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.

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.

The end of the world? Not if, but when., 09 May 2008
This book is very nice: well written and concise - ideal for the beginner who wants a broad coverage of a fascinating topic. This is certainly one of the better 'short introductions' on the market.

The introductory chapter serves as a good overview for the rest of the book, while the proceeding chapters about global warming and the possibility of an ice age are both good. The text is fact-heavy but still flows nicely, telling a clear story. While the authors own views are certainly evident, he also mentions the ideas of other scientists (some contraversial and some downright mad).

The book goes on to discuss the threat and possible consequences of geological events such as super-volcanic eruptions, mega-tsunami's and city-destroying earthquakes. He not only considers the Earth sceince behind these phenomena, but the economic impact is also covered, albeit superficially. I found the chapter about the 'Threat from Space' particularly interesting (and disturbing).

I give the book 4 stars and not 5 because, i my opinion, it lacked scientific depth. I believe, even in a book so small and introductory, that the author could have given a little more explanation of the science. Perhpas he neglected to do this in the fear of scaring off potential readers who don't want too much of an intellectual challenge, or perhaps he was concerned with making the book too long for the format of the series (though he does repeat himself several times, so cutting down the words would not have been too difficult). A bit more technical science would have been welcome.

Overall, a very nice read with a pessimistic (but probably realistic) outlook.

Concise, hard-hitting and compelling - a brilliant introduction, 03 Apr 2008
The Very Short Introduction series by Oxford University Press has a good reputation for presenting challenging subjects in an easily accessible manner. "Global Catastrophes" by Bill McGuire is one of its very best examples. Originally published in 2002 as "A Guide to the End of the World", it has since been updated to include events as recent as 2005, with a new preface as well as a fully revised text and bibliography.

The book deals exclusively with environmental phenomena rather than man-made, technological disasters. In each chapter McGuire explores the evidence for - as well as the likely effects of - different catastrophes that could, in the near future, put an end to human civilisation, namely global warming, a new ice age, supervolanoes and other tectonic hazards, and lastly asteroidal impact. His mastery of the material is clear, and at every stage he is careful to back up his arguments with facts and figures drawn from scientific studies and computer models. At the same time his style is conversational and makes on the whole for easy reading, although occasionally the analogies he chooses tend to confuse rather than illuminate.

The opening chapter on global warming is the book's tour de force - as well as probably the most relevant for the reader today - providing a succinct summary of the main issues and sources of contention. McGuire pulls no punches, making it clear just how unprecedented is the effect that human industrial activity is having on the global climate, and how our planet is hotter now than it has been for 90% of its history. For any sceptics of climate change, or of its future implications for our civilisation, this will be a potent wake-up call. In complete contrast, the next chapter explores the counter-intuitive (yet nevertheless scientifically plausible) theory that rising global temperatures could in fact trigger a rapid freeze and a return to Ice Age conditions. But regardless of whether we are set for global warming or global cooling, McGuire demonstrates why this is an especially bad period in geological time for us to be experimenting with our atmosphere and climate.

The third chapter - on supervolcanoes and other tectonic events - is similarly well-argued, as one might expect from a Professor of Vulcanology at University College London. One disappointment, however, is the short treatment afforded to the topic of flood basalt eruptions, in particular the Deccan Trap event, which is now thought to have been a contributing factor in the decline and extinction of the dinosaurs. A significant amount of research is now being conducted into these events, which could have been explored further. Finally, McGuire's discussion of potential extinction-level asteroidal impact is both balanced and considered, stressing the catastrophic effect this would have while also underlining the unlikelihood of such an event occurring in the near future.

The book includes 20 images and diagrams, serving to illustrate and reinforce McGuire's points, as well as 2 appendices, summarising the relative frequency of the various threats and plotting the most significant on a geological timescale. The bibliography is thorough, divided according to the relevant chapters, and runs to no less than 65 titles, making this book an excellent platform for exploring the subject further.

All in all, "Global Catastrophes: A Very Short Introduction" is an excellent overview of what is a difficult, unsettling and sometimes contentious subject, and a book that I can highly recommend.

Don't Have Nightmares..., 04 Jul 2006
I've always been a bit of a fan of these Very Short Introductions - as someone who likes to be a know-it-all but has an increasingly short attention span they're perfect. Well this is one of the best I've read - highly informative, readable, packed with facts. A different version of the end of the world is contemplated on almost every page - and by placing the human race in its true timescale, as a negligible speck on the history of the planet, this is guaranteed to make you feel very small indeed. McGuire makes it clear that with most of the catastrophes he discusses, from the obvious global warming to the alarming super-volcanoes, it's a question of when, not if. And he dispenses with the hubristic notion that there's much we can do about it except prepare for the aftermath.

Frankly, makes me want to become an astronaut.

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.

The end of the world? Not if, but when., 09 May 2008
This book is very nice: well written and concise - ideal for the beginner who wants a broad coverage of a fascinating topic. This is certainly one of the better 'short introductions' on the market.

The introductory chapter serves as a good overview for the rest of the book, while the proceeding chapters about global warming and the possibility of an ice age are both good. The text is fact-heavy but still flows nicely, telling a clear story. While the authors own views are certainly evident, he also mentions the ideas of other scientists (some contraversial and some downright mad).

The book goes on to discuss the threat and possible consequences of geological events such as super-volcanic eruptions, mega-tsunami's and city-destroying earthquakes. He not only considers the Earth sceince behind these phenomena, but the economic impact is also covered, albeit superficially. I found the chapter about the 'Threat from Space' particularly interesting (and disturbing).

I give the book 4 stars and not 5 because, i my opinion, it lacked scientific depth. I believe, even in a book so small and introductory, that the author could have given a little more explanation of the science. Perhpas he neglected to do this in the fear of scaring off potential readers who don't want too much of an intellectual challenge, or perhaps he was concerned with making the book too long for the format of the series (though he does repeat himself several times, so cutting down the words would not have been too difficult). A bit more technical science would have been welcome.

Overall, a very nice read with a pessimistic (but probably realistic) outlook.

Concise, hard-hitting and compelling - a brilliant introduction, 03 Apr 2008
The Very Short Introduction series by Oxford University Press has a good reputation for presenting challenging subjects in an easily accessible manner. "Global Catastrophes" by Bill McGuire is one of its very best examples. Originally published in 2002 as "A Guide to the End of the World", it has since been updated to include events as recent as 2005, with a new preface as well as a fully revised text and bibliography.

