This wonderful account of snow and our human life with it was a breath of frosty air after a summer of fires here in Colorado. Those who need no convincing to love snow and cold and the culture that human beings have built around them and fear their loss on a warming planet will enjoy Whittell's stories and scientific explanations like we enjoy a conversation over cocoa with a kindred spirit. I also appreciated his optimism. He writes, "...Decent snowstorms at livable latitudes could be fading from history by the middle of this century. There is an alternative, though. There really is. See page 218." What's on page 218? Pick the book up to find out!Publisher description:
Go on an extraordinary journey across centuries and continents to experience the wonders of snow; from the prehistoric humans that trekked and even skied across it tens of thousands of years ago to the multi-billion-dollar industry behind our moving, making, and playing with snow. Blending accessible writing with fascinating science, Giles Whittell explores how snow dictates where we live, provides us with drinking water, and has influenced countless works of art and more. Whittell also uncovers compelling mysteries of this miraculous substance, such as why avalanches happen, how snow saved a British prime minister's life, where the legend of the yeti comes from, and the terrifying truth behind the opening ceremony of the 1960 winter Olympics