Review by Choice Review
Allaby (independent scholar) has significantly revised and updated the first edition of his encyclopedia to reflect recent trends and new research in the study of weather and climate. He also has successfully reorganized the information into concise, easier-to-use components, deleting shorter entries from the first edition or incorporating them into the text of other entries. Examples include the terms acid rain and acid soot, which had separate entries in the first edition but, in the second, are incorporated into the larger entry on acid deposition. Unfortunately, the index does not reflect these changes clearly. Allaby also has removed the more esoteric entries and focused on ideas most relevant to the greatest number of users. The book features expanded biographies (formerly in the main body of the encyclopedia, but now in an appendix). Additional appendixes on tropical storms, ocean currents, and laws, regulations, and international agreements have been added. Also updated and expanded are the bibliography and listing of Web sites. In all, the 3,000 entries of the first edition have been condensed to 1,400 entries without any significant loss of information. Summing Up: Recommended. All libraries; all levels. J. C. Stachacz Indiana University Kokomo
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
The biggest change between the first edition (2001) of the Encyclopedia of Weather and Climate and this new revised edition is that a good deal of the material has been reorganized into several appendixes. The number of A-Z entries has dropped from 3,000 to approximately 1,400 articles of greater length and depth. One of the appendixes contains biographical entries on more than 100 people noted in weather and climate history; these were part of the main A-Z section in the previous edition. Other types of entries that have moved into the appendixes include those covering individual tropical cyclones and storms, tornadoes, laws and international agreements, and ocean currents. The organization of the revised edition makes use of the extensive indexing and cross-references so it is simple to locate terms in the context of ideas or themes rather than as individual articles. Many different types of winds, such as the Santa Ana, sirocco, and zonda, had individual entries in the first edition but in the revised edition are part of one longer entry, Local winds. New graphs, charts, and diagrams add to the depth of the modified and rewritten articles. Many citations have been updated at the end of articles to reflect more recent material for further reading. The bibliography is much more extensive and includes a large number of Web sites for the reader to consult for further information. The chronologies of weather disasters and discoveries have been updated. Libraries that did not purchase the first edition would be advised to consider this title for its easy-to-understand, thorough explanations of weather phenomena. Libraries owning the first edition should consider updating their collections.--Stratton, Steve Copyright 2007 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Science author Allaby (Illustrated Dictionary of Science; A Dictionary of Earth Sciences) has compiled more of a dictionary than an encyclopedia, covering roughly 3000 alphabetically arranged terms pertaining to climatology and meteorology, as well as geology, biology, and astronomy. The longest entries (mostly biographical) run nearly two pages, but the majority are brief definitions. Allaby succinctly describes noteworthy named storms and also includes local weather terms, from the Indian andhis to the Argentinean zonda. Unfortunately, he omits some terms of particular interest to American and Canadian users, including Alberta clipper, humidex, first heave, Mount Washington Observatory, and storm chaser. The entries are extensively cross-referenced and sometimes include a reference or two to web sites or books. Quite a few of the print references, and a full quarter of the titles in the "Bibliography and Further Reading," are to other works by the author. Five appendixes complete the work: a "Chronology of Disasters" (selection criteria unspecified), a "Chronology of Discoveries," a chart of the geological time scale, a list of destructive "Tornadoes of the Past," and a list of web sites. Given the brevity of the entries, this is an optional purchase for libraries with large scientific and technical reference collections. Smaller academic and public libraries might find it useful but should also consider the less expensive The Facts On File Weather and Climate Handbook, also compiled by Allaby, or even a dictionary, such as Storm Dunlop's A Dictionary of Weather or The Facts On File Dictionary of Weather and Climate.-Nancy R. Curtis, Univ. of Maine Lib., Orono (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up-A much-needed resource that does not disappoint. Nearly 3000 alphabetically arranged entries offer explanations of how the atmosphere works, how weather forms, instruments, important contributors to the advancement of the atmospheric sciences, and more. Allaby's entries range from a few words to essays of several paragraphs. The articles are written in a readable style that requires no background knowledge, though a pronunciation guide is lacking. The set is profusely illustrated with black-and-white maps, diagrams, drawings, and photographs-all captioned. Tables and graphs are scattered throughout. Bold entry headings and guide words at the top of each page facilitate access, while generous type size aids readability. There are a number of cross- and see-references. Many articles include Web addresses; an appendix rounds them all up. A bibliography of books and articles, chronologies of disasters and discovery, a geological time scale, and a listing of tornadoes of the past are also included. There is a comprehensive index in both volumes. This set will be a useful source for all those weather-related questions, for report material, and for general interest.-Dana McDougald, Cedar Shoals High School, Athens, GA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Library Journal Review
Review by School Library Journal Review
