Vivid visuals…
Author: Lauren Redniss
Not every science writer starts by creating her own font. But then, Lauren Redniss isn’t your typical science writer. Wearing numerous hats – writer, illustrator, font generator – the award winning author presents Thunder & Lightning, a vivid exploration of all things meteorological.
Much as she did in her groundbreaking 2010 work, Radioactive, Redniss combines thoughtful science writing with a unique visual style. Distinctively illustrating each topic, she creates a thoroughly engaging exploration of the wonders of the weather.
Lightning in Switzerland.
But this isn’t your typical picture book. It’s written for a grown audience and manages to cover topics in more complexity than you might expect. Although each topic is covered briefly, Redniss capably eschews triviality, digging deeply into the meteorological sciences. At the same time, she doesn’t hesitate to let her art work carry the weight at times, with dozens of exceptional and captivating images.
Lightning in California.
She travels the earth – from Chile to Saudi Arabia to the Svalbard Archipelago – seeking out weather extremes and the scientists who attempt to understand them. She even tours the headquarters of the Old Farmer’s Almanac in Dublin, NH, where they still manage to produce the oldest continuously published periodical in North America.
Putting the U (two of them) in unique, Redniss creates a thoroughly engaging scientific experience that works both intellectually and artistically. I can enthusiastically recommend Thunder & Lightning to any science reader who’s looking for something a little different.
— D. Driftless
Lightning photos by Hansueli Krapf (CC BY-SA 3.0) and Jessie Eastland (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Check out Dave’s reviews of other weather related books: Rain / Heat / How to Read Water
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- Best Non-Fiction of 2016 - February 1, 2017
- Little Free Library Series — Savannah - May 22, 2015
- Little Free Library Series — Wyoming - November 30, 2014