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kublakat's review against another edition
4.0
Another book from my ecocriticism class — this one was an environmental historical account of how a volcano eruption shaped social history all over the world in 1815. Beautifully written, fantastic imagery, painstakingly researched, kinda white ethnocentric lol
ladyeremite's review against another edition
4.0
Maybe pushes the significance of Tambora a bit too much, but overall some fascinating connections between the eruption and the development of the concept of the ice age and climate thought more generally, economic depression, disease (cholera and typhus) across Asia and Europe - all cleverly woven together through the central figure of Mary Shelley in the aftermath of the 1815 Tambora eruption.
thomcat's review
2.0
The author connects discussions of Tambora and the aftermath to both [a:Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley|11139|Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1386351586p2/11139.jpg] and various epidemics in this mostly social history. Science is mostly neglected by G.D. Wood, an English professor. The bibliography is extensive; the rest of the book rambles considerably.
I did find the connection to both Shelleys, Byron and Keats interesting, and can see how it influenced their poetry and prose - especially [b:Frankenstein|18490|Frankenstein|Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1381512375l/18490._SY75_.jpg|4836639]. It seems clear that Wood has published on this subject before, and he knows it well. Another interesting point was the search for the Northwest Passage, spurred by higher melt rate in the Arctic during the immediate aftermath - though the expeditions themselves happened a few years later, when weather had reasserted to a relative norm. The hopelessness of those expeditions also makes an appearance in Shelley's work, framing the story. Illustrations of paintings and excerpts of poems round out these contributions nicely.
Unfortunately, the author seeks to connect several things to this eruption, and not all fit. The cholera epidemic in Bengal was more about poor sanitary conditions than weather changes, and while the weather killed a season of crops in Ireland and the East coast of the US, both societies were poised to suffer at the next disturbance. This book connects a lot of events due to proximity in time, and rarely convincingly. He also ignores science, and proudly acknowledges that in the epilogue. He discusses none of the impact on species, little of the impact on crops and weather, and then only when convenient. Perhaps the worst offense was to shoot down the idea of using particulate matter to reduce global warming as bad because, well, Tambora. Duh!
It is a readable book, and does have a good bibliography. If the subtitle were "The social implications of the Tambora eruption", I might have rated it 3 stars. As it is, the 2 star rating of "It was Okay" is just about perfect.
I did find the connection to both Shelleys, Byron and Keats interesting, and can see how it influenced their poetry and prose - especially [b:Frankenstein|18490|Frankenstein|Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1381512375l/18490._SY75_.jpg|4836639]. It seems clear that Wood has published on this subject before, and he knows it well. Another interesting point was the search for the Northwest Passage, spurred by higher melt rate in the Arctic during the immediate aftermath - though the expeditions themselves happened a few years later, when weather had reasserted to a relative norm. The hopelessness of those expeditions also makes an appearance in Shelley's work, framing the story. Illustrations of paintings and excerpts of poems round out these contributions nicely.
Unfortunately, the author seeks to connect several things to this eruption, and not all fit. The cholera epidemic in Bengal was more about poor sanitary conditions than weather changes, and while the weather killed a season of crops in Ireland and the East coast of the US, both societies were poised to suffer at the next disturbance. This book connects a lot of events due to proximity in time, and rarely convincingly. He also ignores science, and proudly acknowledges that in the epilogue. He discusses none of the impact on species, little of the impact on crops and weather, and then only when convenient. Perhaps the worst offense was to shoot down the idea of using particulate matter to reduce global warming as bad because, well, Tambora. Duh!
It is a readable book, and does have a good bibliography. If the subtitle were "The social implications of the Tambora eruption", I might have rated it 3 stars. As it is, the 2 star rating of "It was Okay" is just about perfect.
casava17's review against another edition
3.0
Very interesting topic, but the author tries too hard to sound romantic and flowery with every description. Dude, put down the damn thesaurus and get to the f*cking point.
ricksilva's review
5.0
The massive eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815 gave Europe the "Year Without a Summer" in 1816, famously inspiring Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein. It also resulted in disruptions to climate, health crises, and economic downturns around the world.
The author makes the connections from cholera outbreaks in India to famine in Ireland to China, to the worst economic depression to date in the United States. Along the way, the ripple effects of the sudden climate change were felt in the lives and work of writers and poets, scientists and explorers, and world leaders.
This was a great mix of science, history, and literary discussion with an eye toward how humanity will respond to the current climate crisis of our own making, one which will not end with the dispersion of volcanic dust after a few years.
Eclectic and highly readable, the lessons of Tambora provide some fascinating insights into the interconnectedness of climate and human activity.
The author makes the connections from cholera outbreaks in India to famine in Ireland to China, to the worst economic depression to date in the United States. Along the way, the ripple effects of the sudden climate change were felt in the lives and work of writers and poets, scientists and explorers, and world leaders.
This was a great mix of science, history, and literary discussion with an eye toward how humanity will respond to the current climate crisis of our own making, one which will not end with the dispersion of volcanic dust after a few years.
Eclectic and highly readable, the lessons of Tambora provide some fascinating insights into the interconnectedness of climate and human activity.
tomb28's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Superb reimagining of the chaos caused by one volcanic eruption, and the knock-on effects on the global climate in countless unimaginable ways. Highly relevant in our current era of climate change.
poirotketchup's review against another edition
4.0
I often hear that it's difficult to tie specific weather events to climate change. But here, Wood makes a very persuasive case that uses both hard data and romantic poetry to posit the eruption of Tambora as one of the definitive events of the 19th Century. Even though no one at the time understood how the volcano was affecting their lives, no one who lived then remained untouched by the short-term climate change it imposed across the globe. A comprehensive, easy-to-understand look at one of the most overlooked important events in history.