Review by Choice Review
Smith has executed an excellent compilation on ocean waves. He covers a wide spectrum of information ranging from tsunamis (earthquake-generated waves) to rogue waves (wind-generated storm waves). His insertion of interviews and anecdotal experiences adds some personality to the science of waves, but at times is distracting from the hard science. Discussion of parametric rolling and examination of incidents such as the hurricane force storm encountered by the merchant vessel APL China show the true depth of research conducted for this book. (This reviewer was flattered to see his own book mentioned in the extensive annotated bibliography.) This is certainly a well-done, detailed, and wide-ranging presentation on waves and their impact on society, from the business of shipping to the devastation brought to people by such events as the Southeast Asia tsunami of December 26, 2004. Written in an engaging format, the chapters are filled with documented real-world incidents that should convince readers of the power, immensity, and still unrevealed mysteries of the world's oceans. For mariners, scientists, and those content to just sit on the beach gazing out on the ocean. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. All levels. M. W. Carr US Army Watercraft
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Smith, a sailor and author of How the Great Pyramid Was Built, intersperses occasionally dry explanations of the complex physics of waves with harrowing tales of modern-day maritime tragedies. He enumerates the natural forces that create waves: the moon's gravity pulls on the oceans; Earth's rotation pushes them; the sun heats them; the wind tugs against their surface; and earthquakes displace them. The resulting waves can propagate from one side of the ocean to the other. Waves from one storm race outward to interact with waves from another, while converging ocean currents force them even higher or flatten them out completely. The complexity of it beggars the imagination. In modern times, Smith says, with the importance of shipping and the growth of off-shore drilling platforms, understanding waves is more vital than ever-we must especially understand extreme, or rogue, waves that seem to appear out of nowhere and tower over 100 feet high. In a chapter on the 2004 tsunami, Smith recounts the harrowing experience of two scuba divers caught in the maelstrom and suggests California could be at risk for a future tsunami. Science is only beginning to understand tsunamis, hurricanes and rogue waves, and Smith's book is for readers who want a serious scientific look at what we're learning. Illus. (Nov. 27) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Smith, an experienced engineer and ocean sailor, covers the physics of waves and the effect on people of "extreme waves," those "greater than 2.2 to 2.4 times the significant wave." He focuses on the effects of these waves in the open ocean as well as on their near-shore effects, as with tsunamis and hurricanes. The latter have been extensively covered in such works as Horace M. Karling's Tsunamis: The Great Wave and Kerry Emanuel's Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes. Smith's book is broader; he is accurate in his physics, and his interwoven stories are fascinating, detailing surfers towed out to 70' waves, the Sydney-Hobart sailing race, solo sailing, incredible sea rescues, and the loss of large cargo ships to earthquake, volcano, and storm effects both at sea and on coasts. Research on tracking and prediction is also discussed. Recommended for academic and public libraries, particularly in coastal areas. (Plates, illustrations, and index not seen.) Jean E. Crampon, Science & Engineering Lib., Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Review by Library Journal Review