The book deals exclusively with environmental phenomena rather than man-made, technological disasters. In each chapter McGuire explores the evidence for - as well as the likely effects of - different catastrophes that could, in the near future, put an end to human civilisation, namely global warming, a new ice age, supervolanoes and other tectonic hazards, and lastly asteroidal impact. His mastery of the material is clear, and at every stage he is careful to back up his arguments with facts and figures drawn from scientific studies and computer models. At the same time his style is conversational and makes on the whole for easy reading, although occasionally the analogies he chooses tend to confuse rather than illuminate.

The opening chapter on global warming is the book's tour de force - as well as probably the most relevant for the reader today - providing a succinct summary of the main issues and sources of contention. McGuire pulls no punches, making it clear just how unprecedented is the effect that human industrial activity is having on the global climate, and how our planet is hotter now than it has been for 90% of its history. For any sceptics of climate change, or of its future implications for our civilisation, this will be a potent wake-up call. In complete contrast, the next chapter explores the counter-intuitive (yet nevertheless scientifically plausible) theory that rising global temperatures could in fact trigger a rapid freeze and a return to Ice Age conditions. But regardless of whether we are set for global warming or global cooling, McGuire demonstrates why this is an especially bad period in geological time for us to be experimenting with our atmosphere and climate.

The third chapter - on supervolcanoes and other tectonic events - is similarly well-argued, as one might expect from a Professor of Vulcanology at University College London. One disappointment, however, is the short treatment afforded to the topic of flood basalt eruptions, in particular the Deccan Trap event, which is now thought to have been a contributing factor in the decline and extinction of the dinosaurs. A significant amount of research is now being conducted into these events, which could have been explored further. Finally, McGuire's discussion of potential extinction-level asteroidal impact is both balanced and considered, stressing the catastrophic effect this would have while also underlining the unlikelihood of such an event occurring in the near future.

The book includes 20 images and diagrams, serving to illustrate and reinforce McGuire's points, as well as 2 appendices, summarising the relative frequency of the various threats and plotting the most significant on a geological timescale. The bibliography is thorough, divided according to the relevant chapters, and runs to no less than 65 titles, making this book an excellent platform for exploring the subject further.

All in all, "Global Catastrophes: A Very Short Introduction" is an excellent overview of what is a difficult, unsettling and sometimes contentious subject, and a book that I can highly recommend.

Don't Have Nightmares..., 04 Jul 2006
I've always been a bit of a fan of these Very Short Introductions - as someone who likes to be a know-it-all but has an increasingly short attention span they're perfect. Well this is one of the best I've read - highly informative, readable, packed with facts. A different version of the end of the world is contemplated on almost every page - and by placing the human race in its true timescale, as a negligible speck on the history of the planet, this is guaranteed to make you feel very small indeed. McGuire makes it clear that with most of the catastrophes he discusses, from the obvious global warming to the alarming super-volcanoes, it's a question of when, not if. And he dispenses with the hubristic notion that there's much we can do about it except prepare for the aftermath.

Frankly, makes me want to become an astronaut.

One long chilling revelation, 21 Jun 2007
I would regard this book as a must read for understanding the world we were born into. As an Englishman I also find it leaves a chilling problem; what effect can this rampant exploitation have taken upon the English nation? Where does responsibility lie, especially as he shows the continuity with today's world economy? Ruthlessly meticulous, Davis has destroyed my previously held opinion that the British Empire 'did some good and did some bad' in one brutal reading.

El Nino book, 18 Feb 2005
I thought it was a fantastic work. It is great to see somebody attacking colonialism, for oppressing, people rather, than the usual ignoring of colonial crimes. It gives many details, from Brazil, too China, and states directly teh full horror of what it must have been like to be in the famines, and how terrible and awful they were. Prooving how democracy is right in many ways, I think. It talks of many countries.

History to make you think., 04 Sep 2001
This is first-rate history. Meticulously researched and documented, with numerous illustrations and case studies, and wide-ranging citation sacross the relevant literature, LATE VICTORIAN HOLOCAUSTS shows conclusively that the wealth of the "First World" is almost exclusively based on lopsided trading and imperialist conditions in the late 19th century, coupled with the devastating effects of El Ninyo famines - and at the same time points up the utter myth of "free trade" put about by the liberal establishment (why, for instance, do all the commodities from tropical countries drop in price in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, while all those goods from temperate climates rise?)

Only 4-stars, though, because the criticism of the previous reviewer has some weight. The historical implications of the El Ninyo episodes could also have been considered with relation to the 1879 War of the Pacific between Chile and Peru/Bolivia, in which the war was triggered by the imposition of a port tax in the north by Bolivia on Chile following the economic slowdown of the early 1870s and the effect of the El ninyo on Peru (floods) and Bolivia (drought). Also, Davis could have expanded the thread of his argument with comparisons with French colonialism in Africa in the 1910s/1920s, when exactly the same movements of cash crops led to famine and desperate hunger (as in India/China in Davis' book).

Still, Davis' book is important, timely and excellent. If you want to understand why "economic migrants" have every right to come to the rich countries of the world, read this book.

A relentlessly one-dimensional polemic, 14 Aug 2001
I've read and enjoyed Mike Davis' work before, but with this I'd lost sympathy way before the end. This is not to deny his main thesis, which is hardly new or even particularly controversial - that what we currently refer to as third world countries were systematically under-developed at the expense of their colonial masters. This after all is still happening, and is what the whole globalisation controversy is about. Davis concentrates on the the massive famines at the end of the nineteenth century in India China and Brazil, and argues that they were a result of El Nino conditions. Well, actually he doesn't, because he goes to great lengths, in good Marxist tradition, to set up a definition of a famine as a political event - ie they're always someone's fault. So in the case of India the late nineteenth century famines were the fault of the British administration. Well certainly the attitude of the British, of complacency mixed with racism and backed by a laissez-faire ideology which believed it best not to interfere in these situations - a complex of attitudes seen fifty years earlier in the Irish famine - exarcebated the situation. But the same catastrophe, with comparable death tolls, hit China as well. Ah well, the Opium wars, you know.....China had already been affected by the deadly virus of Western capitalism, so even if China wasn't a colony, it was still all down to the British. And Brazil? More catastrophe, more megadeaths. No problem - Brazil was already part of the London-based capitalist system. Enough said.

