Product Description

Glaciers are among the most beautiful natural wonders on Earth, but for most of us the least known and understood. This book describes how glaciers grow and decay, how they move, and how they influence human civilisation. Today covering a tenth of the Earth's surface, glacier ice has shaped the landscape over millions of years by scouring away rocks, transporting and depositing debris far from its source. Glacier meltwater drives turbines and irrigates deserts, yields mineral-rich soils, and has left us a wealth of valuable sand and gravel. However, glaciers also threaten human property and life. Our future is indirectly bound up with the fate of glaciers and their influence on global climate and sea level. A lively running text develops these themes and is supported by over 200 stunning photographs, taking us from the High-Arctic through North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, New Zealand and South America to the Antarctic.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #519225 in Books
• Published on: 2004-12-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 394 pages

Review
"The book is a fine introduction to the world of glaciers. It is authoritative and yet written in an appealingly straightforward manner... This is a book that will appeal to all interested in glaciers. The specialist will dwell on the marvelous pictures. The General Reader will enjoy the introduction to the realm of glacier ice." Times Higher Education Supplement

"The book includes a valuable select bibliography and an excellent glossary and location and subject index. It makes a landmark contribution to natural science and its interplay with real world issues. Highly recommended." CHOICE July 2005

About the Author
Awarded the Polar Medal for outstanding work on various expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica. Director of the Centre for Glaciology, University of Wales, Aberystwyth.

Teaches geography at the Kantonsschule Zürcher Unterland in Switzerland from where he regularly leads glaciological field camps for students.

Customer Reviews

Good overview with great photos
This lavishly illustrated book provides a relatively non-technical textbook-like survey of worldwide glacial phenomenon. Besides covering the typical geologic and climate aspects of the subject there are chapters about wildlife and human interaction with glaciers, both hazards and benefits. Note that the British and Swiss authors' perspective is Euro-centric with very sparse coverage of the American West. For instance, Mt. Rainier, the most extensive glacial system in the Lower 48 gets only two small mentions.

There are dozens of outstanding color photographs but relatively few maps or exhibits of statistical information. There's a 14-page glossary that will prove useful as a reference but the bibliography is quite sparse and most of the entries are also textbooks as opposed to sources of more in-depth coverage.

Recommended as an introduction to those wanting a survey glacial phenomenon or as a refresher for people who have not studied the topic in a long while. Those who have a solid basic knowledge of glaciers or want to focus on American glaciers should look elsewhere.