Super Volcanoes

September 15, 2021
A fine introduction to a spectacular geological phenomenon. A London-based science journalist with a doctorate in volcanology, Andrews chronicles his interviews with numerous working scientists as well as his travels to observe half a dozen volcanoes in action. He pauses regularly to explain their mechanics, history, and (often inaccurate) popular mythology and to note famous eruptions in the past. The author begins with the catastrophic 1902 Mount Pel�e eruption on the Caribbean island of Martinique, which killed 30,000. Then Andrews moves on to the more familiar Mount Kilauea in Hawaii, whose massive, well-publicized 2018 lava outpouring killed no one but destroyed hundreds of houses before flowing into the ocean and adding several hundred acres to the island. That eruption, writes the author, "reminded scientists that volcanoes are still more enigmatic than they are familiar [and] reminded the world that volcanic eruptions are both the privilege and price many pay for existing on a living planet whose innards are still burning." After a few other examples, including a genuine supervolcano that makes up the entire Yellowstone National Park, Andrews delivers an impressive geologic education that includes illuminating lessons on plate tectonics, deep sea eruptions, and the origin of life itself. At this point, less than halfway through the text, the author leaves the Earth and devotes the remaining chapters to the moon, a dead world full of primordial volcanic features; Mars, home to the biggest volcanoes known to science; and Venus, fiercely hot and covered with basalt and awash in volcanoes, most likely active. Andrews does not ignore other solar system bodies, many of which display a dazzling variety of fiery geology. It turns out that forming any celestial body larger than a moonlet requires volcanism--one bit of knowledge among countless others in this fascinating scientific adventure. Everything you ever wanted to know about volcanoes in expert hands.

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Starred review from October 1, 2021

"It's Volcano Day!" says The Doctor in the Doctor Who episode "The Fires of Pompeii." Like the charismatic time-traveling hero of the popular British series who takes his companion back to that fateful day in 79 A.D., this book by science journalist Andrews escorts readers on an adventure through space and time to the many volcanoes inhabiting this world and beyond. For each of the volcanoes or volcanic regions the book covers, Andrews explains the scientific and historical significance. He recounts volcanic events that were destructive to human populations, such as the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa in Indonesia, which killed 36,000, and the 2018 eruption of Kilauea which wreaked havoc on Hawai'i's infrastructure. The author, who has a PhD in volcanology, also shares his enthusiasm for awe-inspiring super volcanoes (those with the largest magnitude of explosivity), such as the Yellowstone Caldera. Andrews guides readers as far as outer space, to the volcanic landscapes of the Moon, Mars, and Venus. VERDICT With references to pop culture (like Doctor Who) and a literary flair, this is the Baedeker of volcanoes, guiding readers through the world of volcanology.--Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL

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Starred review from October 25, 2021
“Volcanoes are capable of doing things that verge on the supernatural,” writes journalist Andrews in his enlightening debut. Volcanoes have a “terrible reputation” of being destructive, and in service of putting them in a new light, Andrews takes readers on a tour of some strange and fascinating examples of “the magic they make and the secrets they unearth.” He covers Kilauea, the volcano in Hawaii that erupted in 2018, as well as the supervolcano that gave rise to Yellowstone National Park between 17 million and 2 million years ago. Andrews also spotlights Ol Doinyo Lengai, a volcano in Tanzania that he describes as “one of the most peculiar... in the entire solar system” because it spews out black lava, plus a slew of undersea volcanoes more active than those found on land. There are also volcanoes on Mars, Venus, and the moons of Jupiter, he shows, and suggests that studying these interstellar volcanoes can “help us ask better questions about the universe.” Andrews does a superb job making complex geology accessible to more casual readers, and offers vivid descriptions of the forces behind both active and ancient volcanoes. As entertaining as it is informative, this is science writing done right.