So as we turn to the 20th century we should see these trends continue? Well, bit of a problem there actually: the two greatest 20th century famines were unconnected to El Nino, and were in Russia/Ukraine in the thirties, and China during the Great Leap Forward at the start of the sixties. Davis mentions the latter: "the scale of this holocaust is stupefying, and for many sympathisers with the Chinese revolution, inexplicable". He doesn't declare himself to be such a sympathiser - it would have been more honest for him to do so - but quite clearly he is. He sneers at Jasper Becker's "Hungry Ghosts" on this episode as a "Robert Conquest-like expose". Ah yes, Robert Conquest - isn't he the guy who insisted that the actual victims of Stalinist excesses, in the famines and the gulags, was much higher than previously thought? And is it not now generally accepted that he was, um, right? So the nineteenth century famines were the result of the inexorable logic of imperialism, while the thirties famine in Russia goes unmentioned and the famine in Maoist China is perhaps down to Mao's personal inflexibility. The problem, declares Davis, was the lack of socialist democracy. Good old socialist democracy, eh.....as practiced where, exactly?

OK, it's his book, he can write a polemic if he wants, but as a reader I can then decide if I think that someone is so ideologically driven as to be an unreliable guide. I have no problem with criticism of British or any other Western imperialism, but the sheer relentless one-sidedness of it for me in the end proved counter-productive.

Excellent and ground breaking work, 04 Feb 2001
This new work by Mike Davis is an exemplary piece of scholarship and one that forces the reader to consider the world around them afresh. After his earlier ground breaking 'City of Quartz', where Davis challenged how we collectively view urban areas he has equally audaciously attempted to track the dividing point between the first and the third worlds. Few but the persistent readers of the Journal Capital, Nature, Socialism could have predicted that Davis would write such a book. His revisitation of urban themes in 'Ecology of Fear' did not signal this sudden change.

Quite simply Davis explains the divergence of the first and third world's as stemming from the Political Ecology of a series of 'El Nino' events at the end of the nineteenth century. A catastrophic collision of severe droughts with the aggressive imperialism of the Western powers, led to famine of the peoples of the South. Millions of lives were lost as the Western powers took the opportunity to tighten or extend their grip over the resources of countries such as India and China. Davis demonstrates how the previous pre-imperial arrangements warded off the worst of famine, the very arrangements that the new global market had undermined. Time and again, revolts of peasant peoples against the imperial tyranny were broken by the combined might of superior military technology and hunger. Davis does not just recount the statistics, these accounts are of a passion and moral force rarely found in academic writing. Instead of the faceless millions so typical of planetary histories Davis provides a feel for the millions of individual tragedies represent by such calamities.

Shifting from environmental history, to agricultural history and back again Davis is never dull, navigating complex terrain with aplomb. The height of his erudition is the account of the development of the science of El Nino events. Deftly he moves through the complex physics, the shifting paradigms and scientific projects that have formed the account of weather systems that are in use today. Only after this tour de force does he return to the topics in hand to illustrate how it was not the lack of rain but a militarised enforcement of the free market that divided humanity so starkly.

Davis is not only writing a compelling history, it is hard not to see an analogy behind such an example. The conjoining of rampant market forces with severe climate events robbed millions of their lives and their descendants of the chance of a better life. Davis is not issuing guarantees such events could not be repeated. This is a passionate, urgent book that hums with verve and indignation. It is what scholarly books should be informed, educated but profoundly accessible. Do not wait for the paperback.

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.

The end of the world? Not if, but when., 09 May 2008
This book is very nice: well written and concise - ideal for the beginner who wants a broad coverage of a fascinating topic. This is certainly one of the better 'short introductions' on the market.

The introductory chapter serves as a good overview for the rest of the book, while the proceeding chapters about global warming and the possibility of an ice age are both good. The text is fact-heavy but still flows nicely, telling a clear story. While the authors own views are certainly evident, he also mentions the ideas of other scientists (some contraversial and some downright mad).

The book goes on to discuss the threat and possible consequences of geological events such as super-volcanic eruptions, mega-tsunami's and city-destroying earthquakes. He not only considers the Earth sceince behind these phenomena, but the economic impact is also covered, albeit superficially. I found the chapter about the 'Threat from Space' particularly interesting (and disturbing).

I give the book 4 stars and not 5 because, i my opinion, it lacked scientific depth. I believe, even in a book so small and introductory, that the author could have given a little more explanation of the science. Perhpas he neglected to do this in the fear of scaring off potential readers who don't want too much of an intellectual challenge, or perhaps he was concerned with making the book too long for the format of the series (though he does repeat himself several times, so cutting down the words would not have been too difficult). A bit more technical science would have been welcome.

Overall, a very nice read with a pessimistic (but probably realistic) outlook.

Concise, hard-hitting and compelling - a brilliant introduction, 03 Apr 2008
The Very Short Introduction series by Oxford University Press has a good reputation for presenting challenging subjects in an easily accessible manner. "Global Catastrophes" by Bill McGuire is one of its very best examples. Originally published in 2002 as "A Guide to the End of the World", it has since been updated to include events as recent as 2005, with a new preface as well as a fully revised text and bibliography.

The book deals exclusively with environmental phenomena rather than man-made, technological disasters. In each chapter McGuire explores the evidence for - as well as the likely effects of - different catastrophes that could, in the near future, put an end to human civilisation, namely global warming, a new ice age, supervolanoes and other tectonic hazards, and lastly asteroidal impact. His mastery of the material is clear, and at every stage he is careful to back up his arguments with facts and figures drawn from scientific studies and computer models. At the same time his style is conversational and makes on the whole for easy reading, although occasionally the analogies he chooses tend to confuse rather than illuminate.

The opening chapter on global warming is the book's tour de force - as well as probably the most relevant for the reader today - providing a succinct summary of the main issues and sources of contention. McGuire pulls no punches, making it clear just how unprecedented is the effect that human industrial activity is having on the global climate, and how our planet is hotter now than it has been for 90% of its history. For any sceptics of climate change, or of its future implications for our civilisation, this will be a potent wake-up call. In complete contrast, the next chapter explores the counter-intuitive (yet nevertheless scientifically plausible) theory that rising global temperatures could in fact trigger a rapid freeze and a return to Ice Age conditions. But regardless of whether we are set for global warming or global cooling, McGuire demonstrates why this is an especially bad period in geological time for us to be experimenting with our atmosphere and climate.

The third chapter - on supervolcanoes and other tectonic events - is similarly well-argued, as one might expect from a Professor of Vulcanology at University College London. One disappointment, however, is the short treatment afforded to the topic of flood basalt eruptions, in particular the Deccan Trap event, which is now thought to have been a contributing factor in the decline and extinction of the dinosaurs. A significant amount of research is now being conducted into these events, which could have been explored further. Finally, McGuire's discussion of potential extinction-level asteroidal impact is both balanced and considered, stressing the catastrophic effect this would have while also underlining the unlikelihood of such an event occurring in the near future.

