.

Regarding each and every type of cloud, there's a very small but most important insert, showing its key characteristics, such as group, name, base, top, air mass stability, buoyancy, moisture content, temperature, frontal lift and precipitation type.

The key thing that sets this book apart from all the others out there is, its simplicity as well as the many photographs on each and every type of cloud formation that there is out there. So, so many photographs, you wouldn't believe it.

The best part is that most (if not all), of the photographs were actually taken by the author, who worked in the aviation industry until his retirement.

If you really need to understand the clouds, this is the book for you. It is a great book, bar none, in my humble opinion. Here's what I'd advice you to do inorder to get the most out of the book:

1. Firstly, read through the book from cover to cover.
2. Next, re-read it slowly and pay more attention.
3. Finally, close the book and leave it on your desk.
4. When you wake up from bed in the morning, just look out of your window and look at the sky. See if you can identify the type of cloud formation you see up there.
5. Can you identify the type of cloud? If so, what are its characteristics? If not, quickly refer to the book that's on your desk. Can you identify the cloud now after referring to the book? The photographs are all there for you to see. Do this as many times as possible until you really get to know the clouds. This is a must.
6. Are you a pilot? If so, after identifying the cloud, what would you say are its implications for flying? You really ought to get to grips with this aspect 'cos it's most crucial.

This is a superb book. Buy it if you can manage to get hold of it 'cos it sells like hot cake.



Ibiduo Chris Berepiki.









A tribute to the mutable majesty of clouds, 30 Aug 2006
John Day - or 'Cloudman' as he is known to thousands of Americans, both through his pioneering website and his visits to schools around the country - is truly the doyen of international cloud scholars. This book is the culmination of decades of research and reading, and is full of all manner of wit and wisdom concerning clouds, 'the patron goddesses of idle men', as the dramatist Aristophanes described them. The photographs, many of them taken by Day himself, are outstanding, and do much to bring the book to glorious life, showing how the sky really is an enormous free outdoor cinema screen. What a lovely book.

A fine book an atlas of the ocean, 17 Sep 2008
500 stunning pages full of pictures, illustrations and diagrams covering different oceans, ocean habitats, marine plants and animals, ocean geology, currents, etc. Ideal for homework, reference or just plain interest. A lovely book for the study or coffee table

Stunning Pictures, Informative Text, 26 Nov 2006
I have recently purchased this book and am impressed by the fantastic amount of information crammed into it as well as the stunning photography. About half the book is about marine life, but there are also well written and illustrated sections about the physical structure and properties of the oceans, and different ocean environments, as well as an excellent Ocean Atlas at the back. I'd thoroughly recommend it!

the best, 10 Nov 2006
I own every book in this series -- Animal, Plant, Earth, Human, and Universe -- and was perplexed why there wasn't an Ocean. When this came out, I was thrilled and nabbed it asap. As usual, the photos are stunning, and Ocean focuses on life at all scales, from microscopic plankton to whales. The multicolored crustaceans and deep-sea bioluminescents are my favorites. I think this is my favorite book in the DK series. No, wait -- Universe is. No -- Ocean. Definitely Ocean.

Great on its own or to read with the series, 18 Nov 2008
I saw this book in Sainsbury's and suggested to my wife that it would be a good birthday present. Sure enough, guess what I got on my birthday. I love the underwater world as I am a scuba diver so anything like this is right down my street. The images are superb and the tone of the text makes it very easy to read. It'd be quite suitable to read in its own right but as the TV series is on at the moment it makes a great accompanyment to that as well. Definately recommended.

Really interesting book, 07 Oct 2008
This book is brilliant! It uses maps of the world to display data by distorting the physical size of countries according to the relevant data - the result is a very visual feel for the data - much more powerful than figures or words could be. Every page has a global map displaying a different set of data and the range of data is huge, spanning from spread of diseases to energy use, from prevalence of national disasters to effectiveness of legal systems.

The book is pretty large and an ideal coffee table read. You don't need to be particularly analytical to get a lot from it - just need to be interested in the world. A fantastic new way of looking at the world.

Well impressed!, 26 Sep 2008
I had the choice between this book and the readers digest equivalent. The Book People were at work so all I got was a quick look through and decided on this one pretty much just down to the fact this book had little maps which provided an overveiw of each walk - I have to have maps wherever I go because I will get lost otherwise.

I got back to my desk, had a look at reviews on Amazon for both books and was pleased when the Readers Digest one didnt seem to do too great but this was then blown away because this book had NO reveiws.. and to be honest I don't know why.

When I got home I had a good look through and I was very pleased this was my choice.. it is so well thought out. I'm not particularly into walking but I do go camping now and again and I bought it for ideas of what to do and where to go.

* The book provides a number of walks on the Coast of England Scotland and Wales, and also a couple of little isles.
* The 1st page gives an overview of the British Isles with each walk located by number and colour-coded to the difficulty of the walk.
* The walks are featured in the book in numbered order as you go clockwise round the map of Brtain so you dont have to go routing through the whole book to find a particular walk.
* Each walk is not only colour-coded for easy, meduim or hard, but it also tells you whether it has access for wheelchairs and/or pushchairs, and also tells you how long in miles each walk is.
* Each walk has a small box with a little map in which gives an overview of each walk with the route highlighted in yellow (be careful because now and again there will be a road which is coloured a slightly different shade of yellow which can be confusing if you're not careful!). With the map there is also a bit more info, including the start and finishing points of the walk.
* On the maps the are numbers which represent specific sights or buildings, etc. for the walk and these are explained and described quite in depth in the walk decription, along with various colour photos so you can identify the features and grasp and appreciate the history of each town/village/area.
* The maps also show camping sights, parking, etc which most maps do, just so you are more aware of your surroundings.

There are walks for everyone whether you are more into the countryside or picturesque citys or marinas. I can't wait to go camping again and using the book although the coast of Britian isn't covered 100%, it's a good start!

The only thing I will say it that I could do with it being a little bit smaller and wlaker-user friendly only because I WILL be taking it around with me and I think it may get ruined as I'm rambling through one of it's walks, probably reading it as I go just to make sure I don't miss anything!

As I said I bought it for something to do when I am holidaying within Britain so as a novice I think it is great. If you are a more accomplished walker then perhaps you'll need to go to a bookshop to flick through to make sure you don't already know the stuff in it.

Even so I would definately recomend it to anyone even slightly interested in this sort of thing because there is so much information but not too much to overwhelm