Editorial Review:
The legendary annihilation in 1883 of the volcano-island of Krakatoa -- the name has since become a by-word for a cataclysmic disaster -- was followed by an immense tsunami that killed nearly 40,000 people. Beyond the purely physical horrors of an event which has only very recently become properly understood, the eruption changed the world in more ways than could possibly be imagined. Dust swirled round the world for years, causing temperatures to plummet and sunsets to turn vivid with lurid and unsettling displays of lght. The effects of the immense waves were felt as far away as France. Barometers in Bogota and Washington went haywire. Bodies were washed up in Zanzibar. The sound of island's destruction was heard in Australia and India and on islands thousands of miles away. Most significantly of all -- in view of today's new political climate -- the eruption helped to trigger a wave of murderous anti-western militancy by fundamentalist Muslims in Java: one of the first eruptions of Islamic killings anywhere. Simon Winchester's long experience in world wandering, as well as his knowledge of history and geology, gives us an entirely new perspective on this fascinating and iconic event as he brings it tellingly back to life.
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Customer Reviews
Average Customer Rating: 
Read About a "World Event"  2008-11-08
In "Krakatoa" author Simon Winchester examines the great explosion of August 27, 1883 from all angles, including historical, scientific, social, political and religious. He starts by explaining the social structure in the Dutch East Indies at the time. He then goes on to explain the scientific explanations for what happened and why. A fascinating portion is the story of the scientific studies which recorded the effects of the blast including water waves thousands of miles away and the air wave which circled the globe seven times during the first fifteen days. As the book progresses he impact the blast had on the natives and Europeans living in the area. He eventually suggests that the rise in Muslim devotion in the Dutch East Indies may have been the result of a fundamentalist turn to Allah after the catastrophe. The book ends by chronicling the volcanic activity and the island at the site of Krakatoa in the years since the explosion.
Krakatoa was the first major natural catastrophe to occur after the network of underground cables united the world. This made it a "World Event" which has fascinated readers ever since. I had long heard of Krakatoa and appreciate the opportunity to gain a better understanding it and its implications. It raised an interest in other scientific histories and the history of the Dutch East Indies. A book than can do that merits a recommendation.
Winchester misfires  2008-08-03
Gratuitous slaps at creation science didn't help to positively influence my opinion of this book, but ultimately this book just wasn't as well-written as expected from Winchester, renowned as he is for his popular scientific treatments such as
--The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of The Oxford English Dictionary
--A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906
The book takes too long to get going with too many side trails from the main subject that are only marginally interesting.
In the side trails that are of interest, we learn that
--amateur weather observers indulging in their newly-popular pastime helped record the shock waves that circled the globe seven times after the explosion.
--the explosion is believed to be the loudest ever in human history, and was heard nearly 3,000 miles away.
Fascinating, interesting, but wordy. 2008-07-22
This is a generally well-written account of the famous volcanic eruption which was one of the first such major events to take place after the development of worldwide communication technology. The author has been criticized for including details - many details - about not only geology, but also the history of the region and it's people, in addition to the narrative of the explosive eruption itself. If you are not a geologist or an Asia specialist, you will unreservedly enjoy this book! All the details provided by Mr.Winchester give the reader a feel for the place and the time. A perfect "read" for the intelligent non-specialist! My only complaint is that this book could be one-third shorter without losing any information, if the author would curb his use of literary devices like foreshadowing and the use of rhetorical questions. These are not bad writing "tricks", to be sure - but enough is enough! The fifth or sixth time that Winchester tells you of other volcanic eruptions, or of lesser events in the Krakatoa volcano which "would pale compared to what was about to take place" ( or some such comment ) you have a feeling which is beyond "deja vu". Despite this, I recommend the book wholeheartedly. The missing fifth star is due only to my quarrel with the writer's style.
Thorough and interesting 2008-07-18
I bought this book because of a reference to it in an earth sciences lecture on iTunesU, expecting to learn all the details of the Krakatoa eruption. Simon Winchester fulfilled that expectation and gave me a detailed and interesting snapshot of the times as well. In that way it was reminiscent of William Manchester's excellent work, A World Lit Only By Fire. Winchester also covered the subsurface causes of the event in a substantial but readable way. I was pleased to find a very up to date account of the current geological state of the site. His ability to paint word pictures is obvious and enjoyable, and I'd recommend the book to anyone.
Exceptionally interesting, detailed account of the worst volcanic eruption in recorded history 2008-07-01
The first 90 pages of this book are boring, but after that point, the story picks up into a gripping, detailed account of the worst volcanic eruption in recorded history.
This book not only recounts the geology and history of the event, but aptly points out the complex interplay between natural events and people. Moreover, it shows how much the world had become a global village, even by 1883 and that politics and the environment are intertwined.
It is masterfully written (minus the first 90 pages) and is perhaps the best science related book I have read this year...and as a geologist I read quite a few.
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