There are plenty of books about how volcanoes work, but this is a book about the effects of volcanic eruptions on those who witness and experience them. Fifteen volcanic eruptions are described. For 14, ranging from Vesuvius in ad 79 to Pinatubo in 1991, major eruptions are described using contemporary sources. These are not necessarily the most spectacular eruptions but the best documented. For this reason the 1727 eruption of Oraefajökull, documented by Jon Thorlaksson, is presented rather than the more spectacular eruption of 1362 whose most lasting record is that the area devastated was renamed Öraefi, that is wilderness. The first volcano described is Stromboli, which has been erupting benignly for 3,000 years, showing some activity most days. The others erupt only occasionally, but with devastating effects. Surprisingly, very few people are killed by volcanoes, compared with earthquakes; and those who die because of volcanic eruptions die of famine, and from mud flows and tsunamis.
The accounts of the eruptions present a variety of human behaviours: attempts to divert the flow of lava from Etna in 1699; well organized response to danger in the case of Pinatubo; and of total incompetence in the case of Nevado del Ruiz; the first hazard assessment map drawn for the eruption of Lanzarote in 1730. Each tale is different, as is each volcano and, to some extent, each eruption of a particular volcano.
The book is well illustrated with pictures and maps, including where possible contemporary illustrations. A glossary would have been a useful addition. Nuées ardentes are defined the first time they are mentioned, in the introduction, and there is a reminder half way through. This is all right if you read the book from cover to cover, but not so useful if you read particular chapters because of an interest in a particular region, or historical period.
The discipline of geography appears to be splitting into social geography and physical geography. This book spans this divide, and I would recommend it to any A‐level or undergraduate geography student. It is also a good public library book. It is such an interesting and enjoyable book that it should be in the loan rather than the reference collection. The author admits that there is a limit to the number of volcanoes one can include in any book. I hope this one sells well enough to allow for another selection.