The book includes 20 images and diagrams, serving to illustrate and reinforce McGuire's points, as well as 2 appendices, summarising the relative frequency of the various threats and plotting the most significant on a geological timescale. The bibliography is thorough, divided according to the relevant chapters, and runs to no less than 65 titles, making this book an excellent platform for exploring the subject further.

All in all, "Global Catastrophes: A Very Short Introduction" is an excellent overview of what is a difficult, unsettling and sometimes contentious subject, and a book that I can highly recommend.

Don't Have Nightmares..., 04 Jul 2006
I've always been a bit of a fan of these Very Short Introductions - as someone who likes to be a know-it-all but has an increasingly short attention span they're perfect. Well this is one of the best I've read - highly informative, readable, packed with facts. A different version of the end of the world is contemplated on almost every page - and by placing the human race in its true timescale, as a negligible speck on the history of the planet, this is guaranteed to make you feel very small indeed. McGuire makes it clear that with most of the catastrophes he discusses, from the obvious global warming to the alarming super-volcanoes, it's a question of when, not if. And he dispenses with the hubristic notion that there's much we can do about it except prepare for the aftermath.

Frankly, makes me want to become an astronaut.

One long chilling revelation, 21 Jun 2007
I would regard this book as a must read for understanding the world we were born into. As an Englishman I also find it leaves a chilling problem; what effect can this rampant exploitation have taken upon the English nation? Where does responsibility lie, especially as he shows the continuity with today's world economy? Ruthlessly meticulous, Davis has destroyed my previously held opinion that the British Empire 'did some good and did some bad' in one brutal reading.

El Nino book, 18 Feb 2005
I thought it was a fantastic work. It is great to see somebody attacking colonialism, for oppressing, people rather, than the usual ignoring of colonial crimes. It gives many details, from Brazil, too China, and states directly teh full horror of what it must have been like to be in the famines, and how terrible and awful they were. Prooving how democracy is right in many ways, I think. It talks of many countries.

History to make you think., 04 Sep 2001
This is first-rate history. Meticulously researched and documented, with numerous illustrations and case studies, and wide-ranging citation sacross the relevant literature, LATE VICTORIAN HOLOCAUSTS shows conclusively that the wealth of the "First World" is almost exclusively based on lopsided trading and imperialist conditions in the late 19th century, coupled with the devastating effects of El Ninyo famines - and at the same time points up the utter myth of "free trade" put about by the liberal establishment (why, for instance, do all the commodities from tropical countries drop in price in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, while all those goods from temperate climates rise?)

Only 4-stars, though, because the criticism of the previous reviewer has some weight. The historical implications of the El Ninyo episodes could also have been considered with relation to the 1879 War of the Pacific between Chile and Peru/Bolivia, in which the war was triggered by the imposition of a port tax in the north by Bolivia on Chile following the economic slowdown of the early 1870s and the effect of the El ninyo on Peru (floods) and Bolivia (drought). Also, Davis could have expanded the thread of his argument with comparisons with French colonialism in Africa in the 1910s/1920s, when exactly the same movements of cash crops led to famine and desperate hunger (as in India/China in Davis' book).

Still, Davis' book is important, timely and excellent. If you want to understand why "economic migrants" have every right to come to the rich countries of the world, read this book.

A relentlessly one-dimensional polemic, 14 Aug 2001
I've read and enjoyed Mike Davis' work before, but with this I'd lost sympathy way before the end. This is not to deny his main thesis, which is hardly new or even particularly controversial - that what we currently refer to as third world countries were systematically under-developed at the expense of their colonial masters. This after all is still happening, and is what the whole globalisation controversy is about. Davis concentrates on the the massive famines at the end of the nineteenth century in India China and Brazil, and argues that they were a result of El Nino conditions. Well, actually he doesn't, because he goes to great lengths, in good Marxist tradition, to set up a definition of a famine as a political event - ie they're always someone's fault. So in the case of India the late nineteenth century famines were the fault of the British administration. Well certainly the attitude of the British, of complacency mixed with racism and backed by a laissez-faire ideology which believed it best not to interfere in these situations - a complex of attitudes seen fifty years earlier in the Irish famine - exarcebated the situation. But the same catastrophe, with comparable death tolls, hit China as well. Ah well, the Opium wars, you know.....China had already been affected by the deadly virus of Western capitalism, so even if China wasn't a colony, it was still all down to the British. And Brazil? More catastrophe, more megadeaths. No problem - Brazil was already part of the London-based capitalist system. Enough said.

So as we turn to the 20th century we should see these trends continue? Well, bit of a problem there actually: the two greatest 20th century famines were unconnected to El Nino, and were in Russia/Ukraine in the thirties, and China during the Great Leap Forward at the start of the sixties. Davis mentions the latter: "the scale of this holocaust is stupefying, and for many sympathisers with the Chinese revolution, inexplicable". He doesn't declare himself to be such a sympathiser - it would have been more honest for him to do so - but quite clearly he is. He sneers at Jasper Becker's "Hungry Ghosts" on this episode as a "Robert Conquest-like expose". Ah yes, Robert Conquest - isn't he the guy who insisted that the actual victims of Stalinist excesses, in the famines and the gulags, was much higher than previously thought? And is it not now generally accepted that he was, um, right? So the nineteenth century famines were the result of the inexorable logic of imperialism, while the thirties famine in Russia goes unmentioned and the famine in Maoist China is perhaps down to Mao's personal inflexibility. The problem, declares Davis, was the lack of socialist democracy. Good old socialist democracy, eh.....as practiced where, exactly?

OK, it's his book, he can write a polemic if he wants, but as a reader I can then decide if I think that someone is so ideologically driven as to be an unreliable guide. I have no problem with criticism of British or any other Western imperialism, but the sheer relentless one-sidedness of it for me in the end proved counter-productive.

Excellent and ground breaking work, 04 Feb 2001
This new work by Mike Davis is an exemplary piece of scholarship and one that forces the reader to consider the world around them afresh. After his earlier ground breaking 'City of Quartz', where Davis challenged how we collectively view urban areas he has equally audaciously attempted to track the dividing point between the first and the third worlds. Few but the persistent readers of the Journal Capital, Nature, Socialism could have predicted that Davis would write such a book. His revisitation of urban themes in 'Ecology of Fear' did not signal this sudden change.

