by Bob Reiss

Hyperion, September, 2001.
Hardcover, 323 pages.
ISBN: 0786866659

The Coming Storm covers the unusual weather patterns and phenomena that have been occurring since the 1980s and the belief of many scientists that this is only the beginning of some catastrophic weather changes. Global warming is the focus of the book, and author and journalist Bob Reiss does a superb job of describing the origins, politics and science behind the concept of global warming. Reiss, a former Chicago Tribune reporter, details storms and weather patterns that could be a result of global warming. Reiss also explains what global warming could do to Earth and details how even some people and scientists who were skeptics at first moved into the believer category. The coverage of Al Gore's dedication and attention to the problem of global warming is also well-documented in the book. Big oil companies' reactions and objections to the concept of global warming are also discussed, including how some oil companies hired their own scientists to create scientific documents disputing global warming. Not all the energy companies are ignoring the issue, however, and Reiss explains what some companies are doing to help. And of course there is plenty of discussion of recent unusual severe weather events, including droughts, floods and tornadoes, as well as suggestions on where this may all be headed.

Some of the many things in this book that will stay with you are the severe storms that have struck England, the chance that the Maldives and other island countries may go completely underwater within the next fifty years, the spread of foreign, tropical diseases into the U.S. because of increasing temperatures, and the possibility that severe weather could upset the leadership in third world countries, leading to revolution and war. The Coming Storm is a well-written, exciting account of the growing global warming concern and the politics and science involved. Anyone interested interested in the future of our planet should read this book. Highly recommended.

The Coming Storm is available for purchase on Amazon.com

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This review was published in the Oct. - Nov., 2001 of The Internet Writing Journal.

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