Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes

Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes is a fantastic book for anyone who really wants to know the history and science behind hurricanes.  I read large portions of this book through Google’s Book Reader.  And I’m exhausted now as I write this due to lack of sleep.  This is seriously one of those books I just get away from.This book goes into tremendous detail about the history of hurricanes opening with a brief story about how Japan could have been part of China today had it not been for a typhoon:

The ships of the time were no match for the tempest, and many foundered or were dashed to bits on the rocky coast.  Nearly 13,000 men perished, mostly by drowning.  The Mongols had been routed by a typhoon.

Divine Wind, p. 4

The author, Kerry Emanuel, goes on to write about other historical aspects of hurricanes including Don Nicolas de Orvando, the Governor of Santo Domingo in 1502, being warned by Christopher Columbus of a potential oncoming hurricane.  The Governor and his “minions” laughed at the idea.  The Governor built an armada of 30 ships to carry treasure and other goods back to Spain.  Only one arrived.

Of five reviews on Amazon.com, four have given the book five start.  The fifth gave four stars.

When searching for a new book to recommend I’ve repeatedly come across this one.  After reading as much as I could, I think this book will fit all ranges of hurricane-enthusiasts; professionals, amateurs, and casual observers.  Go read a sample of the book.  If you like it, go buy it.  New price is $37.12, 33% off the cover price.  You can even get used copies for as cheap as $4.

Related posts:

1. Why I fell in love with watching hurricanes and how that influences this website
2. Tropical Storms Rival The Destruction of Most Hurricanes
3. Coming soon – a list of the oddest hurricanes you’ve never heard
4. Hurricane Watch: Forecasting the Deadliest Storms on Earth
5. After Ike: Aerial Views from the No-Fly Zone

Tagged as: Recommendations