Volcanism First Edition

A very basic introduction to volcanology; if you're not going to be a volcanologist, this book will work well for you. If you ARE actually interested in volcanology, however, you probably want to go for a more advanced text (Encyclopedia of Volcanoes, etc) as a supplement. The book is well organized for the most part, featuring fairly succinct chapters that progress through fundamentals like rheology, morphology, deposit types, tectonic scenarios, and hazards and monitoring, supplemented with case studies of well-documented 'archetypal' volcanoes and eruptions.The (new) copy I got came on really odd paper; it wasn't glossy like normal textbook paper, and the pictures and photos were rather dull as a result. A classmate obtained a used copy that was printed on 'normal' paper that had much better quality on the pictures -- I was able to notice details that were indiscernible in the photos in my book even under close inspection.That being said, it's a textbook, not a picture book, so that's probably not going to be a major sticking point for most people. Chances are, you're buying this book it's because it's a required text for your volcanology class, and for that purpose, it's perfectly suitable (and pretty reasonably priced). As an added bonus, the author's dry sense of humor does pop up in a few places here and there to break up the monotony.

great

Very basic and not too in depth.

A very good text.

This was one of my required textbook. Love it and it has color pictures unlike my other geology textbooks. Thats all.

The book ordered was in very good condition. It was a miracle that it made it through the mail. The package was just about to fall apart. This was mailed during Christmas rush.

I tried to cancel this item but was told no, I asked for a return form never given one, was told it would be sent with the item no return form was inside, item had a bad smell to it. I feel cheated and I am not happy

As a glance at some of my other reviews may indicate, I am very interested in nearly all aspects of volcanoes and volcanology. This is by far the best book that I have ever read on the general subject.The photography is in four-color format and is about the best I have ever encountered on the topics. The book is jam-packed with illustrative diagrams of high quality, and both photos and diagrams follow the text in a crisp, well-crafted manner. The book was obviously written in German first, and sometimes the grammatical translations seem awkward, but remain easily understandable. This is no way detracts from the substantive content of the book.Not surprisngly, many of the illustration are from sites of European volcanism, such as the Lacher See region of Rhineland, Germany, and the Canary Islands. The discussion of the extremely violent, but hardly known, Lacher See event is well done, and should be carefully perused by any reader. Dr. Schminke reveals a history that is hardly known about, and sorely unappreciated, by readers on this side of the Atlantic. A repetition of the event today, which is cetainly not out of the question, would a major disaster for Western Europe.While the book uses many terms not familiar to one not acquainted with geology, these are explained for the most part, so the book should be enjoyed by anyone with a high school background in science. Of the many new books on volcanoes in recent years, this is unquestionably the finest one in my belief. I recommend it very highly to anyone who really enjoys the subject of volcanoes.

Il testo ha un linguaggio Chiaro, essenziale, le immagini sono molto belle . Libro per specialisti e per curiosi, lettura scorrevole.