The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth

First the author is taking us through a journey through climate science and Earth’s climate history. We learn about the carbon cycle, greenhouse gases, atmospheric layers, the ocean and climate, jet streams, and atmospheric and ocean circulations, ice ages, Milankovitch cycles, and other natural cycles. We learn about how and why climate has changed in the past and how we know that we humans are changing it rapidly today, and how climate causes weather. We learn the reasons why we know that the current rapid warming is due to greenhouses and not a natural phenomenon. We learn about the stable climate we’ve had during the last 8,000 years and why it is important that it continues. We learn about how we can know all this stuff. The science is not too difficult and quite interesting.Then the author describes the many bad effects of climate change, extinctions, drought, floods, sea-level rise, bad weather, illnesses, and much more, some of it which we are already observing. He discusses potential solutions, geoengineering and the politics around climate change, treaties, the economy, denial, etc. The book is packed with information. I believe I learned 100’s of new things and I think I was reminded of another 1000 things.I loved the illustrations showing the atmospheric layers and Earth’s natural history. They were a good help for my memory. I like the organization of the book, the useful information, the lucid explanations and good overview. It enhanced my understanding of not just climate science but of several other topics in science and it improved my understanding of how the world works.However, I disagreed with a few of his statements, especially his unfair portrayal of nuclear power. Chernobyl was an RBMK reactor without a containment shield, the monster of a totalitarian state and run accordingly. I also found what he said about nuclear waste, proliferation issues, nuclear safety and economy to be misleading at best. The author was obviously very ignorant of this topic. Personally, I believe that nuclear power must be part of the energy mix as we replace fossil fuels, and that it is nothing to be afraid of. However, I am not going to reduce my five star rating to four stars because of it because it was a very small part of the book, and I liked the rest. I highly recommend this book.

This book was recommended to me by one of Canada's leading advocates for saving the Polar Regions. He told me I should read this book if I wanted to read the best book that has been written on climate change. I was skeptical, but he was right. This is the best book I have found on the subject of climate change.The author, Tim Flannery, is a well recognized scientist himself. He begins the book by discussing his reservations about global warming, how scientists are supposed to be skeptical and how much data must be present before scientific consensus can occur. From there, he explains how he was convinced that climate change was real.In the book, the author starts discussing climate change from many different scientific aspects. Although some of the science is tough, even for science majors such as myself, the specifics of the science involved are used more as examples, allowing readers with less of a scientific background to understand exactly what is being said. The author does a great job of utilizing a number of sciences, including anthropology, biology, chemistry, physics, climatology, meteorology, geology, oceanography and more to prove the argument that climate change exists from every angle.In addition, he does a great job showing how something happening in one place may affect a totally different region of the world. He covers climate change around the globe in a comprehensive manner, and shows how different peoples will be affected.Finally, the author discusses what is being done and by whom. He points out the lack of effort to change in the US, as well as in Australia and other countries. He presents good arguments for the slowing global warming and for the economic benefits that countries would enjoy.This book is the best and most comprehensive I have read on global warming. If you are looking for a book that covers all aspects, this is for you. If you would prefer ranting and raving, don't look here, as there is very little of that present. Finally, if you are in doubt about global warming this book may very well change your mind, or at the very least give you something to think about seriously.

ok for 2nd hand

The Australian scientist Tim Flannery has written this compelling book about global warming not to warn us, but to spur us into action. For action we must take if we want a life on planet earth.Al Gore has produced An Inconvenient Truth and received a lot more publicity. His movie touches on many subjects; Mr Flannery's book fills in the details. And these are details that are important to learn. For instance, An Inconvenient Truth barely mentiions the ocean's coral beds but The Weather Makers describes the shocking death of Austrialia's Great Barrier Reef.Indeed, Australia is probably the country and continent most affected by global warming. Mr Flannery has much first hand experience with the changes, and in such a brief time period. Yet his country, along with the USA, has refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol.Read this book. Recommend it to your family and friends. Change your energy wasting and carbon emitting lifestyle. We are almost out of time.

Must read - before you vote on Sep 20!

Un po'di vecchiotto, ma sempre attuale.

Great read!