A description of the reasons for and impact of hurricanes and tornadoes.
Tornadoes by Seymour Simon
Paperback from HarperCollins
Media Published: 2001-04-10
ISBN: 0064437914
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With winds that can reach speeds of three hundred miles an hour and
funnel clouds that can measure a mile in diameter, tornadoes leave enormous
damage in their wake.
Now award-winning author Seymour Simon examines these twisting columns
of air and destruction. With the clear, concise style he is noted for,
Simon explains how tornadoes are formed, why and when they are most likely
to occur, how scientists classify and track them -- and what to do if one
touches down. Spectacular full-color photographs show this powerful phenomenon
in action.
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children 2000--selected by Natn'l
Science Tchrs Assoc. & Child. Bk Cncl.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hoursIssues of global warming continue
to be relevant, and every day brings front-page stories about the weather,
generating new research, raising even more questions and possible solutions.
Storm Chaser is a mesmerizing look at some of the catastrophic consequences
of our planet's increasing temperature, captured by an expert in the field.
Through breathtaking photos, quotes, letters, and journal entries from
climatologists, researchers, political leaders, spiritual advisors, and
storm survivors. Storm Chaser chronicles photographer Jim Reed's
most thrilling, beautiful, memorable, and dramatic adventures to date.From
extraordinary tornadoes to historic hurricanes, remarkable floods, geomagnetic
storms, and magnificent lightning, Reed captures not only the mercilessness
of America's sometimes deadly weather, but also the magnificence and meaning
behind the tempests.The hardcover edition of Storm Chaser received
critical acclaim and wide media attention. The New York Times wrote
"These are the images that demonstrate the heart of weather's primal draw,
and that hold the power to make weather fanatics out of even those of us
whose first instinct is to run." Repackaged as a paperback with 16 pages
of new material, this revised edition of Storm Chaser provides even
more incredible images and the astonishing stories behind them.
F5:
Devastation, Survival, and the Most Violent Tornado Outbreak of the 20th
Century by Mark Levine
Hardcover from Miramax
Media Published: 2007-06-06
ISBN: 1401352200
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It was April 3, 1974. Crime was soaring. Unemployment and inflation
were out of control. A costly war had just come to its demoralizing end,
and an unpopular President was on his way out of office. Then, over a sixteen-hour
period, nature stepped forward with its own display of mayhem: an unprecedented
outbreak of 148 tornadoes, covering thirteen states in the heart of the
country, from Michigan to Mississippi. Hundreds of people were killed,
thousands of homes demolished, and a billion dollars in losses sustained.
Sixty-four of the tornadoes would be classified as severely violent; six
belonged to the most rare, most deadly category: F5, or "incredible tornadoes."
Like the best nonfiction, F5 is a brilliantly crafted page-turner
that reads with the immediacy of a novel, telling a harrowing story of
natural disaster against the backdrop of the turbulent 1970s. Acclaimed
journalist Mark Levine follows the heart-wrenching fate of a rich cast
of intertwined characters -- ordinary Americans whose lives are transformed
in a terrifying instant. A pair of teenage lovers are caught while driving
on a dark country road; a Vietnam veteran is trapped at home with a newborn
baby; a sheriff finds himself in the line of fire twice in rapid succession;
a black preacher with a past of dire hardship struggles to protect his
family.
Other figures enter the story from the broader cultural scene, including
Hank Aaron, on his way to challenging baseball's home run record amid racist
death threats; Patty Hearst, whose image as kidnapping victim is undergoing
a radical shift; Richard Nixon and George Wallace, both intent on using
the storms to their political advantage; and a memorably eccentric scientist,
known as Mr. Tornado, who regards the "Superoutbreak" as the apotheosis
of his scholarly life. Gripping and revelatory, F5 braids the story
of the shattering outbreak with images of social upheaval and individual
heroism in a stunning, unforgettable read.
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Describes the origin and nature
of tornadoes and how to stay safe when threatened by one of these dangerous
storms.
