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mattaukamp's review against another edition
3.0
Didn't really suit my research purposes. Was really looking for human stories about storm survivors in early colonial America. But, it still had a lot of interesting insights into hurricanes and the history of weather tracking. Well researched, and more interesting than I expected, once I figured out what the book was going to be.
baldmarlin's review against another edition
5.0
Dolin writes a nonfiction book as if he's having a conversation with someone about something he's really excited about and that is the best compliment I can give a nonfic book. Audio book narration aside, A Furious Sky was informative, entertaining, heartbreaking, and interesting the whole way through. I live closer to the mountains in North Carolina than I do to the shore, but the hurricanes in this book mentioned after 1999 are vivid memories for me.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in how our world produces storms and how climate change is only going to make things worse in the not so far future. A Furious Sky truly was a fascinating read and I can't wait to read the other books he mentioned as source materials sprinkled throughout the pages.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in how our world produces storms and how climate change is only going to make things worse in the not so far future. A Furious Sky truly was a fascinating read and I can't wait to read the other books he mentioned as source materials sprinkled throughout the pages.
mcf's review against another edition
4.0
Attempting to cover 500 years of history in a single volume is ambitious, no matter the topic, but Eric Jay Dolin does an impressive job of being both thorough and efficient in his examination of five centuries of American interactions with hurricanes. There are the expected jaw-dropping numbers and mind-blowing photos, but Dolin also effectively incorporates the history of forecasting into his book, alongside personal stories that help illustrate the impact of each storm he examines. A Furious Sky is engaging throughout, and often viscerally upsetting in its discussion of the costs of -- and responses to -- storms. Perhaps most impressively, Dolin comfortably engages with the political tensions surrounding a number of the storms, foregrounding accuracy of reporting over concern about offended people who object to the fact he's reporting (be it about Katrina, Maria, or a number of earlier storms).
Thanks to NetGalley and W.W. Norton for the ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley and W.W. Norton for the ARC.
adamsw216's review against another edition
informative
tense
4.25
A Furious Sky is exactly what the title says, a five-hundred year history of America's hurricanes. Sensibly, this also includes the history of weather forecasting in the United States, as well as many stories from those who survived a hurricane's wrath.
Dolin presents us with a well-researched history that does a great job of blending anecdotes with facts and statistics into a compelling story. It is a common fact that weather has often been influential to the course that history takes, and America's hurricanes are no exception. These behemoths of winds, rain, surging water and flying debris have caused billions of dollars in damage and cost countless lives. This book is the story of some of these hurricanes, the people who lived through them, and the organization/government response to them.
One thing to note is that Dolin likes to take you down adjacent roads to give you background information on a subset of the history. For example, he leads us through a history of early telecommunication in a bit of a tangent, but brings it all back around when he explains that these innovations were essential in the early birth of hurricane forecasting. These tangents did not really bother me, and I quite enjoy these little historical asides. Then again, I am a fan of Bill Bryson's even less focused works like At Home, so maybe it's just me.
Hurricanes are not going away. If anything, experts predict that global warming will cause them to become more frequent, become more intense, or both as time marches forward. In the last few decades, we have become far better at predicting hurricanes, but mitigating their effects and responding to the aftermath has left a lot to be desired. As the effects of climate change continue to shape our future, hurricanes are one more important aspect that I recommend people read about. Recommended!
Dolin presents us with a well-researched history that does a great job of blending anecdotes with facts and statistics into a compelling story. It is a common fact that weather has often been influential to the course that history takes, and America's hurricanes are no exception. These behemoths of winds, rain, surging water and flying debris have caused billions of dollars in damage and cost countless lives. This book is the story of some of these hurricanes, the people who lived through them, and the organization/government response to them.
One thing to note is that Dolin likes to take you down adjacent roads to give you background information on a subset of the history. For example, he leads us through a history of early telecommunication in a bit of a tangent, but brings it all back around when he explains that these innovations were essential in the early birth of hurricane forecasting. These tangents did not really bother me, and I quite enjoy these little historical asides. Then again, I am a fan of Bill Bryson's even less focused works like At Home, so maybe it's just me.
Hurricanes are not going away. If anything, experts predict that global warming will cause them to become more frequent, become more intense, or both as time marches forward. In the last few decades, we have become far better at predicting hurricanes, but mitigating their effects and responding to the aftermath has left a lot to be desired. As the effects of climate change continue to shape our future, hurricanes are one more important aspect that I recommend people read about. Recommended!
mondovertigo's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Classism and Racism
Minor: Excrement