Melting the Earth: The History of Ideas on Volcanic Eruptions

This is a terrific book, but I'm going to have to find another copy before I can read Chapter 15 (Radioactive Heat and Convection). My copy suffers from a serious bookbinding error, in which pages 197-228 are missing and pages 165-196 are repeated. (The second page 165 follows the first page 196, and page 229 follows the second page 196.) I also have a couple of nits to pick that I would have expected the editors at Oxford University Press to catch before the book reached print. (1) Early in the book, Homer and Ulysses are referred to in a sequence of two sentences which suggests that Ulysses was a character in Homer's work, which he wasn't. Ulysses stars in Virgil's Latin epic "The Aeneid", which borrows heavily from Homer's Greek epic "The Odyssey", starring Odysseus. So the discerning reader is left not knowing whether the subsequent quotation is from Homer's Odyssey or from Virgil's Aeneid.(2) Early in the book, the assassination of Julius Caesar is referred to as the death of the Romans' emperor. But Julius Caesar was never emperor. He was assassinated to prevent him from becoming king. His adopted son Octavian invented the title of emperor ("imperator" = commander) years later--specifically to avoid offending the Romans' aversion to kings--when he had defeated his own rivals and had assumed absolute power in Rome as Caesar Augustus.(3) The conversion from a temperature _difference_ of 3 Celsius degrees into a temperature _difference_ of 37.5 Fahrenheit degrees is completely wrong. It incorrectly includes the 32-Fahrenheit-degree offset for the freezing temperature of water (32F = 0 C), which isn't involved at all in a temperature-difference conversion. The correct conversion is to a temperature difference of 5.5 Fahrenheit degrees. The conversion of a Celsius temperature _level_ to a Fahrenheit temperature _level_ on the same page is done correctly, however. I suspect that the erroneous conversion was done by a literary editor who wasn't as familiar with temperature scales as I am sure the author must be.But these are minor (though annoying) editorial flaws in a well-written, enlightening book. I recommend it highly.Now, if I can just get my hands on pages 197-228 somewhere....-)

Two of my favorite subjects are history and geology, so this was a double treat for me, since it's sort of a history of geology! Sigurdsson has created a marvelous compendium of sources on the subject of volcanism from mythologies among people native to areas of techtonic activity through Roman authors on the natural sciences to European and American scientists and philosophers into the early 20th Century. Probably one of the most significant things I discovered in reading the book was the underlying cause for the distain of the average person for the "rational" approach of the scientist. In laying before me the various theories for the cause of volcanism and earthquakes, Sigurdsson indirectly makes it clear that the "logical" assumptions of men of science can prove to be wrong, and the best research--for the technology of the time--can still lead to erroneous evaluations shaped by preconceived notions of the world, whether those concepts are biblico/religious ideology or a strongly held school of scientific thinking. Only by reading the entire book does one realize, also indirectly, that the scientific method of enquirey is the only way of gaining ground on the principles underlying natural processes. While the various authors of different theories may be in part or even entirely wrong, it is only through the testing and retesting of theories against the sterling measure of reality, that a clearer, working model of how nature works will arise. What is truely amazing is that so many early thinkers came to have at least a partial understanding of volcanism and of planetary and solar formation in modern terms. Also impressive were the novel approaches to experimental geology that were acheived. Many of the early investigators were truely creative people. Sigurdsson appears to be very well read, and his appreciation of the value of the visual documentary record, in forms such as pre-literate paintings and woodcut and engraved illustrations from rare books, is impressive and worthy of an individual trained in historical research rather than in the sciences. For anyone with an interest in geology, an interest in history, or simply someone who appreciates a good job of research, this is an excellant volume. It would also be a useful starting point for research on most other topics in the history of science, as many of the better resources are mentioned in the text and in the bibliographic entries for each chapter at the end of it. Some of the latter are in German, French or Italian, although many are in English translation in Sigurdsson's citing or can be found in English translations elsewhere.

Haraldur Sigurdsson's work, Melting the Earth: the history of ideas on volcanic eruptions, is a rare blend of art, history and scientific research. Writing with an ease that belies profound historical and scientific research, the author explores centuries-old myths and theories about why volcanoes erupt, offers well-researched scientific explanations about volcanic activity, and provides us with philosophical inspirations about man's constant intrigue with the magic of nature. Beautifully complemented with art and photography, this work is easily understood by those of us whose only knowledge of volcanoes is having lived in the shadow of one.Cecile Comp, Caribbean volcanic island native

Dr. Sigurdsson has woven a superbly documented and wonderfully informative chronical of volcanic phenomena and theory. In Melting the Earth: The History of Ideas on Volcanic Eruptions, Sigurdsson introduces us to ancient philosophers and contemporary scientists alike. We learn of the Earth's volcanic dynamos: Thera, Etna, Vesuvius, (to mention a few)--from the events leading up to their explosive eruptions, environmental effcts. Dr. Sigurdsson has compiled a true treasure a preeminent source book on the history of volcanic theory make for provocative reading, causing, awe and respect for this fearsome force of nature. Led by Dr. Sigurdsson's love of the subject and his apt narrative style, we come away educated, entertained, and hungry for more.

Why do volcanoes erupt? Humans have struggled with this question for many thousands of years, no doubt ever since our ancient ancestors first saw the beauty and power of volcanic eruptions. There are other books available that will tell the reader what we now know about volcanoes, but this is the first book that describes how we have come to understand how they work. It is a wonderful and rare type of book, as it combines history, philosophy, science, and art. The illustrations, many from old lithographs, are very well reproduced. Some come from unlikely sources such as "The Travels of Baron Munchausen". Munchausen's author, the brilliant rogue Rudolph Raspe, was in fact a student of volcanoes and made some significant contributions before his bad behavior led to his disgrace. His story is just one of the many fascinating tales in Melting the Earth. I know this book well, as I reviewed the original manuscript. I am very pleased to see it published and have no hesitation to recommend it to all readers interested in volcanoes, including professional volcanologists and students. Dr. Rosaly Lopes-Gautier