Tying Down the Wind: Adventures in the Worst Weather on Earth

by Eric Pinder

Where can you find the worst weather on earth? This book's surprising answer is: everywhere. You don't need to climb Mount Everest or voyage to the icy desert of Antarctica to witness both the beauty and the destructiveness of weather. The same forces are at work in your own backyard. Tying Down the Wind takes readers on a journey of discovery through the atmosphere, a swirling ocean of air that surrounds and sustains life. The adventure begins in a sunny New England woodlot and ends atop the polar ice of Antarctica-where we learn, remarkably, that the two extremes are not so different after all. What triggers changes in the weather? How are tornadoes, thunderstorms, heat waves, and blizzards all related? Tying Down the Wind supplies the answers. It will appeal to fans of nature writing and outdoor adventure, as well as anyone interested in understanding the weather that surrounds us.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1585420603
• ISBN13: 9781585420605
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Tarcher
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 1.22 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Brilliant!

Pinder's book is entertaining and educational! I love science, but most science books tend to be too boring and stuffy. Tying Down the Wind is filled with fascinating stories and facts. Do not be afraid of the genre. Both science "nerds" and science "lamens" will love this novel. I also found Pinder's writing to be beautiful. He writes like poetry, but the meaning is never lost. Even with the beautiful descriptions, anyone with a working brain will come away with this book with a vast increase in knowledge on the topic. I am now even more interested in science and weather because of this book!

It's wonderful!

I'm not a serious weather buff, but I do enjoy reading about science and nature and also like to watch Nova and Discovery-type television programs. So the title of this book, Tying Down the Wind, appealed to me. I definitely was not disappointed, and I highly recommend it. It was a wonderful read with a combination of exciting science and entertaining, but serious, weather knowledge. Eric Pinder's personal experiences with the snow and wind on Mount Washington in New Hampshire were "breathtaking" (That's a pun for those of you without a sense of humor.) I especially recommend Pinder's section on Antarctica. I experienced this tremendous feeling of reverence and respect for the place. It almost made me want to be there---for just a little while. Read this book! You'll be very glad you did.

Pinder's "Tying Down the Wind" blows the reader away!

Eric Pinder's "Tying Down the Wind" is a terrific combination of science and imagery. As a Meteorologist and life long weather enthusiest, I found Pinders book to capture the vivid imagery of severe weather, atop the great Mount Washington. This book really engulfs the reader, and is difficult to put down. I enjoyed this book throroughly, and would recomend it to almost anyone.

Enjoying the Wind

Eric Pinder subtitles his book "Tying Down The Wind" with "Adventures in the Worst Weather on Earth." But when Pinder writes about such weather, he does so with such a poetic pen that you want to experience it with him. I read much of this book sitting outdoors, enjoying the last days of autumn warmth and dryness I found it difficult to read more than one page at a stretch because Pinder's poetic descriptions of the sky made me stop and look more closely at the sky above me, hoping to see some of what he had described. If I gave you all the passages that stirred my imagination, I'd be infringing on copyright laws.I rate Tying Down The Wind as one of my three favourite weather books for sheer beauty of the writing. On a few occasions, Pinder's poetic license results in a description falling just off the edge of strict scientific accuracy but in only one case does he go too far for my scientific side.If you love watching the sky or have weather aficionados or nature nuts on your holiday shopping list, buy this book.