Product Description

This book presents the science behind the earth's most catastrophic phenomena. If our planet is a sleeping giant, it slumbers fitfully. Earth's fabric is shifting, creaking, and groaning. Our familiar landscape bears the scars of hidden forces at work deep beneath it. "Furious Earth" contains the latest science on these forces and the cataclysmic phenomena they produce - earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsumanis. Now, hard-won knowledge of these phenomena, gained from often dangerous efforts to understand and predict the unpredictable, is presented here by experts. The scientific contributors include: Stanley Williams, Ph.D., Professor of Vulcanology, Arizona State University, on volcanoes; Kate Hutton, Ph.D., Seismologist, California State Institute of Technology, on earthquakes; and Costas Synolakis, Ph.D., Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Southern California, on tsunamis.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1035646 in Books
• Published on: 1999-12-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 235 pages

Review
'Furious Earth (McGraw-Hill, $24.95), Ellen Prager looks at some of the more awesome and dangerous natural events in clear language that still manages to include up-to-date research on the how and why of earthly upheavals.' 'loaded with helpful illustrations and interesting photos in a center section.' 'anyone truly curious about the causes of natural disasters will find this book informative and interesting.' USA Today 19991221

From the Back Cover
The Science Behind the Earth's Most Catastrophic Phenomena.
If our planet is a sleeping giant, it slumbers fitfully and awakens in powerful starts. Our familiar landscape bears the scars f hidden forces at work deep beneath it. Furious Earth contains the latest science on these forces and the cataclysmic phenomena they produce - earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis. Now, hard-won knowledge of these phenomena, gained often in the aftermath of disaster or through dangerous research efforts, is presented here by scientist Ellen Prager with the following experts:
Stanley Willaims, Ph.D. Professor of Volcanology, Arizona State University, on volcanoes; Kate Hutton, Ph.D., Seismologist, California State Institute of Technology, on earthquakes; Costas Synolakis, Ph.D., Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Southern California, on tsunamis.
Furious Earth sheds light on the life-threatening power and magnitude of nature's mighty trio. With the latest reseach findings from top scientists in the field, as well as insider's information from The U.S. Geological Survey, this is a comprehensive and fascinating guide to the world of earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis.
Rich in information, packed with expert knowledge, and brimming with illustrations, Furious Earth is a must for anyone interested in truly understanding nature's powerful forces...and what the future may hold.

About the Author
Ellen J. Prager, Ph.D., formerly with the U.S. Geological Survey, is a respected scientist who is now devoting her time to bringing an understanding of earth and marine science to the general public. In this endeavor she has been interviewed on The Today Show while living underwater, written dispatches for MSNBC, and worked with the National Geographic Society. She lives in Arlington, Virginia.

Customer Reviews

An excellent introduction to the earths furious forces
Having developed an interest in earth sciences, yet having no educational background in the subjects, I was looking for a book that explained, in an easy, yet informative manner, these natural forces that i am fascinated with.

This book was perfect.

Laid out in 3 section (earthquakes, volcanoes & tsunamis), it gives thorough introductions and explanations to each phenomenon, giving specific examples of each, for reference. Even the format is perfect, being non-text-bookish, I was able to read it on my train journeys to and from work.

After reading this book I feel far more knowledgable and am inspired to officially study this fascinating subject.

Good
Although this book is a little out-dated, many parts are fundamental to earth science and probably won't be too far out in many years time, making this book a good reference source.

It is laid out in a typical book style, similar to fiction books which suprised me a little but works well. Not as many pictures or diagrams as I thought but the text describes the going's on' at a suitable depth not to confuse many readers.

Overall very good.