Volcanoes in America's National Parks

While I really enjoyed this book, the chapters were only several pages long and consisted of little more than brief, impersonal histories of the various parks and their volcanoes. Included are numerous photos. So this is essentially a coffee-table book in tradepaperback format.The following parks are featured in this book:Hawaii Volcanoes National ParkMount St. Helens National Volcanic MonumentLassen Volcanic National ParkAniakchak National Monument and PreserveKatmai National Park and PreserveLake Clark National Park and PreserveWrangell--St. Elias National Park and PreserveHaleakala National ParkMount Rainier National ParkCrater Lake National ParkNewberry National Volcanic MonumentLava Beds National MonumentDevils Postpile National MonumentDeath Valley National ParkMojave National PreserveCraters of the Moon National MonumentYellowstone National ParkCapulin Volcano National MonumentEl Malpais National MonumentSunset Crater Volcano National MonumentThere are also chapters dealing with general aspects and features of volcanic activity.Overall, a good book.

When it comes to volcanoes, Robert and Barbara Decker know their stuff. If someone wants one reference on volcanoes, I recommend Volcanoes by the Deckers. Volcanoes In America's National Parks is an excellent addition to the literature of volcanoes AND the literature of America's parks. The book covers all the National Parks, Monuments, and Preserves in the United States that have current, recent, or extinct volcanoes and volcanic activity. Part One of the book is a section that covers the basics of volcanoes. Then the book takes each Park, Monument, and Preserve one by one. Part Two takes on the parks with volcanoes that have current or recent volcanic activity, such as Hawaii Volcanoes National Park [Kilauea is most likely erupting as I type this review] and Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument [the memorable eruption in 1980]. Part Three covers the parks with more ancient volcanic activity, such as Yellowstone National Park [a place teetering on the edge of erupting some day and moving into Part Two] and the Mojave National Preserve [a park I fought hard to get and one of my favorite places to explore - especially the cinder cones near Cima and the eroded volcanic tuffs of Hole-In-The-Wall]. Each park gets a generous description and an excellent map. I've been to about half of the parks described and I'm familiar with many of the rest, and the Deckers do an entertaining and accurate job with those parks. Part Four covers parks with less direct connections to volcanoes, such as Yosemite National Park [ancient magma chamber] and Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument [ancient critters killed, buried, and preserved by volcanic ash]. Part Four is one of the nicer features of the book, since the parks mentioned often have too tenuous a connection to volcanoes for many authors to include them in this kind of write up. As an earth science educator, I appreciate the inclusion of Part Four, because it makes Volcanoes In America's National Parks a most complete volcanic education. The book is a 5 star plus and the only way I could see the Deckers improving it would be to bring out a second edition that gives the parks mentioned in Part Four the same one by one treatment as the other parks mentioned. I recommend this book to anybody with an interest in volcanoes and especially for folks with a desire to get out in the field and learn their volcanology first hand.