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| Weather Whys: Facts, Myths, and Oddities |  | Author: Paul Yeager
Publisher: Perigee Trade
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $1.60
as of 9/9/2010 04:43 CDT details
You Save: $13.35 (89%)
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Seller: BookHouseUSA
Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 329,896
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Pages: 224
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.4 x 0.7
ISBN: 0399535705
Dewey Decimal Number: 551.6
EAN: 9780399535703
ASIN: 0399535705
Publication Date: March 2, 2010
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The myths, history, wives-tales, oddities, and wonders of a subject that comes up every day: the weather.
Weather enthusiasts (or just the weather-curious) will discover surprising facts, myths, and oddities in this fascinating book of useful (and sometimes useless) information. With his expertise as a meteorologist and editor, Paul Yeager takes readers on a journey through the curious world of weather, revealing myths and misconceptions, sharing weird phenomena, and explaining how weather has affected history. Readers will discover a host of fascinating weather facts, including:
Which city is actually the windiest
How the temperature affects tire pressure
Why humidity makes hair go limp or frizzy
Why a coming storm causes sore joints
Why watering a garden after it rains is a good idea
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| Customer Reviews:
Loved the book March 8, 2010
M. Brown (Chicago)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Great book. I'm one of those people who watches the Weather Channel all the time for entertainment, so I know enough about the weather, but this book gives a lot of great stories and information about weather.
It is NOT a science book, so if you're looking for something to tell you about how meteorologists forecast the weather, then this isn't for you. But if you like the weather, you'll love it and be surprised at how much about it you DON'T know.
This book does have some of the science---he talks about what dewpoint temperature means, how hail forms, how hurricanes form----but he focuses more on other parts of the weather that most of us don't know about. He debunks some weather myths, like how it actually can't be 100 degrees and 100% humidity and how it actually can be 45 degrees and still snow. There was a chapter on how weather affected some major sports events---one of them was strange since it was actually an INDOOR event. He talks about why your nose runs when it's cold outside, why your hair frizzes in humidity, where the saying RED SUN AT NIGHT, SAILORS DELIGHT comes from, some historic snowstorms, etc. Very cool stuff.
And he's pretty funny, so it's an easy read-----a good book for when you want something light but educational and fun. I actually feel as if I can talk more about the weather and how it relates to everything now and know what I'm talking about.
Great Little Weather Book March 9, 2010
Mark M. (Seattle, Washington)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I've never been a huge weather fanatic, but I've always been somewhat interested in the weather. I'm more interested than ever now...this book was perfect for me. It has some easy to understand information about how the weather works, but more importantly as far as I'm concerned, it has a lot of information about how the weather affects our lives in ways I never thought of...sporting events, health, history, etc...and it's done with a light, sometimes humorous writing style.
I hate to admit it, but I found out that I'm guilty of many of the weather myths the author talked about. I thought Chicago was the windiest city. I even thought that every big snowstorm was automatically a blizzard. I did know that Seattle's not the rainiest city--it's great here in the summer!
I also like the weather wives tale section--it reminded me of some the things my grandfather used to say about the old days.
I learned a lot.
Enjoyable read...and learn something too April 5, 2010
J. Noel (PA USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Like the other reviewers before me, I too liked the book. I often struggle with finding time to read and this is ideal to carry around for a few minutes here and there.
Weather often comes up in conversation...and you'll find yourself telling others about the information you read here - from weather "proverbs" like "In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb" to historical events like Washington Crossing the Delaware to Chicago's nickname of the Windy City. After reading this book, you'll amuse and surprise others as a sparkling weather conversationalist!
You'll also be amused with the humorous style. Even so, it doesn't hide the fact that the author really knows his subject AND how to explain it to non-scientists. I think that younger teens with an interest in weather and science would enjoy it as well as adults with a casual interest in weather. Sports fans would especially enjoy the section about how weather played a part of some big games. Anyone who ever watches the Weather Channel for fun would enjoy this.
I read Yeager's previous book (Literally, the Best Language Book Ever) as well. Though both were similar in form and style, I found I liked Weather Whys more.
Informational, yet entertaining, for anyone with even a passing interest in the weather March 3, 2010
Erik A. Proseus (Memphis ,TN USA)
I have come to know Paul Yeager through our mutual experiences blogging about the weather. We share a fascination with the atmosphere around us and the sometimes explainable (but many times not) phenomena that come to make up the "weather." Paul's blog,[..], is an excellent resource and frequently contains interesting insight, but his most recent foray into publishing - Weather Whys: Facts, Myths, and Oddities (Perigee, $14.95) - is a must-read.
Unlike many books on the topic though, it is not just a must-read for meteorologists, atmospheric scientists, and weather geeks in general. Paul notes that "weather is the most universal of topics" and I believe Weather Whys is one book that will appeal to folks across the spectrum - from the seasoned weather professional, to the weather enthusiast, to one with even a passing interest in the weather. His folksy story-telling tone, a broad knowledge in an array of atmospheric topics, and the ability to explain complex processes in a way that an average middle school student could understand, have come together in Weather Whys to produce a text that is not only information and educational, but entertaining from cover to cover.
As the subtitle suggests, Weather Whys describes in detail where many of the myths and old wives tales originate, separates truth from fiction, and explains some of the idiosyncrasies that makes up the science - or perhaps it is the art - of meteorology. The best part of Paul's writing style is his ability to relate to the general public, who has a basic understanding of weather obtained from their local TV weathercaster and any number of cable programs (and even an entire channel) devoted to the topic.
If you are in the least bit interested in why it cannot be 100 degrees with 100% humidity, whether you should include snow skis in your checked luggage on your next trip to Hawaii, or whether there really is a "calm before the storm," I highly encourage you to check out Weather Whys by Paul Yeager - and buy a copy for that middle school-age cousin who has begun showing an interest in the weather. Not only are you guaranteed to learn something new, you will probably chuckle in the process.
Erik Proseus
[..]
The MWN Blog
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