Clive Oppenheimer

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOARDMAN TASKER AWARD FOR MOUNTAIN LITERATURE 2024'If Michael Palin had been a volcanologist, this is the book he would have written' LITERARY REVIEW'Gripping' THE ECONOMIST'Wonderful' PETER FRANKOPAN'Like a thriller ... This is terrific' SPECTATOR'Beautiful ... bursting with poetry, with storytelling' WERNER HERZOGWe are made of the same stuff as the breath and cinders of volcanoes. No matter where we live on the planet, they have shaped our history and might one day decide our destiny.World-famous volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer has worked at the crater's edge in the wildest places on Earth, close enough to feel the heat of the lava. In Mountains of Fire we join him on hair-singeing adventures from Italy to Antarctica to learn how deeply our stories are intertwined with volcanoes.

Meeting with volcanoes around the world, a volcanologist interprets their messages for humankind. In Mountains of Fire, Clive Oppenheimer invites readers to stand with him in the shadow of an active volcano. Whether he is scaling majestic summits, listening to hissing lava at the crater's edge, or hunting for the far-flung ashes from Earth's greatest eruptions, Oppenheimer is an ideal guide, offering readers the chance to tag along on the daring, seemingly-impossible journeys of a volcanologist. In his eventful career as a volcanologist and filmmaker, Oppenheimer has studied volcanoes around the world. He has worked with scientists in North Korea to study Mount Paektu, a volcano name sung in national anthems on both sides of the Demilitarized Zone. . He has crossed the Sahara to reach the fabled Ti roko volcano in the Tibesti Mountains of Chad. He spent months camped atop Antarctica's most active volcano, Mount Erebus, to record the pulse of its lava lake. Mountains of Fire reveals how volcanic activity is entangled with our climate and environment, as well as our economy, politics, culture, and beliefs. These adventures and investigations make clear the dual purpose of volcanology--both to understand volcanoes for science's sake and to serve the communities endangered and entranced by these mountains of fire.

*As heard on DESERT ISLAND DISCS*CHOSEN AS ONE OF WATERSTONES' BEST BOOKS OF 2023'If Michael Palin had been a volcanologist, this is the book he would have written... A darn good read.'LITERARY REVIEW'What the French adventurer Jacques Cousteau was to the hidden world under our seas, Oppenheimer is to the hidden, molten world bubbling under our feet.'SUNDAY TIMES'A book that will make all readers want to become volcanologists.'PETER FRANKOPAN'Gripping ... like a thriller ... Oppenheimer is better than good. This is terrific.'SPECTATOR'Beautiful. Mountains of Fire is bursting with poetry, with storytelling. ' WERNER HERZOG__________Volcanoes mean so much more than threat and calamity. Like our parents, they've led whole lives before we get to know them. We are made of the same stuff as the breath and cinders of volcanoes. They have long shaped the path of humanity, provoked pioneering explorations and fired up our imaginations. They are fertile ground for agriculture, art and spirituality, as well as scientific advances, and they act as time capsules, capturing the footprints of those who came before us.World-renowned volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer has worked at the crater's edge in the wildest places on Earth, from remote peaks in the Sahara to mystical mountains in North Korea. His work reveals just how entangled volcanic activity is with our climate, economy, politics, culture and beliefs. From Antarctica to Italy, he paints volcanoes as otherworldly, magical places where our history is laid bare and where nature speaks to something deep within us.Blending cultural history, science, myth and adventure, Mountains of Fire reminds us that, wherever we are on the planet, our stories are profoundly intertwined with volcanoes.

What does it take for a volcanic eruption to really shake the world? Did volcanic eruptions extinguish the dinosaurs, or help humans to evolve, only to decimate their populations with a super-eruption 73,000 years ago? Did they contribute to the ebb and flow of ancient empires, the French Revolution and the rise of fascism in Europe in the 19th century? These are some of the claims made for volcanic cataclysm. Volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer explores rich geological, historical, archaeological and palaeoenvironmental records (such as ice cores and tree rings) to tell the stories behind some of the greatest volcanic events of the past quarter of a billion years. He shows how a forensic approach to volcanology reveals the richness and complexity behind cause and effect, and argues that important lessons for future catastrophe risk management can be drawn from understanding events that took place even at the dawn of human origins.

The impact of volcanic eruptions on the Earth's environment has been the source of many a debate and the cause of extensive research activities by leading academics worldwide. The new edition of Peter Francis's Volcanoes preserves the particular strengths of the orignal in its accessibility, immense clarity, engaging humour and excellent illustrations. The book updates the original by reflecting on new research findings and new eruptions (such as that on Montserrat) as well as including a new chapter on volcanic hazards, which looks at the complex and scientific and sociological issues surrounding risk mitigation. In updating the planetary perspective of the book new co-author Clive Oppenheimer provides us with an insight into studies of Mars and Jupiter. The book is designed primarily for undergraduate students across a range of disciplines including geology, Earth sciences, geography, environmental sciences and planetary sciences, yet, is an equally valuable source for volcanologists, senior scientists in other disciplines and scientifically-trained volcano enthusiasts. Online Resource Centre All the figures from the book will be available to download free from the companion web site.