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May 3, 1999, is a day that Oklahomans will never forget. By the time
the sun set over a ravaged plain, some 71 tornadoes had claimed around
11,000 homes and businesses and caused $1 billion in damage. One of them
was a mile-wide monster of incredible power, the fiercest F5 twister to
hit a metropolitan area, and whose 300 mph winds were the fastest ever
recorded.
Veteran journalist Nancy Mathis draws on many interviews to weave the
story of those few terrifying hours that irrevocably changed the lives
of many Oklahomans. Storm Warning features Kara Wiese, who fought
to save her son from the fatal winds; and Charlie Cusack, who followed
the tornado's progress on television until it came knocking on his front
door. Amazingly, only thirty-eight people perished at the hands of the
Oklahoma F5. Many lives were saved by the efforts of professionals such
as Ted Fujita, the creator of the Fujita Scale and dubbed "Mr. Tornado"
for his relentless pursuit to unravel a twister's mysteries; the oft-criticized
but dogged government meteorologists; and Gary England, a resourceful TV
weatherman whose tireless efforts prepared hundreds of people in the tornado's
path. Storm Warning alternates between personal stories and the history
of the struggle to understand this bewildering force of Mother Nature,
creating a nail-biting, captivating look at surviving the fury from the
skies.
Warnings:
The True Story of How Science Tamed the Weather by Mike Smith
Hardcover from Greenleaf Book Group Press
ISBN: 1608320340
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Experience the most devastating storms of the last fifty years through
the eyes of the scientific visionaries who took them on and tamed them.
For decades, the author, a pioneering meteorologist, has dedicated himself
to saving lives by combining science, experience, and instinct. The struggle
to understand nature's fury provides fascinating insights into the natural
forces that shape our world, and the turbulent politics that influence
our scientific establishment.
Tracing the Herculean effort to improve weather forecasting and advanced
warning systems, the author draws fascinating biographical sketches of
the scientists behind the breakthroughs, such as Dr. Theodore Fujita, creator
of the Fujita Scale for tornado measurement.
With its gripping story-telling approach to major natural disasters,
Warnings is narrative nonfiction at its heart-pounding best.
''I highly recommend this exceptional book.''
--Roger Pielke, Sr., Pielke Climate Science blog
''The weatherman's version of The Right Stuff--Mike Smith's Warnings.
I recommend it highly.''
--Tom Fuller, The Examiner
''A fascinating journey inside the world of weather and the mind and
heart of the meteorologist. A great read for anyone.''
--Bob Ryan, chief meteorologist, WRC TV (NBC), Washington DC,
former president, American Meteorological Society
''This book chronicles the remarkable advances that have occurred in
meteorology over the past 50 years--not through dry statistics but through
very personal stories. The book discusses the virtual elimination of airline
crashes due to wind shear and the thousands of lives saved by hurricane
warnings. Its primary focus is on severe storms in the Midwestern U.S.,
but the issues raised about the evolution of forecasting the weather, and
the impact those forecasts have on the people and commerce, are much more
universal. The narrative throughout the book is engaging and compelling,
and I found it very hard to put down after reading just the first few pages.This
book is not just for hard-core weather enthusiasts or those who work in
weather-related fields (though they will love it). Anyone who has ever
watched a stormy sky on warm afternoon or felt moved by the images on the
news following the Greensburg tornado or Hurricane Katrina (both of which
are covered in this book) will get pulled into the narrative of this book.''
--Keith Seitter, Executive Director, American Meteorological
Society Boston
Tornadoes
(My First Discovery) (Earth's Power) by David Armentrout, Patricia Armentrout
Paperback from Ideals Publications
ISBN: 0824914139
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An exciting new Adventures in Reading series designed to capture
the reluctant reader's attention with captivating photos and descriptions
of nature's raw fury.
This book showcases and explains tornadoes that have made headlines
in recent years. Kids' natural fascination with destructive natural phenomena
keeps their interest high while reading this series.
Storm of Spirit by Nancy Martin-Rouse
Having experienced the tornadoes in the Spring of 1998, the author
spoke with children who witnessed this disaster, lost their homes and families.
Together they created a book to help children deal with the trauma, and
to focus on the positive power of the human spirit to rebuild and help
others. The Publisher.
(Paperback -- June 22, 1998)
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