Gabrielle Walker

An Ocean of Air

The air around us is something we tend to take for granted, but in An Ocean of Air: A natural history of the Atmosphere Gabrielle Walker shows that it provides us with more benefits than we may realise. Not that the study of the atmosphere has always been plain sailing. The book starts with a look at the discovery that air had weight and the acceptance that a vacuum could really exist. Walker moves on to the identification of the constituents of air, and in particular Oxygen. This is followed by a chapter on carbon dioxide - its vital role in providing the food we eat, but how too much of it is leading to global warming.

Walker then takes a look at weather systems, telling us that what is called the Coriolis effect should really be named after William Ferrel. The story then goes upwards, looking at the jet streams, the ozone layer and the discovery of a hole in it, the ionosphere and its use in radio transmission, and the vital role of the Van Allen belts in protecting us from the solar wind.

I'd recommend this book to all readers: if you want to find out about the atmosphere then you'll find plenty of interest here, and in any case it provides a highly enjoyable read.

Amazon.com info

Paperback 288 pages
ISBN: 015603414X
Salesrank: 633437
Weight:0.45 lbs

Published: 2008 Mariner Books

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Amazon.co.uk info

Hardcover 336 pages
ISBN: 0747581908
Salesrank: 423898
Weight:1.15 lbs

Published: 2007 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

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Paperback 288 pages
ISBN: 015603414X
Salesrank: 444568
Weight:0.45 lbs

Published: 2008 Harcourt

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Product Description
We don’t just live in the air; we live because of it. It’s the most miraculous substance on earth, responsible for our food, our weather, our water, and our ability to hear. In this exuberant book, gifted science writer Gabrielle Walker peels back the layers of our atmosphere with the stories of the people who uncovered its secrets: A flamboyant Renaissance Italian discovers how heavy our air really is: The air filling Carnegie Hall, for example, weighs seventy thousand pounds. A one-eyed barnstorming pilot finds a set of winds that constantly blow five miles above our heads. An impoverished American farmer figures out why hurricanes move in a circle by carving equations with his pitchfork on a barn door. A well-meaning inventor nearly destroys the ozone layer. A reclusive mathematical genius predicts, thirty years before he’s proved right, that the sky contains a layer of floating metal fed by the glowing tails of shooting stars.

Product Description

We don’t just live in the air; we live because of it. It’s the most miraculous substance on earth, responsible for our food, our weather, our water, and our ability to hear. In this exuberant book, gifted science writer Gabrielle Walker peels back the layers of our atmosphere with the stories of the people who uncovered its secrets:

A flamboyant Renaissance Italian discovers how heavy our air really is: The air filling Carnegie Hall, for example, weighs seventy thousand pounds.

A one-eyed barnstorming pilot finds a set of winds that constantly blow five miles above our heads.

An impoverished American farmer figures out why hurricanes move in a circle by carving equations with his pitchfork on a barn door.

A well-meaning inventor nearly destroys the ozone layer.

A reclusive mathematical genius predicts, thirty years before he’s proved right, that the sky contains a layer of floating metal fed by the glowing tails of shooting stars.

What Exactly is Air and How Does it Work? *****
Air is a substance that is an absolute must for survival of multi celled animals, yet most of us know little about it. Certainly we know that is has oxygen and hydrogen in it, but I doubt most people have even a vague idea of why the winds blow, how air exerts pressure or how much air actually weighs. The author has broken the book into two main sections. The first deals with the major discoveries about air and the men who discovered each of them. She goes into detail about how the experiments worked (or didn't) and what each was trying to prove. Along the way, she demonstrates nicely that science is not about a single discovery, but about building on what those before you have done. The second section is more dedicated to what air does. She looks at how winds blow, and why they do so along with why and how air protects us from space and the radioactive particles that are bombarding us on a continual basis. Again, weaving the stories of the men and what they found gives and interesting voyage through time as we learn more about the atmosphere. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone, but particularly to those who have any interest in the atmosphere. It is extremely well written and can be easily understood by people with little or no physics experience. Great read that I completely enjoyed!

What Exactly is Air and How Does it Work? *****

Air is a substance that is an absolute must for survival of multi celled animals, yet most of us know little about it. Certainly we know that is has oxygen and hydrogen in it, but I doubt most people have even a vague idea of why the winds blow, how air exerts pressure or how much air actually weighs.

The author has broken the book into two main sections. The first deals with the major discoveries about air and the men who discovered each of them. She goes into detail about how the experiments worked (or didn't) and what each was trying to prove. Along the way, she demonstrates nicely that science is not about a single discovery, but about building on what those before you have done.

The second section is more dedicated to what air does. She looks at how winds blow, and why they do so along with why and how air protects us from space and the radioactive particles that are bombarding us on a continual basis. Again, weaving the stories of the men and what they found gives and interesting voyage through time as we learn more about the atmosphere.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone, but particularly to those who have any interest in the atmosphere. It is extremely well written and can be easily understood by people with little or no physics experience. Great read that I completely enjoyed!

Ditto *****
Other reviewers have said everything that I would say; I only want to voice agreement. A fascinating book, and especially good because she doesn't avoid explaining why something happens, but finds a great analogy to make it understandable to the non-chemist, non-physicist, non-etc. Well written, with enough details about the people involved to make it all "come alive". My big question: Why did we understand the threat of the hole in the ozone layer as a society so clearly? -- Compare the action that was taken, and how fast, with our struggles and procrastination on dealing with green-house gases.