Quite simply Davis explains the divergence of the first and third world's as stemming from the Political Ecology of a series of 'El Nino' events at the end of the nineteenth century. A catastrophic collision of severe droughts with the aggressive imperialism of the Western powers, led to famine of the peoples of the South. Millions of lives were lost as the Western powers took the opportunity to tighten or extend their grip over the resources of countries such as India and China. Davis demonstrates how the previous pre-imperial arrangements warded off the worst of famine, the very arrangements that the new global market had undermined. Time and again, revolts of peasant peoples against the imperial tyranny were broken by the combined might of superior military technology and hunger. Davis does not just recount the statistics, these accounts are of a passion and moral force rarely found in academic writing. Instead of the faceless millions so typical of planetary histories Davis provides a feel for the millions of individual tragedies represent by such calamities.

Shifting from environmental history, to agricultural history and back again Davis is never dull, navigating complex terrain with aplomb. The height of his erudition is the account of the development of the science of El Nino events. Deftly he moves through the complex physics, the shifting paradigms and scientific projects that have formed the account of weather systems that are in use today. Only after this tour de force does he return to the topics in hand to illustrate how it was not the lack of rain but a militarised enforcement of the free market that divided humanity so starkly.

Davis is not only writing a compelling history, it is hard not to see an analogy behind such an example. The conjoining of rampant market forces with severe climate events robbed millions of their lives and their descendants of the chance of a better life. Davis is not issuing guarantees such events could not be repeated. This is a passionate, urgent book that hums with verve and indignation. It is what scholarly books should be informed, educated but profoundly accessible. Do not wait for the paperback.

Very disappointing, 18 Jan 2008
I bought this book after returning from Namibia where I witnessed and manage to photograph some awesome lighting storms. There were no reviews so I made the mistake of buying this book on looks alone. Then I made the mistake of not returning it for a refund in the required time. The book just looks like the pictures were taken by someone who just happened to be in the area at the time of the storm. There is very little in the way of lighting shots and there is no worthwhile mention of how the pictures were taken or what equipment was used. All in all very disappointing :-(

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

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.

The end of the world? Not if, but when., 09 May 2008
This book is very nice: well written and concise - ideal for the beginner who wants a broad coverage of a fascinating topic. This is certainly one of the better 'short introductions' on the market.

The introductory chapter serves as a good overview for the rest of the book, while the proceeding chapters about global warming and the possibility of an ice age are both good. The text is fact-heavy but still flows nicely, telling a clear story. While the authors own views are certainly evident, he also mentions the ideas of other scientists (some contraversial and some downright mad).

The book goes on to discuss the threat and possible consequences of geological events such as super-volcanic eruptions, mega-tsunami's and city-destroying earthquakes. He not only considers the Earth sceince behind these phenomena, but the economic impact is also covered, albeit superficially. I found the chapter about the 'Threat from Space' particularly interesting (and disturbing).

I give the book 4 stars and not 5 because, i my opinion, it lacked scientific depth. I believe, even in a book so small and introductory, that the author could have given a little more explanation of the science. Perhpas he neglected to do this in the fear of scaring off potential readers who don't want too much of an intellectual challenge, or perhaps he was concerned with making the book too long for the format of the series (though he does repeat himself several times, so cutting down the words would not have been too difficult). A bit more technical science would have been welcome.

Overall, a very nice read with a pessimistic (but probably realistic) outlook.

Concise, hard-hitting and compelling - a brilliant introduction, 03 Apr 2008
The Very Short Introduction series by Oxford University Press has a good reputation for presenting challenging subjects in an easily accessible manner. "Global Catastrophes" by Bill McGuire is one of its very best examples. Originally published in 2002 as "A Guide to the End of the World", it has since been updated to include events as recent as 2005, with a new preface as well as a fully revised text and bibliography.

The book deals exclusively with environmental phenomena rather than man-made, technological disasters. In each chapter McGuire explores the evidence for - as well as the likely effects of - different catastrophes that could, in the near future, put an end to human civilisation, namely global warming, a new ice age, supervolanoes and other tectonic hazards, and lastly asteroidal impact. His mastery of the material is clear, and at every stage he is careful to back up his arguments with facts and figures drawn from scientific studies and computer models. At the same time his style is conversational and makes on the whole for easy reading, although occasionally the analogies he chooses tend to confuse rather than illuminate.

The opening chapter on global warming is the book's tour de force - as well as probably the most relevant for the reader today - providing a succinct summary of the main issues and sources of contention. McGuire pulls no punches, making it clear just how unprecedented is the effect that human industrial activity is having on the global climate, and how our planet is hotter now than it has been for 90% of its history. For any sceptics of climate change, or of its future implications for our civilisation, this will be a potent wake-up call. In complete contrast, the next chapter explores the counter-intuitive (yet nevertheless scientifically plausible) theory that rising global temperatures could in fact trigger a rapid freeze and a return to Ice Age conditions. But regardless of whether we are set for global warming or global cooling, McGuire demonstrates why this is an especially bad period in geological time for us to be experimenting with our atmosphere and climate.

The third chapter - on supervolcanoes and other tectonic events - is similarly well-argued, as one might expect from a Professor of Vulcanology at University College London. One disappointment, however, is the short treatment afforded to the topic of flood basalt eruptions, in particular the Deccan Trap event, which is now thought to have been a contributing factor in the decline and extinction of the dinosaurs. A significant amount of research is now being conducted into these events, which could have been explored further. Finally, McGuire's discussion of potential extinction-level asteroidal impact is both balanced and considered, stressing the catastrophic effect this would have while also underlining the unlikelihood of such an event occurring in the near future.

The book includes 20 images and diagrams, serving to illustrate and reinforce McGuire's points, as well as 2 appendices, summarising the relative frequency of the various threats and plotting the most significant on a geological timescale. The bibliography is thorough, divided according to the relevant chapters, and runs to no less than 65 titles, making this book an excellent platform for exploring the subject further.

All in all, "Global Catastrophes: A Very Short Introduction" is an excellent overview of what is a difficult, unsettling and sometimes contentious subject, and a book that I can highly recommend.

Don't Have Nightmares..., 04 Jul 2006
I've always been a bit of a fan of these Very Short Introductions - as someone who likes to be a know-it-all but has an increasingly short attention span they're perfect. Well this is one of the best I've read - highly informative, readable, packed with facts. A different version of the end of the world is contemplated on almost every page - and by placing the human race in its true timescale, as a negligible speck on the history of the planet, this is guaranteed to make you feel very small indeed. McGuire makes it clear that with most of the catastrophes he discusses, from the obvious global warming to the alarming super-volcanoes, it's a question of when, not if. And he dispenses with the hubristic notion that there's much we can do about it except prepare for the aftermath.

