It took me a long time to read this book - to a) get around to it, and then b) to get through it - but that is entirely on me, and not the book. (My reading has been horribly impaired the past few years (i.e., life sucks).) This was a fascinating whirlwind ride (see what I did there?) (yes, obviously my review writing is impaired as well) through the eighteen miles that separates you, sitting there reading this, from the cold vacuum of space. Eighteen miles - about the distance of my previous commute; it's not a great deal standing between life on Earth and an absence thereof.

And frequently, somewhere on the planet, in addition to protecting us, that thin shield is also trying to kill us.

It was these two aspects to our atmosphere - its fragility and its occasional viciousness - that really brought home to me how rare Earth is, how unlikely. This breathable atmosphere which makes life possible is the end result of an evolution not unlike humanity's, in which a different path taken at any point could have meant this place looked more like Mars than a blue marble. The odds against a similar evolution taking place on another planet feel a lot steeper now that I have a better understanding (but, I insist, it's not impossible).

This is a terrific book, written so that even someone as non-scientific as me can keep up, without anything being dumbed down, and filled with stories of those who have adventured in meteorology. Highly recommended.

Excellent and entertaining look at the atmosphere

I enjoyed this book. Christopher Dewdney wrote a fascinating and accessible book about Earth’s atmosphere and weather, including a fair amount of history. He uses a conversational tone but with what I felt to be some haughtiness, but this didn’t significantly affect my enjoyment of the book. I found this book to be much better than Windswept by Marq de Villiers. I recommend Dewdney’s effort for anyone interested in science.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.