When the volcano Tambora erupted in Indonesia in 1815, as many
as 100,000 people perished as a result of the blast and an ensuing
famine caused by the destruction of rice fields on Sumbawa and
neighboring islands. Gases and dust particles ejected into the
atmosphere changed weather patterns around the world, resulting in
the infamous ''year without a summer'' in North America, food riots
in Europe, and a widespread cholera epidemic. And the gloomy
weather inspired Mary Shelley to write the gothic novel
"Frankenstein."
This book tells the story of nine such epic volcanic events,
explaining the related geology for the general reader and exploring
the myriad ways in which the earth's volcanism has affected human
history. Zeilinga de Boer and Sanders describe in depth how
volcanic activity has had long-lasting effects on societies,
cultures, and the environment. After introducing the origins and
mechanisms of volcanism, the authors draw on ancient as well as
modern accounts--from folklore to poetry and from philosophy to
literature. Beginning with the Bronze Age eruption that caused the
demise of Minoan Crete, the book tells the human and geological
stories of eruptions of such volcanoes as Vesuvius, Krakatau, Mount
Pelee, and Tristan da Cunha. Along the way, it shows how volcanism
shaped religion in Hawaii, permeated Icelandic mythology and
literature, caused widespread population migrations, and spurred
scientific discovery.
From the prodigious eruption of Thera more than 3,600 years ago
to the relative burp of Mount St. Helens in 1980, the results of
volcanism attest to the enduring connections between geology and
human destiny."
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