Restless Skies: The Ultimate Weather Book

Overall, I think Restless Skies is a terrific, informative book that is easy to read. It is broken into short segments- this definitely helps to keep the reader's attention. Even if you don't have much time to spare, it only takes a few minutes to read a section or two within the chapters. The simplicity of the language that the book is written in also aids in holding the reader's interest. You don't need to be a meteorologist to understand what Douglas is saying. I feel that the sidebars and tidbits of weather trivia found throughout the book are what really set this book apart from most weather books. They add that little bit of extra information that the other books don't always include. The photography is first-rate, and the pictures are thoughtfully placed relevantly throughout the reading. This also ties in with the text- the entire book is well-organized. I found this book incredibly informative, attention-grabbing, and I would recommend Restless Skies to anyone who is evenly mildly interested in learning more about weather.

This is a great book for people mildly interested in weather phenomena all the way to hard core 'weather junkies'. Paul Douglas, who is very popular in the Twin Cities, covers a wide range of weather topics, focusing on extreme weather conditions that grip our attention, like tornadoes and hurricanes, and even addresses politically sensitive issues like global warming. His style is sufficiently scientific to satisfy serious weather buffs, yet the book is an easy read. I learned a lot of details about weather phenomena that actually should help me understand the next extreme weather situation in my area. The photos are spectacular. My kids, who study weather in elementary school, really enjoy the book too. Cool photos.

It was the name, Paul Douglas, that caught my attention. I remembered seeing him many years ago on Ted Kopple's Nightline. Then, not very long ago, I watched him doing a guest stint on CBS' morning show. Friends, who I visited in Minneapolis this summer, pointed out that he is considered to be the best television meteorologist in the Twin Cities. So, based on what I knew about him I bought the book - and I was not disappointed. On over 250 pages the author packs a wealth of information, enhanced by hundreds of excellent illustrations. There is no technical jargon in this book. This is not a textbook. Doulas has the gift of explaining complex phenomena in simple layman's language. It covers case histories from hurricanes in Florida, ice storms in the Northeast to the 1995 heat storm in Chicago. In light of last year's four hurricanes in Florida and this year's devastation by Katrina and Rita in the South, the two chapters on hurricanes and tornadoes alone are worth the price of admission. The attractive book is in a large format, the kind you may not want to stick on your bookhelf, but place on a coffee table. Because many will want to look through it, and probably wind up ordering it

I purchased Restless Skies last Christmas and kept it on my coffee table to read through, refer to and admire the photos. It was not just a coffee table book but also became a great resource for the wild and unpredictable weather we all seem to experience. Over the course of the year family and friends who were visiting me would often pick up the book and begin reading through it more and more. I then decided that I would start giving Restless Skies as gifts to my friends and family for birthdays and other gift giving occasions The genuine and sincere number of thank you's that I have received for giving this gift could fill a book in its own right. They not only love the information contained in it but the writing style of Paul Douglas the author and the photography ties the whole package together. It is rare to find a great book that can double not only as a resource but have so many awesome photos in it that qualifies for the coffee table in the den or living room. Restless Skies does it for me and all the folks that we bought it for. A great book and a great read - definitely a keeper!

Restless Skies lives up to its subtitle: The Ultimate Weather Book. I got this book on impulse at the library, and now have to order copies for myself and my brother. Paul Douglas explains everything a layman would want to know about weather, including what to do in every possible situation. From rainbows and black ice to hurricanes and blizzards, all explained in delightfully easy prose. Photographs and illustrations generously pack these pages. Numerous sidebars provide interesting trivia and information to supplement the major sections. I especially appreciate the explanations of what weathermen mean by various terms...like the difference between "storm watch" and "storm warning", and the difference between "partly cloudy" and "partly sunny".This book is worth getting for the photographs alone, but if you take the time to read it (it's developed in nice coffee break-size segments), you'll discover the answers to all sorts of things you've wondered about over the years. It's really fun!My one gripe is the inclusion of the Johnstown Flood in the Top 15 U.S. Weather and Climate Disasters -- I just don't think a poorly maintained dam breaking qualifies.