Earth Almanac: An Annual Geophysical Review of the State of the Planet

Covering the state of the four major geophysical topics associated with the Earth: the atmosphere, oceans, fresh water, and land, this new edition presents an incredible amount of usable information about the changes in our planet during 1999. Details of whole earth events and human-made and natural disasters are chronicled along with the necessary background information and statistics for understanding the science involved. Hot topics such as global warming, ozone depletion, and El Nino.

NATALIE GOLDSTEIN is a science writer focusing primarily on environmental subjects. For ten years, she has written educational materials in environmental science and life sciences.

Earth Almanac: An Annual Geophysical Review of he State of the Planet lives up to the praise offered by Library Journal on its back cover. The book lends itself easily to reference use or casual browsing. The book consists of short 1 or 2 page articles that are further split into subsections. This arrangement allows the reader to quickly spot the desired topic. The chapters are separated into four main sections: Atmosphere, Oceans, The Land, and Fresh Water. A detailed table of contents gives access to each article, and an extensive index is included. Several hundred tables, charts, graphs and photos make the book visually interesting and provide valuable data.The latest data available is from 1999, and many charts go only to 1997. Included in the book is a summary of leading geologic research from 1999. Other sections offer a listing of significant storms, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes and volcanoes that provide a good historical reference for the events of 1999. Anniversaries of important ecological events, like the Exxon Valdez spill and the Three Mile Island incident are covered, and major ecological disasters for 1999 are listed. The status of treaties and laws involving environmental issues are covered, and a somewhat depressing section lists the status of endangered and threatened animals. Many other important issues and legal matters are also covered in the book.I found this book to be somewhat addictive and could not stop thumbing through it reading pieces that caught my eye. This is an excellent book for students, teachers, and anyone interested in the environment. It is highly recommended to any library serving users at or above the high school level.