18 Miles: The Epic Drama of Our Atmosphere and Its Weather

A prolific poet and essayist, Dewdney (Soul of the World) takes an entertaining and informative look at something everyone talks about but few truly understand: weather. Equal parts science, historical journey, and whimsical reflection that traces to Dewdney’s childhood fascination with meteorology, this book marks an accessible and enjoyable entry into a field more often characterized by dry, uninspired texts. Divided into sections detailing the elements that create clouds, wind, rain, and severe storms, the book quotes a wide range of figures, from Aristotle to Rodney Dangerfield, to illustrate the human fascination with a phenomenon that determines everything from what people put on in the morning to how cities are designed. Dewdney’s expert distillation of the mathematics and physics of weather forecasting and his exciting chronology of weather-related inventions are matched by a generous use of quotations from philosophers and poets evoking sensations inspired by the seasons. With wit and a humbling sense of wonder, this is a book that can be shared and appreciated by a wide audience who now religiously check their phones for daily forecasts. [em](Oct.) [/em]