Book List – June 2023
One of our Reader’s Advisors has a goal of traveling the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a road trip from Mount Baker near the Canadian border to Lassen Peak in California. If you aren’t that familiar with geology, you might be surprised at the number of volcanoes in the Cascade Mountains along the Pacific coast. Volcanoes are fascinating in their beauty and potential for destruction. We have gathered a list of titles to help you explore a little bit more about earth’s volcanic history and decide if you want to add a road trip down the Pacific coast to your bucket list.
The Earth in Turmoil: Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Their Impact on Humankind by Kerry E. Sieh
This book discusses past seismic and volcanic disasters and hazards, particularly in the western U.S., and potential ways of mitigating damage.
The Edge of Fire: Volcano and Earthquake Country in Western North America and Hawaii by Robert Wenkam
Offers a tour of the geologically unstable Pacific Coast.
Living Mountains: How and Why Volcanoes Erupt by Jacques Kornporbst
Explains the history of volcanoes and the science of eruptions.
Echoes of Fury: The 1980 Eruption of Mount St. Helens and the Lives It Changed forever by Frank Parchman
The author tells a riveting story of terror, survival and recovery through the perspective of eight people whose lives were overwhelmed by the cataclysmic event.
After the Blast: The Ecological Recovery of Mount St. Helens by Eric Loudon Wagner
Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980, leaving behind a 234 square mile wasteland in the blast zone–yet a few weeks later plants were sprouting in the ash. Describes the natural restoration of the area over the decades since. (Unrated)
Unfolding Beauty: Celebrating California’s Landscapes by Terry Beers
Anthology of excerpts pertaining to California reveal the magnificent diversity of landscapes in the state.
And finally, for volcanoes a little closer to home:
Windows Into the earth: The Geologic Story of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks by Robert B. Smith
These two parks are windows into the Earth’s interior. Two final chapters provide driving tours of the parks.
Image Description: Post eruption photo of Mount St. Helens. The snow covered mountain in the background against a blue sky with rolling mist at its base and a field of red and purple wildflowers in the foreground.