The Science and Wonders of the Atmosphere

I really don't understand why introductory meteorology textbooks, especially one of this caliber, have an extremely short shelf life. Gedzelman's "Science and Wonders of the Atmosphere" was published around 1980 and stuck it out for about four years before withering into the annals of "out of print" status. However, the author has written a masterpiece, boldly exploring different facets of operational meteorology, weather and the arts, and human impact in a very lighthearted, succinct style. This book is so "user friendly" that it allowed me to master thermodynamic diagrams and hydrostatic fundamentals when I was only 13 years old! The physics and forecasting aspects are still as fresh in 2003 as in 1980. However the book suffers from storm forecasting theory that appears to be rooted in the 1940s and 1950s, drawing mainly on the works of Byers and older Fujita material, and of course it was published too early to benefit from the impact that America's next-generation radar network brought just ten years later. Still, this is an exceptional work of art, and the vivid illustrations will satisfy even the most challenged science reader. For those who enjoy meteorology texts but are not satisfied by the current crop of books, finding a used copy of Science and Wonders of the Atmosphere will be sure to please.