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drifterontherun's review
4.0
Call me crazy, but I think the weather is absolutely fascinating. This is obscured by the fact that the weather is, rather famously, the favorite go-to topic for those who don't know what else to talk about. But such small talk, which really consists of variations on a single phrase, Some weather we're having, isn't it?, is never actually about the weather but about getting a mundane response to a very mundane comment.
It's almost a joke. You say something about the weather, and the person you're talking to gives you that eyebrows-raised, knowing glance that says, Do you really have nothing better to talk about?
Imagine if, instead, those awkward elevator conversations were actually about the weather?
"What is your opinion on geoengineering?"
"You mean whether I advocate carbon dioxide removal or the management of solar radiation?"
or
"Do you think it's ethical for governments to control the weather, as the US did in Vietnam?"
Talking about the weather really does present endless conversational possibilities, but weather talk gets a bad rap. Unless you're a meteorologist, you bring up the weather only if you don't know what to talk about or are dancing around the obvious.
"Just as I was thinking I had better try to fill in with something about the weather, she spoke." - P.G. Wodehouse, The Code of the Woosters
Lauren Redniss does a fantastic job here of making the weather accessible to all. She's done her research too, and her coffee table sized book on the subject is divided into 12 chapters, ranging from "Chaos" to "Forecasting." It's illustrated, too, which is nice, even if the illustrations range somewhat in terms of quality.
This, though, is the kind of book I live for. The sort of book that provides answers and anecdotes to all your weather-related ponderings, even if not quite in the depth one might ultimately desire.
But it sure makes for excellent conversation, whether in the elevator, at the dinner table, or anywhere in between.
It's almost a joke. You say something about the weather, and the person you're talking to gives you that eyebrows-raised, knowing glance that says, Do you really have nothing better to talk about?
Imagine if, instead, those awkward elevator conversations were actually about the weather?
"What is your opinion on geoengineering?"
"You mean whether I advocate carbon dioxide removal or the management of solar radiation?"
or
"Do you think it's ethical for governments to control the weather, as the US did in Vietnam?"
Talking about the weather really does present endless conversational possibilities, but weather talk gets a bad rap. Unless you're a meteorologist, you bring up the weather only if you don't know what to talk about or are dancing around the obvious.
"Just as I was thinking I had better try to fill in with something about the weather, she spoke." - P.G. Wodehouse, The Code of the Woosters
Lauren Redniss does a fantastic job here of making the weather accessible to all. She's done her research too, and her coffee table sized book on the subject is divided into 12 chapters, ranging from "Chaos" to "Forecasting." It's illustrated, too, which is nice, even if the illustrations range somewhat in terms of quality.
This, though, is the kind of book I live for. The sort of book that provides answers and anecdotes to all your weather-related ponderings, even if not quite in the depth one might ultimately desire.
But it sure makes for excellent conversation, whether in the elevator, at the dinner table, or anywhere in between.
jar7709's review
3.0
Morning read-aloud. I think I liked this more than the kids did, though they both rated it 2.5 to 3. I really like the human stories around the science and history of our weather environments. Amazing illustrations that were as much a part of the story as the narrative.
erine's review
4.0
An oversize graphic format nonfiction. Heavy in your hands, the words literally meander across the pages. Strange illustrations reflect the mysterious, beautiful, horrifying nature of weather and its influence on human behavior.
I particularly enjoyed the wordless intermission of the sky.
I particularly enjoyed the wordless intermission of the sky.
shortcourt's review
5.0
Picked this up at the library completely on a whim. It was the right choice. This book is visually stunning, and full of interesting information.
lindsayb's review
4.0
I adored the art...just the formatting was worth the money. The actual weather information was a bit touch and go...I was either enthralled or bored with little in between.
ariel_bloomer's review
5.0
I picked this up after Redness was awarded the MacArthur genius grant, and I'm so glad I did! It's beautiful and makes me want to (belatedly) change my major to atmospheric science and meteorology.
dangrous's review
5.0
To be fair, I'm sort of related to the author but this was really cool. A bunch of smaller segments about interesting weather things, whether the physics or the way we as people use or change it. Really beautiful artwork, very abstract and interesting. Check it out!
jdgcreates's review
4.0
This is such a cool book! So much strange and wonderful information, from recent events like Hurricane Irene to cultural implications of weather. The illustrations are interesting, but not really delightful to me (hence the lack of a 5th star), though the author does explain her choice and process in the back of the book.
amandaquotidianbooks's review
5.0
2016: This was pretty darn brilliant. It's divided into chapters with headings like "Rain," "Dominion," or "Heat." Using this theme you learn about historical events, remote locations and scientific theory. The art style isn't my fave, but it complimented the text so well. I wish this huge hardcover was easier to read, but I'll be buying my own copy, $50 or no.
2020: reread my own copy finally. This was still excellent. Cold is my favorite section, but I love how each of them meander around their themes and discuss niche topics I never knew I wanted to know about. I also enjoyed the illustrations more this time.
2020: reread my own copy finally. This was still excellent. Cold is my favorite section, but I love how each of them meander around their themes and discuss niche topics I never knew I wanted to know about. I also enjoyed the illustrations more this time.
cdcsmith's review
4.0
Disclaimer first: I got my copy of this book free as a First Reads giveaway.
Really cool way to tell non-fiction. The illustrations were amazing and fun (sometimes scary). The story telling was unique. All in all, I'm very impressed. The downside to it is that it is a big hardcover book - think coffee table book. This made it impossible to take with me from place to place which is how most of my reading is done. I could really only read it when I was home. If I had a coffee table, I would keep it there. It is very cool.
Really cool way to tell non-fiction. The illustrations were amazing and fun (sometimes scary). The story telling was unique. All in all, I'm very impressed. The downside to it is that it is a big hardcover book - think coffee table book. This made it impossible to take with me from place to place which is how most of my reading is done. I could really only read it when I was home. If I had a coffee table, I would keep it there. It is very cool.