"A Furious Sky" by Eric Jay Dolin is a riveting and comprehensive exploration of the history of hurricanes in the United States. In this meticulously researched book, Dolin takes readers on a journey through centuries of devastating storms, from the earliest recorded hurricanes to the modern era of meteorology and disaster preparedness.

History exists through everything, even the weather. This look at the history of the United States, even before its founding, through the destructive forces wrought by historical hurricanes provides an interesting analysis of how meteorology and transportation evolved around the coastlines. I especially enjoyed learning about the Hurricane Hunters, the planes whose crew risked their lives to gather readings of the storms by flying into them and thereby providing scientists on the ground with significant data on the nature of storm systems. Also the naming system we have today is the work of mid-twentieth century feminists whose actions led to the alternate naming system we have in place due to the derogatory terminology used for storm systems with female names.

A Furious Sky also reminds us that we’re only human and have to hang on when a storms a-brewin’.

What is a hurricane? A picture immediately forms in your mind, especially if you’ve experienced even just the peripheral fury of such a storm. Moist, warm air. Swirling, violent wind. Torrential downpours. Colossal waves. Swells of flood water. A tranquil eye that belies even greater devastation as the storm passes over. Yet, as with many questions, there is no simple answer, and the power of even just an average hurricane unleashes the same energy as 10,000 nuclear bombs. Within the pages of A Furious Sky, Dolin not only tackles the answer to this question, but also discusses the evolution of these storms and our ability to monitor and forecast them. At the same time, he takes us on a gut-wrenching journey through five centuries of history to experience hurricanes that have struck America and to meet individuals who experienced the devastating wrath of Mother Nature.

Dolan focuses on three aspects of hurricanes in this book: the storm as it approaches and makes landfall, its impact on individuals and places, and the response of people and government immediately after it passes. The story opens on 26 June 1957, just before Audrey came ashore in Louisiana. Her sustained winds were 145 miles an hour. She brought with her a storm surge of twelve feet and waves as high as fifteen feet. She took the lives of about 500 people, left 5,000 others homeless, and tore apart almost every building in Cameron Parish, resulting in losses of between $150,000,000 and $200,000,000. To create a more poignant account than just a recitation of facts, Dolan introduces us to specific people whose lives are forever changed. In this case, Dr. Cecil and Sybil Clark. By doing so, we experience viscerally their harrowing ordeal and the tragic events that unfold.

While this is not a comprehensive account of every hurricane to strike America, Dolan does a commendable job choosing those of particular interest to many of us. The earliest storms have neither names nor scale ratings, but they are significant nonetheless. Among these are the 1609 hurricane that is believed to have been the inspiration for William Shakespeare’s The Tempest; the dire experience of two men during the Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635, one whose family would play leading roles in New England religion and politics; and the hurricane that destroyed Spain’s Treasure Fleet of 1715, which influenced piratical history during what has become known as the golden age of piracy. Among the many other hurricanes explored in this book are the Galveston Hurricane of 1900; the Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935; Hugo; Isabel; Carol, Edna, Hazel, and Connie – the first storms to have their names retired; Camille; Andrew; Iniki; Katrina; Sandy; and from the “season that wouldn’t quit,” Harvey, Irma, and Maria.

A New and Violent World; The Law of Storms; Seeing into the Future; Obliterated; Death and Destruction in the Sunshine State; The Great Hurricane of 1938; Into, Over, and Under the Maelstrom; A Rogues’ Gallery; and Stormy Weather Ahead – these are the chapters that enlighten and inform us about the storms themselves, the history of weather forecasting, and scientific discoveries and technology associated with hurricanes. Dolan incorporates a plethora of firsthand quotations throughout the narrative, as well as peppering it with illustrations related to specific hurricanes, such as before and after a storm passed over a particular place. There is also a center section of color artwork, charts, photographs, and satellite images. In addition to a section of notes at the end of the book, which provide citations and additional information, he also provides footnotes throughout the book to explain important details at the bottom of some pages. The appendix consists of two tables that rank the costliest hurricanes. There are also a select bibliography and an index.

A Furious Sky is a spellbinding look at the history of hurricanes that have struck America. What makes this an even more vital addition to the study of hurricanes is that Dolan doesn’t examine each storm in a void. Instead, he shows the profound impact each has had on people and places, as well as how they have shaped our country. This journey encompasses hurricanes from Christopher Columbus’s voyages of discovery to Maria’s decimation of Puerto Rico. He presents scientific concepts in easy-to-understand language that keeps us just as interested as the visceral survivors’ accounts. He introduces us to unlikely heroes – some well-known, like Dan Rather whose coverage of one storm to hit Texas forever changed the way hurricanes are reported in the media; others forgotten, like Father Benito Viñes, a Jesuit who helped save many people in the 1800s because of his fascination with these storms. Dolan’s masterful storytelling intertwines weather, history, politics, invention, and technology in a way that leaves us with a “you are there” feeling. It is an experience not to be missed and not soon forgotten.

Read if you: Want a history of hurricanes with an engaging narrative.

Coming out just in time for the height of the 2020 hurricane season, this is a gripping, at times horrifying, look at hurricanes (ending with Hurricane Maria). While the science of hurricane development is discussed, so are the advancement in forecasting, preparation, as well as tragic mistakes and outright racism in dealing with the storms and the aftermath. A fascinating read.

Librarians/booksellers: A must purchase for your meteorology fans.

(Note: The date for Katrina landfall is incorrectly identified as 1992 at one point--hopefully, this will be caught before actual publication.)

Many thanks to Liveright and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Attempting to cover 500 years of history in a single volume is ambitious, no matter the topic, but Eric Jay Dolin does an impressive job of being both thorough and efficient in his examination of five centuries of American interactions with hurricanes. There are the expected jaw-dropping numbers and mind-blowing photos, but Dolin also effectively incorporates the history of forecasting into his book, alongside personal stories that help illustrate the impact of each storm he examines. A Furious Sky is engaging throughout, and often viscerally upsetting in its discussion of the costs of -- and responses to -- storms. Perhaps most impressively, Dolin comfortably engages with the political tensions surrounding a number of the storms, foregrounding accuracy of reporting over concern about offended people who object to the fact he's reporting (be it about Katrina, Maria, or a number of earlier storms).

Thanks to NetGalley and W.W. Norton for the ARC.

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