Dangerous Earth

I really enjoyed this book. It has the right mix of narrative and hard science, adding a bit of wonder to the extremes of our world. I learned a lot and I feel like this is an easily accessible way to get an intro to environmental science.

Very good book about environmental science and natural disasters. Each chapter is centered around a destructive force - volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes, tsunamis. Dr Prager mentions "famous" examples for each catastrophe and describes the unknown factors and complexity of the mechanisms that make it so hard to accurately predict natural disasters.

***I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***

This is an interesting and important read for anyone, but it could be difficult for non-science folks to follow at times. What I loved in particular was the authors ability to compare common things to things we might not be able to comprehend. For example, the size of the ice shelf or glaciers. Without seeing them, you might not be able to understand how huge they really are. But when the author compares it to the size of Delaware, it puts it into perspective.
I also loved that while this is a scientific book, it didn’t feel like a mundane textbook and there are even some bits of humor in it.
This is a really important read to understand the global crisis we all are facing and the author did a great job laying it out.

This was a fantastic crash course in all things natural and climatology related disasters. This got to me almost as much as Uninhabitable Earth which was a late read for me in 2019. I think perhaps these two books should be read together for a better understanding about disasters that effect the planet because each is scientific, fact-based and well researched. I'm really trying to educate myself through reading and books like this about natural and climatology disasters which are closely related. I find it scary, shocking and fascinating all at the same time.

This makes me want to read Ellen Prager's other nonfiction works if it is as good as this one and related. Highly suggested for people that want to learn about climate change and natural disasters related to the planet like myself.

Thanks to NetGalley, Ellen Prager, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC!

In Ellen Prager's "Dangerous Earth" readers are guided through chapters dedicated to threats we fear: climate change, volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and rogue waves. Prager also includes sobering facts about the loss of permafrost, rising ocean temperatures, coral death, mud flows, earthquake swarms, landslides, rip currents, and sinkholes. Each chapter includes famous examples of these events, what knowledge science has about these events, and concludes by outlining what we don't know. Discussing the gaps in our knowledge, Prager writes: "Maybe the biggest unknown is this: what will we do? Will emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases be reduced, hold steady, or escalate? Will policies be put in place to promote the development of carbon-capturing technologies and the use of alternative energies? People were ingenious enough to discover and take advantage of fossil fuels; we are equally capable now of fixing the problems burning carbon has led to. But it is going to take political will and fundamental changes to society and our way of life." If this seems grim, readers will be happy to know that we do learn and improve with each disaster. modifying prediction models, increasing evacuation times, adding new technology (like drones), and helping to prevent damage and save lives.

If Earth had a free will and the ability to make choices, it might almost seem that at times our world strikes back in retribution. In reality, complacency on our part can invite disaster. “Dangerous Earth” by Dr. Ellen Prager takes us on a journey through the many different ways our world can show off its power.

A book like this could be dry and merely repeat all the right statistics, describing in detail what has happened and what could occur in the future. Dr. Prager injects the feeling of danger in each chapter, and at times it feels like one disaster movie after another. From hurricanes to volcanoes to earthquakes to mudslides, the lessons of the past are laid in front of us. The author discusses how each disaster comes about, explaining without getting bogged down in a mountain of technical terms. One can expect to learn a bit of history along with the facts and suggestions of how to keep yourself safe in the future.

I warn all non-believers of climate change that there is an entire chapter devoted to it, and roughly 25% of the book touches on the subject. As with all the other chapters, Dr. Prager is passionate about her work, and presents a strong argument for those who believe climate change is a hoax.

There is a huge “Further Reading” section in the back of the book, listing the books/articles/websites the author used. The entries are alphabetized within each chapter heading, making it easy to research the original information.

I thoroughly enjoyedf this book. It had all the information of a well-written textbook written in an entertaining form. This can be a challenge, and Dr. Prager handles it wonderfully. Five stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and University of Chicago Press for a complimentary ebook of this title.

Ms. Ellen Prager, a marine scientist formerly with the University of Miami’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, in her engaging and at times downright scary book, sets out what the scientific community both knows and does not know with regard to natural calamities. The violent forces of Nature covered by Ms. Prager in her book are Tsunamis, Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Hurricanes - not necessarily in that order.

Although the book comes with some spectacular illustrations, I could not enjoy any of them since my review was based on an Advance Reviewer Copy, but the gripping narrative more than made up for such a loss. Ms. Prager begins every Chapter with a monumental "trigger" event before dwelling in depth upon the scientific details of the catastrophe itself. The detailed narration on the melting of the Arctic glacier and the eruption on Mount St Helena make for some remarkable reading!