Frankly, makes me want to become an astronaut.

One long chilling revelation, 21 Jun 2007
I would regard this book as a must read for understanding the world we were born into. As an Englishman I also find it leaves a chilling problem; what effect can this rampant exploitation have taken upon the English nation? Where does responsibility lie, especially as he shows the continuity with today's world economy? Ruthlessly meticulous, Davis has destroyed my previously held opinion that the British Empire 'did some good and did some bad' in one brutal reading.

El Nino book, 18 Feb 2005
I thought it was a fantastic work. It is great to see somebody attacking colonialism, for oppressing, people rather, than the usual ignoring of colonial crimes. It gives many details, from Brazil, too China, and states directly teh full horror of what it must have been like to be in the famines, and how terrible and awful they were. Prooving how democracy is right in many ways, I think. It talks of many countries.

History to make you think., 04 Sep 2001
This is first-rate history. Meticulously researched and documented, with numerous illustrations and case studies, and wide-ranging citation sacross the relevant literature, LATE VICTORIAN HOLOCAUSTS shows conclusively that the wealth of the "First World" is almost exclusively based on lopsided trading and imperialist conditions in the late 19th century, coupled with the devastating effects of El Ninyo famines - and at the same time points up the utter myth of "free trade" put about by the liberal establishment (why, for instance, do all the commodities from tropical countries drop in price in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, while all those goods from temperate climates rise?)

Only 4-stars, though, because the criticism of the previous reviewer has some weight. The historical implications of the El Ninyo episodes could also have been considered with relation to the 1879 War of the Pacific between Chile and Peru/Bolivia, in which the war was triggered by the imposition of a port tax in the north by Bolivia on Chile following the economic slowdown of the early 1870s and the effect of the El ninyo on Peru (floods) and Bolivia (drought). Also, Davis could have expanded the thread of his argument with comparisons with French colonialism in Africa in the 1910s/1920s, when exactly the same movements of cash crops led to famine and desperate hunger (as in India/China in Davis' book).

Still, Davis' book is important, timely and excellent. If you want to understand why "economic migrants" have every right to come to the rich countries of the world, read this book.

A relentlessly one-dimensional polemic, 14 Aug 2001
I've read and enjoyed Mike Davis' work before, but with this I'd lost sympathy way before the end. This is not to deny his main thesis, which is hardly new or even particularly controversial - that what we currently refer to as third world countries were systematically under-developed at the expense of their colonial masters. This after all is still happening, and is what the whole globalisation controversy is about. Davis concentrates on the the massive famines at the end of the nineteenth century in India China and Brazil, and argues that they were a result of El Nino conditions. Well, actually he doesn't, because he goes to great lengths, in good Marxist tradition, to set up a definition of a famine as a political event - ie they're always someone's fault. So in the case of India the late nineteenth century famines were the fault of the British administration. Well certainly the attitude of the British, of complacency mixed with racism and backed by a laissez-faire ideology which believed it best not to interfere in these situations - a complex of attitudes seen fifty years earlier in the Irish famine - exarcebated the situation. But the same catastrophe, with comparable death tolls, hit China as well. Ah well, the Opium wars, you know.....China had already been affected by the deadly virus of Western capitalism, so even if China wasn't a colony, it was still all down to the British. And Brazil? More catastrophe, more megadeaths. No problem - Brazil was already part of the London-based capitalist system. Enough said.

So as we turn to the 20th century we should see these trends continue? Well, bit of a problem there actually: the two greatest 20th century famines were unconnected to El Nino, and were in Russia/Ukraine in the thirties, and China during the Great Leap Forward at the start of the sixties. Davis mentions the latter: "the scale of this holocaust is stupefying, and for many sympathisers with the Chinese revolution, inexplicable". He doesn't declare himself to be such a sympathiser - it would have been more honest for him to do so - but quite clearly he is. He sneers at Jasper Becker's "Hungry Ghosts" on this episode as a "Robert Conquest-like expose". Ah yes, Robert Conquest - isn't he the guy who insisted that the actual victims of Stalinist excesses, in the famines and the gulags, was much higher than previously thought? And is it not now generally accepted that he was, um, right? So the nineteenth century famines were the result of the inexorable logic of imperialism, while the thirties famine in Russia goes unmentioned and the famine in Maoist China is perhaps down to Mao's personal inflexibility. The problem, declares Davis, was the lack of socialist democracy. Good old socialist democracy, eh.....as practiced where, exactly?

OK, it's his book, he can write a polemic if he wants, but as a reader I can then decide if I think that someone is so ideologically driven as to be an unreliable guide. I have no problem with criticism of British or any other Western imperialism, but the sheer relentless one-sidedness of it for me in the end proved counter-productive.

Excellent and ground breaking work, 04 Feb 2001
This new work by Mike Davis is an exemplary piece of scholarship and one that forces the reader to consider the world around them afresh. After his earlier ground breaking 'City of Quartz', where Davis challenged how we collectively view urban areas he has equally audaciously attempted to track the dividing point between the first and the third worlds. Few but the persistent readers of the Journal Capital, Nature, Socialism could have predicted that Davis would write such a book. His revisitation of urban themes in 'Ecology of Fear' did not signal this sudden change.

Quite simply Davis explains the divergence of the first and third world's as stemming from the Political Ecology of a series of 'El Nino' events at the end of the nineteenth century. A catastrophic collision of severe droughts with the aggressive imperialism of the Western powers, led to famine of the peoples of the South. Millions of lives were lost as the Western powers took the opportunity to tighten or extend their grip over the resources of countries such as India and China. Davis demonstrates how the previous pre-imperial arrangements warded off the worst of famine, the very arrangements that the new global market had undermined. Time and again, revolts of peasant peoples against the imperial tyranny were broken by the combined might of superior military technology and hunger. Davis does not just recount the statistics, these accounts are of a passion and moral force rarely found in academic writing. Instead of the faceless millions so typical of planetary histories Davis provides a feel for the millions of individual tragedies represent by such calamities.

Shifting from environmental history, to agricultural history and back again Davis is never dull, navigating complex terrain with aplomb. The height of his erudition is the account of the development of the science of El Nino events. Deftly he moves through the complex physics, the shifting paradigms and scientific projects that have formed the account of weather systems that are in use today. Only after this tour de force does he return to the topics in hand to illustrate how it was not the lack of rain but a militarised enforcement of the free market that divided humanity so starkly.

