Description
Reviews
"Filled with tender mercies that show the heart and humanism of those whose passion sends them into peril in the name of science." --Daily Southtown.
"This wonderful book has several subjects; volcanology, natural disasters and human behavior, heroism, and the life of one particular man. This is an engrossing read that is absorbingly suspenseful, despite the fact that readers know the outcome. David Johnston, the hero of the story, is a multi-dimensional, complex character. Holmes shows an understanding of human psychology and has a gift for evoking personality with a few verbal gestures. We come to know David Johnston and the part he plays in the human drama surrounding Mount St. Helens. Unforgettable."--Mary V. Dearborn, author of Ernest Hemingway: A Biography.
"This wonderful book has several subjects; volcanology, natural disasters and human behavior, heroism, and the life of one particular man. This is an engrossing read that is absorbingly suspenseful, despite the fact that readers know the outcome. David Johnston, the hero of the story, is a multi-dimensional, complex character. Holmes shows an understanding of human psychology and has a gift for evoking personality with a few verbal gestures. We come to know David Johnston and the part he plays in the human drama surrounding Mount St. Helens. Unforgettable."--Mary V. Dearborn, author of Ernest Hemingway: A Biography.
From the NAGT, dated July 2019:
"This book is accessible to anyone. While the focus...is on the life and work of a geologist, the narrative does not rely on heavy scientific jargon that would turn away someone who does not work in the field... Holmes describes the months leading up to the eruption of Mount St. Helens with a scientific and political approach, blending the two into a unique perspective that illustrates the struggles scientists can have when trying to communicate with the public. This method of storytelling is something that would easily appeal to anyone with an interest in the dynamics of planet Earth."