The Cloudspotter's Guide: The Science, History, and Culture of Clouds

Rare is the day that at least a little cloud does not cloud our lives, though except to say "that's a big cloud!" or "do you think it'll rain?" few people know much about clouds. This gem of a book fills a skyful absence of useful facts; rainbows and clouds may be the last elements of nature that humans failed to consign to a zoo, a can or a landfill. Even so, clouds may be an endangered species; years ago in the Sonoran Desert, clouds used to rain upon the just and the unjust on summer afternoons ... now those clouds seem to have gone, to be replaced by haboobs followed by drenching night deluges. Cumulus, Cirrus, the dramatic Morning Glory and wispy Carmen Miranda are among the clouds in this book. Glider pilots travel thousands of miles to surf the Morning Glory when it forms in the springtime of September and October over Burketown in Australia's northern Queensland. Personally, when flying a glider, I always looked for "Q's" which gave an upward lift like a fast elevator. (Q = Cumulus) Little did I realize the innocent desert mid-afternoon Q's were baby brothers of Cumulonimbus, the King of Clouds who can soar a dozen miles. These gods of the sky, which all wise pilots politely skirt instead of slicing through, churn energy measured by multiples of atomic bomb explosions. Care for a challenge? Try to get a "great" picture of a Q. Perhaps instead, in the superb words of Pretor-Pinney, it is better to consider "... clouds are nature's poetry ... expressions of the atmosphere's moods that can be read like those of a person's countenance ... Clouds are for dreamers, and their contemplation benefits the soul." In Orillia, Canada, where I grew up, clouds may last a week at a time. In the desert, where I now live, clouds change as quickly as a politician's views on everything but clouds. Perhaps if politicians paid more attention to clouds and less to clods the world would be much better. Pretor-Pinney, co-founder of 'The Idler' magazine in England, provides a wonderful field of study that will greatly pleasure any person without inflicting harm on any living creature or artifact of nature. He also founded 'The Cloud Appreciation Society' of which my wife is a member (the last scientific organization I belonged to was 'The Flat Earth Society' -- now sadly defunct, though the Earth is much the same). This is a book, an idea and a cause to restore some sanity to this world that has gone mad, bad, sad and rad -- too rad.

This book is a lovely treasure that will help you identify cloud types and understand hiwvthey forms. The art makes this book a dreamy pleasure to flip through again and again.

If your an avid fan of clouds you will like this book. It was on my list for a long time and when I happen to spot it at my friend's house I finally ordered mine. The only thing is this is in black and white. Great if you want to read more and get little more science info. But this author has another book (Cloud Collecters) and it is full color and a beautiful book with lots of color images and descriptions to learn about different clouds types and varieties, with collector journal page. It will guide you to spot clouds just fine. So if you only want 1, I would choose Cloud Collecter book in color, as it has plenty of info for the average person. I posted pics for that one in its own review too. If your true Cloud fanatic...get both!

The absolute best book I've ever read on clouds. This conveys such a love of clouds that you can't help but better understand them. It'll make you a better weather forecaster too!

Since reading this book my friends and family have renamed me clerd (cloud nerd). I love this book. It is written to be informative and amusing. That's the best way to learn. I remember the lectures I had where the professors made me laugh, but remember less when they stared at their shoes and mumbled. The book describes a cloud genera per chapter, starting with the nomenclature and progressing through the science and is interspersed with all sorts of tales and anecdotes of history and art. It also goes into weird cloud phenomena such as sprites, blue jets, sun dogs and rainbows. There are beautiful pictures of clouds, science figures and art reproductions. I would recommend this book to anyone who is even only vaguely interested in learning about what is going on above them. Gavin will draw you in and make a clerd out of you too.

I’ve given away lots of these as thank you gifts for others’ overnight hospitality. The text is lively, fun and educational. I’ve never looked at the sky the same way after reading even a chapter if it.

I found the book to be an enjoyable read- especially when read outside under the clouds. The mixture of science, a little humor, plus some interesting historical references made for a fine overview of all the various cloud types. The latin names of all the cloud species might seem a little daunting as you enter the first chapter, but don't let that deter you from wading in. You'll certainly change your perspective about what you see in the skies from your first reading session. I looked at a print copy before I bought the kindle version and was afraid the pictures in the electronic version might be disappointing. They are not. Certainly the hardback will present higher quality photos but the kindle book graphics are still very instructive. I go back to the book with each change in the weather to reinforce what I have been learning and that has been fun, too. I think if you are at all interested in the weather around you, you will enjoy your study of this book.

This is such a lovely book from the very first pages, the author seems delightful, and it will make you smile and have you staring out of your window trying to name clouds and going for walks, just so that you can, watch clouds. As a little girl (and as an adult) I lay on the ground and watched clouds and tried to see shapes and make up stories about them. I have a fabulous dragon cloud pic from Iceland. I’m looking forward to deepening my relationship with these marvelous vaporous objects.

Este libro me ha traído horas de diversión. Lo recomiendo ampliamente. Ahora la simple actividad de voltear al cielo es mucho más enriquecedora.

Inspirador!

This is a delightful book, written for enthusiasts, but containing enough good science to satisfy more expert readers. It does this and manages to be thoroughly entertaining too. The author's text is eminently readable and the technobabble is negligible and is augmented by clear diagrams and photos. Interspersed throughout are digressions, discussions, cloud-lore and experiences relating to clouds, whether it be Turner's paintings or the effects of SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Some of these asides do tend to be somewhat whimsical, but fit in with the overall style of the book. The star anecdote has to be the experience of the jet fighter pilot who had to eject into the middle of a cumolonimbus thundercloud and lived to tell the tale. The only thing missing is loads more colour photos. A fun and informative read.

Este pequeño libro esta repleto de datos interesantes de uno de los objetos más infravalorados y más enigmáticos de nuestro mundo. De lo meteorológico a lo poético, su lectura deja una sensación de grata ligereza...como las propias nubes.

Nerdy but fun