Davis is not only writing a compelling history, it is hard not to see an analogy behind such an example. The conjoining of rampant market forces with severe climate events robbed millions of their lives and their descendants of the chance of a better life. Davis is not issuing guarantees such events could not be repeated. This is a passionate, urgent book that hums with verve and indignation. It is what scholarly books should be informed, educated but profoundly accessible. Do not wait for the paperback.

Very disappointing, 18 Jan 2008
I bought this book after returning from Namibia where I witnessed and manage to photograph some awesome lighting storms. There were no reviews so I made the mistake of buying this book on looks alone. Then I made the mistake of not returning it for a refund in the required time. The book just looks like the pictures were taken by someone who just happened to be in the area at the time of the storm. There is very little in the way of lighting shots and there is no worthwhile mention of how the pictures were taken or what equipment was used. All in all very disappointing :-(

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.)

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.

The end of the world? Not if, but when., 09 May 2008
This book is very nice: well written and concise - ideal for the beginner who wants a broad coverage of a fascinating topic. This is certainly one of the better 'short introductions' on the market.

The introductory chapter serves as a good overview for the rest of the book, while the proceeding chapters about global warming and the possibility of an ice age are both good. The text is fact-heavy but still flows nicely, telling a clear story. While the authors own views are certainly evident, he also mentions the ideas of other scientists (some contraversial and some downright mad).

The book goes on to discuss the threat and possible consequences of geological events such as super-volcanic eruptions, mega-tsunami's and city-destroying earthquakes. He not only considers the Earth sceince behind these phenomena, but the economic impact is also covered, albeit superficially. I found the chapter about the 'Threat from Space' particularly interesting (and disturbing).

I give the book 4 stars and not 5 because, i my opinion, it lacked scientific depth. I believe, even in a book so small and introductory, that the author could have given a little more explanation of the science. Perhpas he neglected to do this in the fear of scaring off potential readers who don't want too much of an intellectual challenge, or perhaps he was concerned with making the book too long for the format of the series (though he does repeat himself several times, so cutting down the words would not have been too difficult). A bit more technical science would have been welcome.

Overall, a very nice read with a pessimistic (but probably realistic) outlook.

Concise, hard-hitting and compelling - a brilliant introduction, 03 Apr 2008
The Very Short Introduction series by Oxford University Press has a good reputation for presenting challenging subjects in an easily accessible manner. "Global Catastrophes" by Bill McGuire is one of its very best examples. Originally published in 2002 as "A Guide to the End of the World", it has since been updated to include events as recent as 2005, with a new preface as well as a fully revised text and bibliography.

The book deals exclusively with environmental phenomena rather than man-made, technological disasters. In each chapter McGuire explores the evidence for - as well as the likely effects of - different catastrophes that could, in the near future, put an end to human civilisation, namely global warming, a new ice age, supervolanoes and other tectonic hazards, and lastly asteroidal impact. His mastery of the material is clear, and at every stage he is careful to back up his arguments with facts and figures drawn from scientific studies and computer models. At the same time his style is conversational and makes on the whole for easy reading, although occasionally the analogies he chooses tend to confuse rather than illuminate.

The opening chapter on global warming is the book's tour de force - as well as probably the most relevant for the reader today - providing a succinct summary of the main issues and sources of contention. McGuire pulls no punches, making it clear just how unprecedented is the effect that human industrial activity is having on the global climate, and how our planet is hotter now than it has been for 90% of its history. For any sceptics of climate change, or of its future implications for our civilisation, this will be a potent wake-up call. In complete contrast, the next chapter explores the counter-intuitive (yet nevertheless scientifically plausible) theory that rising global temperatures could in fact trigger a rapid freeze and a return to Ice Age conditions. But regardless of whether we are set for global warming or global cooling, McGuire demonstrates why this is an especially bad period in geological time for us to be experimenting with our atmosphere and climate.

The third chapter - on supervolcanoes and other tectonic events - is similarly well-argued, as one might expect from a Professor of Vulcanology at University College London. One disappointment, however, is the short treatment afforded to the topic of flood basalt eruptions, in particular the Deccan Trap event, which is now thought to have been a contributing factor in the decline and extinction of the dinosaurs. A significant amount of research is now being conducted into these events, which could have been explored further. Finally, McGuire's discussion of potential extinction-level asteroidal impact is both balanced and considered, stressing the catastrophic effect this would have while also underlining the unlikelihood of such an event occurring in the near future.

The book includes 20 images and diagrams, serving to illustrate and reinforce McGuire's points, as well as 2 appendices, summarising the relative frequency of the various threats and plotting the most significant on a geological timescale. The bibliography is thorough, divided according to the relevant chapters, and runs to no less than 65 titles, making this book an excellent platform for exploring the subject further.

All in all, "Global Catastrophes: A Very Short Introduction" is an excellent overview of what is a difficult, unsettling and sometimes contentious subject, and a book that I can highly recommend.

Don't Have Nightmares..., 04 Jul 2006
I've always been a bit of a fan of these Very Short Introductions - as someone who likes to be a know-it-all but has an increasingly short attention span they're perfect. Well this is one of the best I've read - highly informative, readable, packed with facts. A different version of the end of the world is contemplated on almost every page - and by placing the human race in its true timescale, as a negligible speck on the history of the planet, this is guaranteed to make you feel very small indeed. McGuire makes it clear that with most of the catastrophes he discusses, from the obvious global warming to the alarming super-volcanoes, it's a question of when, not if. And he dispenses with the hubristic notion that there's much we can do about it except prepare for the aftermath.

Frankly, makes me want to become an astronaut.

One long chilling revelation, 21 Jun 2007
I would regard this book as a must read for understanding the world we were born into. As an Englishman I also find it leaves a chilling problem; what effect can this rampant exploitation have taken upon the English nation? Where does responsibility lie, especially as he shows the continuity with today's world economy? Ruthlessly meticulous, Davis has destroyed my previously held opinion that the British Empire 'did some good and did some bad' in one brutal reading.

El Nino book, 18 Feb 2005
I thought it was a fantastic work. It is great to see somebody attacking colonialism, for oppressing, people rather, than the usual ignoring of colonial crimes. It gives many details, from Brazil, too China, and states directly teh full horror of what it must have been like to be in the famines, and how terrible and awful they were. Prooving how democracy is right in many ways, I think. It talks of many countries.

History to make you think., 04 Sep 2001
This is first-rate history. Meticulously researched and documented, with numerous illustrations and case studies, and wide-ranging citation sacross the relevant literature, LATE VICTORIAN HOLOCAUSTS shows conclusively that the wealth of the "First World" is almost exclusively based on lopsided trading and imperialist conditions in the late 19th century, coupled with the devastating effects of El Ninyo famines - and at the same time points up the utter myth of "free trade" put about by the liberal establishment (why, for instance, do all the commodities from tropical countries drop in price in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, while all those goods from temperate climates rise?)

