Divine Wind: The Hurricane in History, Art, and Science — Kerry A. Emanuel

It is said that a 17th-century hurricane led William Shakespeare to write "The Tempest." If so, the timing of that storm means that it was probably also responsible for the British colonization of Bermuda, which occurred when a ship headed for Jamestown, Va., was blown off course to the island. Author Emanuel, a hurricane expert and professor of Earth, atmospheric, and planetary science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, offers many more examples of how hurricanes and typhoons have altered human history. In 1274, a typhoon prevented the invasion and probable conquest of Japan by the Mongol king Kublai Khan. Emanuel's book covers this ground as well as the science of great storms, such as what makes hurricanes powerful and deadly. The book is illustrated with both historical and recent photographs of storms and their aftermath, as well as with beautiful paintings of storms by famous artists. Oxford University Press, 2005, 304 p., color photos and illus., hardcover, $40.00.

ISBN: 0195149416: Click here to order Divine Wind on Barnes & Noble.com.