'Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883' by Simon Winchester is a detailed account of the catastrophic eruption of the Krakatau volcano in 1883. Winchester weaves together vulcanology, geology, history, technology, Indonesian legends, and politics to narrate the story of the Krakatoa eruption and its wide-ranging impacts on society and the world. delves into the historical backdrop of the Dutch East India Company, Indonesian history, geology, geography, and militant Islam, providing a comprehensive exploration of the events leading up to and following the eruption.

Writing/Prose:

The author's style is accessible and engaging, yet some readers found it occasionally verbose or lacking focus.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative centers around the eruption of Krakatoa, exploring its catastrophic effects and cultural implications, while integrating a wealth of historical context.

Setting:

The book's setting encompasses the Indonesian archipelago and explores the historical backdrop of Dutch colonialism.

Pacing:

The pacing may be slow for some readers due to extensive buildup, focusing on historical context before the eruption.

He also had one volcano that was extinct. But, as he said, ‘One never knows!’ So he cleaned out the extinct volcano, too. If they are well cleaned out, volcanoes burn slowly and steadily, without any ...

Genres:

Topics:

volcanology

colonial history

impact of natural disasters

nature and civilization

Notes:

The Krakatoa eruption on August 27, 1883, was the loudest sound ever recorded on Earth, heard 3,000 miles away.

The eruption displaced barometers in gentlemen's clubs across Europe, indicating its massive energy.

The event caused global temperatures to drop and resulted in vivid sunsets worldwide due to atmospheric ash spreading from the eruption.

Krakatoa's explosion generated tsunamis that killed over 36,000 people, mostly due to the resulting waves rather than the eruption itself.

The eruption was one of the first disasters to be covered globally via telegraph, making it a significant event in the context of modern communication.

Before the eruption, there was extensive colonial control by the Dutch in Indonesia, leading to socio-political unrest following the disaster.

Winchester credited the Krakatoa eruption with influencing a resurgence in militant Islam in the region as locals interpreted it as a sign from the divine.

The eruption caused a shift in scientific understanding, promoting advancements in meteorology and geology, especially related to plate tectonics.

The volcanic activity of Krakatoa has shaped not just the landscape but also the cultural and political landscape of Indonesia.

The ash cloud from the eruption had effects on weather patterns for several years, contributing to a phenomenon known as 'volcanic winter.'

From The Publisher:

The bestselling author of The Professor and the Madman and The Map That Changed the World examines the enduring and world-changing effects of the catastrophic eruption off the coast of Java of the earth's most dangerous volcano - Krakatoa.

The legendary annihilation in 1883 of the volcano-island of Krakatoa - the name has since become a byword for a cataclysmic disaster - was followed by an immense tsunami that killed nearly forty thousand people. Beyond the purely physical horrors of an event that has only very recently been properly understood, the eruption changed the world in more ways than could possibly be imagined. Dust swirled round die planet for years, causing temperatures to plummet and sunsets to turn vivid with lurid and unsettling displays of light. The effects of the immense waves were felt as far away as France. Barometers in Bogotá and Washington, D.C., went haywire. Bodies were washed up in Zanzibar. The sound of the island's destruction was heard in Australia and India and on islands thousands of miles away. Most significant of all - in view of today's new political climate - the eruption helped to trigger in Java a wave of murderous anti-Western militancy among fundamentalist Muslims: one of the first outbreaks of Islamic-inspired killings anywhere.

Simon Winchester's long experience in the world wandering as well as his knowledge of history and geology give us an entirely new perspective on this fascinating and iconic event as he brings it telling back to life.

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About the Author:

Simon Winchester is the acclaimed author of many books, including The Professor and the Madman, The Men Who United the States, The Map That Changed the World, The Man Who Loved China, A Crack in the Edge of the World, and Krakatoa, all of which were New York Times bestsellers and appeared on numerous best and notable lists. In 2006, Winchester was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Her Majesty the Queen. He resides in western Massachusetts.

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Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883

Simon Winchester