Only 4-stars, though, because the criticism of the previous reviewer has some weight. The historical implications of the El Ninyo episodes could also have been considered with relation to the 1879 War of the Pacific between Chile and Peru/Bolivia, in which the war was triggered by the imposition of a port tax in the north by Bolivia on Chile following the economic slowdown of the early 1870s and the effect of the El ninyo on Peru (floods) and Bolivia (drought). Also, Davis could have expanded the thread of his argument with comparisons with French colonialism in Africa in the 1910s/1920s, when exactly the same movements of cash crops led to famine and desperate hunger (as in India/China in Davis' book).

Still, Davis' book is important, timely and excellent. If you want to understand why "economic migrants" have every right to come to the rich countries of the world, read this book.

A relentlessly one-dimensional polemic, 14 Aug 2001
I've read and enjoyed Mike Davis' work before, but with this I'd lost sympathy way before the end. This is not to deny his main thesis, which is hardly new or even particularly controversial - that what we currently refer to as third world countries were systematically under-developed at the expense of their colonial masters. This after all is still happening, and is what the whole globalisation controversy is about. Davis concentrates on the the massive famines at the end of the nineteenth century in India China and Brazil, and argues that they were a result of El Nino conditions. Well, actually he doesn't, because he goes to great lengths, in good Marxist tradition, to set up a definition of a famine as a political event - ie they're always someone's fault. So in the case of India the late nineteenth century famines were the fault of the British administration. Well certainly the attitude of the British, of complacency mixed with racism and backed by a laissez-faire ideology which believed it best not to interfere in these situations - a complex of attitudes seen fifty years earlier in the Irish famine - exarcebated the situation. But the same catastrophe, with comparable death tolls, hit China as well. Ah well, the Opium wars, you know.....China had already been affected by the deadly virus of Western capitalism, so even if China wasn't a colony, it was still all down to the British. And Brazil? More catastrophe, more megadeaths. No problem - Brazil was already part of the London-based capitalist system. Enough said.

So as we turn to the 20th century we should see these trends continue? Well, bit of a problem there actually: the two greatest 20th century famines were unconnected to El Nino, and were in Russia/Ukraine in the thirties, and China during the Great Leap Forward at the start of the sixties. Davis mentions the latter: "the scale of this holocaust is stupefying, and for many sympathisers with the Chinese revolution, inexplicable". He doesn't declare himself to be such a sympathiser - it would have been more honest for him to do so - but quite clearly he is. He sneers at Jasper Becker's "Hungry Ghosts" on this episode as a "Robert Conquest-like expose". Ah yes, Robert Conquest - isn't he the guy who insisted that the actual victims of Stalinist excesses, in the famines and the gulags, was much higher than previously thought? And is it not now generally accepted that he was, um, right? So the nineteenth century famines were the result of the inexorable logic of imperialism, while the thirties famine in Russia goes unmentioned and the famine in Maoist China is perhaps down to Mao's personal inflexibility. The problem, declares Davis, was the lack of socialist democracy. Good old socialist democracy, eh.....as practiced where, exactly?

OK, it's his book, he can write a polemic if he wants, but as a reader I can then decide if I think that someone is so ideologically driven as to be an unreliable guide. I have no problem with criticism of British or any other Western imperialism, but the sheer relentless one-sidedness of it for me in the end proved counter-productive.

Excellent and ground breaking work, 04 Feb 2001
This new work by Mike Davis is an exemplary piece of scholarship and one that forces the reader to consider the world around them afresh. After his earlier ground breaking 'City of Quartz', where Davis challenged how we collectively view urban areas he has equally audaciously attempted to track the dividing point between the first and the third worlds. Few but the persistent readers of the Journal Capital, Nature, Socialism could have predicted that Davis would write such a book. His revisitation of urban themes in 'Ecology of Fear' did not signal this sudden change.

Quite simply Davis explains the divergence of the first and third world's as stemming from the Political Ecology of a series of 'El Nino' events at the end of the nineteenth century. A catastrophic collision of severe droughts with the aggressive imperialism of the Western powers, led to famine of the peoples of the South. Millions of lives were lost as the Western powers took the opportunity to tighten or extend their grip over the resources of countries such as India and China. Davis demonstrates how the previous pre-imperial arrangements warded off the worst of famine, the very arrangements that the new global market had undermined. Time and again, revolts of peasant peoples against the imperial tyranny were broken by the combined might of superior military technology and hunger. Davis does not just recount the statistics, these accounts are of a passion and moral force rarely found in academic writing. Instead of the faceless millions so typical of planetary histories Davis provides a feel for the millions of individual tragedies represent by such calamities.

Shifting from environmental history, to agricultural history and back again Davis is never dull, navigating complex terrain with aplomb. The height of his erudition is the account of the development of the science of El Nino events. Deftly he moves through the complex physics, the shifting paradigms and scientific projects that have formed the account of weather systems that are in use today. Only after this tour de force does he return to the topics in hand to illustrate how it was not the lack of rain but a militarised enforcement of the free market that divided humanity so starkly.

Davis is not only writing a compelling history, it is hard not to see an analogy behind such an example. The conjoining of rampant market forces with severe climate events robbed millions of their lives and their descendants of the chance of a better life. Davis is not issuing guarantees such events could not be repeated. This is a passionate, urgent book that hums with verve and indignation. It is what scholarly books should be informed, educated but profoundly accessible. Do not wait for the paperback.

Very disappointing, 18 Jan 2008
I bought this book after returning from Namibia where I witnessed and manage to photograph some awesome lighting storms. There were no reviews so I made the mistake of buying this book on looks alone. Then I made the mistake of not returning it for a refund in the required time. The book just looks like the pictures were taken by someone who just happened to be in the area at the time of the storm. There is very little in the way of lighting shots and there is no worthwhile mention of how the pictures were taken or what equipment was used. All in all very disappointing :-(

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.)

Who needs television with writing like this?, 06 Jul 1999
I read this book after reading a review of it in New Scientist magazine. Dealing with the natural disasters that scar the planet, this book is a wonderful read. Few of the books I have read manage to convey information in such an imaginitive way. This book goes into sufficient detail to be both informative and useful, but not enough to be tiresome or dull. The descriptions Zebrowski provides are truly stunning, creating vivid images in the mind. Perhaps a picture can say a thousand words, this book can describe a thousand pictures. I had trouble putting this book down. Buy it. Read it.