Publishers Weekly
★ 10/25/2021
“Volcanoes are capable of doing things that verge on the supernatural,” writes journalist Andrews in his enlightening debut. Volcanoes have a “terrible reputation” of being destructive, and in service of putting them in a new light, Andrews takes readers on a tour of some strange and fascinating examples of “the magic they make and the secrets they unearth.” He covers Kilauea, the volcano in Hawaii that erupted in 2018, as well as the supervolcano that gave rise to Yellowstone National Park between 17 million and 2 million years ago. Andrews also spotlights Ol Doinyo Lengai, a volcano in Tanzania that he describes as “one of the most peculiar... in the entire solar system” because it spews out black lava, plus a slew of undersea volcanoes more active than those found on land. There are also volcanoes on Mars, Venus, and the moons of Jupiter, he shows, and suggests that studying these interstellar volcanoes can “help us ask better questions about the universe.” Andrews does a superb job making complex geology accessible to more casual readers, and offers vivid descriptions of the forces behind both active and ancient volcanoes. As entertaining as it is informative, this is science writing done right. (Nov.)
New York Times Book Review
"Andrews is erudite, accessible and engrossing in this wide-ranging tour that covers the supervolcano that formed Yellowstone National Park, a rare black-lava-spewing volcano in Tanzania, and similar ruptures on Venus, Mars and Jupiter’s moons to help us better understand our universe."
Erik Klemetti
"[Andrews] weaves a path through some of the most important recent eruptions and discoveries.... [and] provides illuminating analogies that capture the uncertainty and unknowns of volcanology."
Steve Olson
"I always suspected that volcanoes were the most amazing things on Earth, but I never knew that they’re also the most amazing things in the entire solar system. Andrews is a deeply informed and endlessly enthusiastic guide to these geological marvels."
Peter Brannen
"Delightful. Robin George Andrews brings his expertise and enthusiasm to bear on this explosive subject, vividly connecting the Hadean underworld of magma to the human one above, and inviting the reader into the ongoing quest to understand volcanoes’ secrets—on Earth and far beyond."
James O’Donoghue
"Andrews takes us on the adventure of a geological lifetime in Super Volcanoes, a masterwork which explores the engines of our world and of those throughout the solar system. We do not go alone on this epic journey, we are accompanied by those who have shared with us their colorful lived experiences and expertise which, when combined with a molten rock theme, means this is certainly no cold, hard science piece, but one of great humanity and scientific depth."
Jess Phoenix
"Dr. Robin George Andrews wields the dual instruments of scientific training and journalistic curiosity with expert precision in Super Volcanoes. His skillful blend of storytelling and science fact sheds light into the dark crevasses of the human psyche, so often primed to fear volcanoes—yet another misunderstood feature of our natural world. Andrews’s work gives voice to the wonder, the devastation, and the awe of being human in a world shaped by forces far outside of our control, yet still tantalizingly within reach for the scientists brave enough to heed the call of the volcanic unknown."
Dr. Janine Krippner
"Dr. Robin Andrews takes us on an explosive, gassy, messy adventure decoding the epic hot mess that is volcanism on Earth and far beyond. If volcanoes have ever triggered even a minor explosion of fear, excitement, awe, confusion, or curiosity for you: Read. This. Book."
Times Literary Supplement - Andrew H. Knoll
"Andrews takes readers on a Cook’s tour of volcanoes near and far, fuelling a broader curiosity about our planet and its place in the solar system.... He is at his best when discussing those who live in the shadow of volcanoes and, especially, the scientists who study them.... What volcanoes provide is an invitation to explore and wonder, with experts, at the stories they tell, as well as the possibility of looking at the Earth with new eyes. Supervolcanoes may be rare, but as Andrews makes clear, super volcanoes are everywhere."
Scientific American - Tess Joosse
"Andrews is in awe of his subjects; his zeal is obvious.... his attentive reporting will be enjoyed by both the magma-curious and anyone who just wants to wonder at some of the strangest, strongest forces in the universe."
Wall Street Journal - Robert M. Thorson
"Fascinating.... The science writing is consistently exciting and illuminating and kept me reading into the wee hours.... Using his storytelling skills, Mr. Andrews offers us a solar system resembling a ‘boundless library, one full of books whose words are written in volcanic ink.’"
Library Journal
★ 10/01/2021
"It's Volcano Day!" says The Doctor in the Doctor Who episode "The Fires of Pompeii." Like the charismatic time-traveling hero of the popular British series who takes his companion back to that fateful day in 79 A.D., this book by science journalist Andrews escorts readers on an adventure through space and time to the many volcanoes inhabiting this world and beyond. For each of the volcanoes or volcanic regions the book covers, Andrews explains the scientific and historical significance. He recounts volcanic events that were destructive to human populations, such as the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa in Indonesia, which killed 36,000, and the 2018 eruption of Kilauea which wreaked havoc on Hawai'i's infrastructure. The author, who has a PhD in volcanology, also shares his enthusiasm for awe-inspiring super volcanoes (those with the largest magnitude of explosivity), such as the Yellowstone Caldera. Andrews guides readers as far as outer space, to the volcanic landscapes of the Moon, Mars, and Venus. VERDICT With references to pop culture (like Doctor Who) and a literary flair, this is the Baedeker of volcanoes, guiding readers through the world of volcanology.—Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL
Kirkus Reviews
2021-09-01
A fine introduction to a spectacular geological phenomenon.
A London-based science journalist with a doctorate in volcanology, Andrews chronicles his interviews with numerous working scientists as well as his travels to observe half a dozen volcanoes in action. He pauses regularly to explain their mechanics, history, and (often inaccurate) popular mythology and to note famous eruptions in the past. The author begins with the catastrophic 1902 Mount Pelée eruption on the Caribbean island of Martinique, which killed 30,000. Then Andrews moves on to the more familiar Mount Kilauea in Hawaii, whose massive, well-publicized 2018 lava outpouring killed no one but destroyed hundreds of houses before flowing into the ocean and adding several hundred acres to the island. That eruption, writes the author, “reminded scientists that volcanoes are still more enigmatic than they are familiar [and] reminded the world that volcanic eruptions are both the privilege and price many pay for existing on a living planet whose innards are still burning.” After a few other examples, including a genuine supervolcano that makes up the entire Yellowstone National Park, Andrews delivers an impressive geologic education that includes illuminating lessons on plate tectonics, deep sea eruptions, and the origin of life itself. At this point, less than halfway through the text, the author leaves the Earth and devotes the remaining chapters to the moon, a dead world full of primordial volcanic features; Mars, home to the biggest volcanoes known to science; and Venus, fiercely hot and covered with basalt and awash in volcanoes, most likely active. Andrews does not ignore other solar system bodies, many of which display a dazzling variety of fiery geology. It turns out that forming any celestial body larger than a moonlet requires volcanism—one bit of knowledge among countless others in this fascinating scientific adventure.
Everything you ever wanted to know about volcanoes in expert hands.
