The Cloudspotter's Guide
Gavin Pretor-Pinney is a well-known journalist and the co-founder of the English magazine The Idler. He has been obsessed with clouds since he was a child, and he is a former science nerd and Oxford University graduate. His work has appeared in The Telegraph, The Evening Standard, and other publications. Gavin is the founder and chair of The Cloud Appreciation Society, based in London and Somerset.
What causes clouds to form? What makes them look the way they do? And what is it about them that has captivated the imaginations of timeless artists, Romantic poets, and every child who has ever held a crayon? Gavin Pretor-Pinney, a veteran journalist and lifelong sky watcher, reveals everything there is to know about clouds, from history and science to art and pop culture. Cumulus, nimbostratus, and the dramatic and surfable Morning Glory cloud are just a few of the varieties explored in this smart, witty, and eclectic sky tour.
The Cloudspotter's Guide is a witty and eclectic study of clouds that captures the character of these natural phenomena while discussing the science behind the different types of clouds, what they mean in terms of climate and weather, their history, and artistic and cultural fascination with their ephemeral beauty. It is for enthusiasts, weather watchers, and the just plain curious floating on cloud nine.
Pretor-Pinney, founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society, clears up any confusion readers may have about what distinguishes a stratus from a cirrus from a cumulonimbus with a tongue firmly in cheek and more than a little irony. He begins at the bottom, at sea level, and discusses the different types of clouds that form at each level of the atmosphere. The result is an entertaining and enlightening journey through the heavenly vapors that draws on classical poetry, physics, geekery, and pop culture. Despite this unlikely mix, Pretor-Pinney succeeds in fleshing out nuances and making difficult concepts like convection, advection, condensation, and atmospheric optics understandable to almost any reader. Hundreds of illustrations, cloud photos (including one that looks like two cats dancing and another that looks like Thor hurling a lightning bolt), and diagrams showing the anatomy and lifecycles of clouds have been included by the author. A chapter on the human effects on clouds and a narrative about the author's pursuit of the "Morning Glory," which he calls "the most spectacular cloud in the world," round out the volume. Pretor-Pinney makes learning about clouds fun by combining self-deprecating humor and hard science.
Author: Gavin Pretor-Pinney
Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/Cloudspotters-Guide-Science-History-Culture/dp/0399533451/
Ratings: 4.7 out of 5 stars (from 386 reviews)
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