Paperback
Volcanoes shaped history, from famine and plague to unforgettable literature.

Volcanoes in Human History

The Far-Reaching Effects of Major Eruptions

$38.75

  • Paperback

    320 pages

  • Release Date

    30 November 2025

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Summary

When the volcano Tambora erupted in Indonesia in 1815, as many as one hundred thousand people perished from the blast and ensuing famine. Gases and dust particles ejected into the atmosphere changed weather patterns around the world, resulting in the infamous ‘year without a summer’ in North America, food riots in Europe, and a widespread cholera epidemic. And the gloomy weather inspired Mary Shelley to write the gothic novel Frankenstein.

This panoramic book tells the story …

Book Details

ISBN-13:9780691279909
ISBN-10:069127990X
Author:Jelle Zeilinga de Boer, Donald Theodore Sanders, Robert D. Ballard
Publisher:Princeton University Press
Imprint:Princeton University Press
Format:Paperback
Number of Pages:320
Release Date:30 November 2025
Weight:302g
Dimensions:29mm x 140mm x 216mm
Series:Princeton Science Library
A-Format
B-Format
Volcanoes in Human History by Jelle Zeilinga de Boer - ISBN: 9780691279909
140 × 216 mm
C-Format
A4
mm / in
What They're Saying

Critics Review

“A detailed and vivid account of the fiery relationship between the Earth and its surface dwellers.” * The Guardian *
“Does the world need another book about volcanic eruptions and the havoc they wreak? The answer, for this book, is an emphatic ‘yes,’ especially for the general reader. Besides being interesting to read, Volcanoes in Human History clearly demonstrates that volcanism, and geology as a whole, should not be of concern only to geologists and that history is important.”—Sally Newcomb, Isis
“The authors have applied their geologic knowledge and experience, along with solid research, to produce an accessible book on volcanoes.” * Library Journal *
“In clear prose aimed to include general readers, the authors make the case for the social consequences set in motion by large volcanic eruptions as both wide-ranging and long-lived.” * Choice Reviews *

About The Author

Jelle Zeilinga de Boer

Jelle Zeilinga de Boer (1934–2016) was the Harold T. Stearns Professor of Earth Science at Wesleyan University and the author (with Donald Theodore Sanders) of Earthquakes in Human History (Princeton).

Donald Theodore Sanders (1930–2014) was a petroleum geologist and science editor.

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