The USA Today Weather Book: An Easy-to-Understand Guide to the USA's Weather by Raphael Sagalyn, Inc - 1997-05-05

Vintage, 1997-05-05. Paperback. Very Good. 0679736697 From Publishers WeeklyThe oft-disparaged USA Today has influenced the American press most notably in its thorough, graphic approach to weather. This book, written by the founding editor of the newspaper's weather page and illustrated by its artists, taps that expertise. Useful both as a reference work and a browse, the book presents a wealth of information, making complex ideas--such as why wind directions change with altitude--accessible through colorful maps and graphics. Chapters cover everything from storms to droughts, with a look at weather forecasting as well as the diversity of our country's weather. The chapters include interesting tidbits such as the effect of heat on an airplane's takeoff distance and the importance of seeking higher ground during a flood. Boxed sidebars examine weather disasters and profile weather scientists such as Jack Parrish, who flies into hurricanes to study them. In the margins Williams offers weather factoids such as Eskimo names for snow. Only infrequently does the newspaper's cutesy style grate, such as in a graphic headlined "Inside the Sun: Our Life-Giving Inferno." Included are a glossary and weather record for all 50 states.Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.From Library JournalMost people are familiar with the colorful maps and other graphics used on the weather page of USA Today . This book, by one of the founders of that page, supplies the background to better understand weather maps and a multitude of weather phenomena. As one might expect, the illustrations are outstanding and the text is readable and up to date. But the text is meaty as well. This is a very good detailed introduction to the field, complementary to David M. Ludlum's The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Weather (Knopf, 1991). The only negative aspect of the book is its narrow inner margins, making rebinding a problem. Recommended for public and high school libraries.- Joseph Hannibal, Cleveland Museum of Natural HistoryClean, tight and unmarke; slight corner bump.