Ditto *****

Other reviewers have said everything that I would say; I only want to voice agreement. A fascinating book, and especially good because she doesn't avoid explaining why something happens, but finds a great analogy to make it understandable to the non-chemist, non-physicist, non-etc. Well written, with enough details about the people involved to make it all "come alive". My big question: Why did we understand the threat of the hole in the ozone layer as a society so clearly? -- Compare the action that was taken, and how fast, with our struggles and procrastination on dealing with green-house gases.

Very Lively and Full of Information *****
This book's title does not do it justice. There is so much more discussed here for the general reader than a friendly description of the earth's atmosphere. Each captivating chapter, and there are seven of them, does present a clear discussion of a different aspect of the atmosphere, e.g., the composition of air, the nature of winds, the ozone layer, the ionosphere, etc. But what makes this book particularly engaging is the fact that the author has included the all-important human element. In each topical chapter, she discusses the lives of the key individuals who, through their cleverness and their abilities to tease out from nature the necessary information, were able to make their fascinating discoveries - often leading to wonderful applications/inventions. A few useful diagrams nicely complement the text. The writing style is clear, very friendly, highly accessible, very engaging and often quite gripping. It can be enjoyed by anyone, but science buffs will likely relish it the most.

Very Lively and Full of Information *****

This book's title does not do it justice. There is so much more discussed here for the general reader than a friendly description of the earth's atmosphere. Each captivating chapter, and there are seven of them, does present a clear discussion of a different aspect of the atmosphere, e.g., the composition of air, the nature of winds, the ozone layer, the ionosphere, etc. But what makes this book particularly engaging is the fact that the author has included the all-important human element. In each topical chapter, she discusses the lives of the key individuals who, through their cleverness and their abilities to tease out from nature the necessary information, were able to make their fascinating discoveries - often leading to wonderful applications/inventions. A few useful diagrams nicely complement the text. The writing style is clear, very friendly, highly accessible, very engaging and often quite gripping. It can be enjoyed by anyone, but science buffs will likely relish it the most.

wonderful, clear, engrossing *****
This is a wonderful book that combines the history of discoveries about the physics and chemistry of the atmosphere with fascinating biographies of the discoverers. A clear, helpful explanation of the atmosphere and an excellent base for understanding climate science. I could not put it down, and although I am sophisticated layman in my understanding of atmospheric science, my understanding exploded geometrically upon reading this volume.

wonderful, clear, engrossing *****

This is a wonderful book that combines the history of discoveries about the physics and chemistry of the atmosphere with fascinating biographies of the discoverers. A clear, helpful explanation of the atmosphere and an excellent base for understanding climate science. I could not put it down, and although I am sophisticated layman in my understanding of atmospheric science, my understanding exploded geometrically upon reading this volume.

A lively read ****
My book group just finished reading and discussing this book. We all enjoyed it a great deal and learned a lot. It is a very accessible, lively read, and it makes you want to know even more.

A lively read ****

My book group just finished reading and discussing this book. We all enjoyed it a great deal and learned a lot. It is a very accessible, lively read, and it makes you want to know even more.

A good read! ****
This book is written in a 'chatty' manner that will no doubt annoy some people, but in my opinion adds a lot to the readability of this book. Walker tends to explore a lot of tangets rather than stick to the main thread. (For example she goes into detail about Columbus's journey across the Atlantic to illustate trade winds.) However, these 'tangents' are still enjoyable, if not to the point. I did find 'Snowball Earth' better (although noting from that ratings that view is not necessarily shared!).

A good read! ****

This book is written in a 'chatty' manner that will no doubt annoy some people, but in my opinion adds a lot to the readability of this book.

Walker tends to explore a lot of tangets rather than stick to the main thread. (For example she goes into detail about Columbus's journey across the Atlantic to illustate trade winds.) However, these 'tangents' are still enjoyable, if not to the point.

I did find 'Snowball Earth' better (although noting from that ratings that view is not necessarily shared!).

Outstanding! *****
This is an outstanding book. The introduction alone is a great piece of writing and will have you clinging to your seat! Don't hesitate - buy it!

Outstanding! *****

This is an outstanding book. The introduction alone is a great piece of writing and will have you clinging to your seat! Don't hesitate - buy it!

A weight on your shoulders ****
Apart from the unoriginal title and misleading subtitle [any fourth-grader knows why the wind blows], this introduction to the history of atmosphere has much to recommend it. Walker is able to take us through the search for what comprises the air we breathe. She resurrects some important figures in this quest, showing why we should know of them. There are also familiar characters, not the least of which is Galileo, whose study of the air took his remaining years during house arrest by The Church. Although the challenge to cover so many characters and their efforts to put substance to something we consider almost ephemeral is daunting, the author covers the ground with spritely prose. The book is a good starting point for those unfamiliar with the air that sustains us. It was a revelation of great magnitude to discover air can be weighed. Passing your hand through it doesn't seem to meet much resistance. Balloons and birds pass through it effortlessly, it seems. But the realisation that air was "there" was the first step in a long journey in understand what exactly was "there" to understand. Walker, although opening the account with Galileo's trial and confinement, reminds us that "air" was considered by some ancients, especially Aristotle, to be one of the four "Elements", along with earth, fire and water. Air, because it exhibits pressure, must have measureable "weight". Another Renaissance Italian, Alessandro Torecelli, resolving a dispute about that suggestion, invented the quicksilver [mercury] barometer still in use today - coining the phrase "ocean of air" as a result. In dealing with the pressure derived from its mass, Walker panders to her US readers by noting that Carnegie Hall in New York City holds over 32 thousand kilogrammes of air. What naturally follows leads Walker to such scientific heavyweights as Joseph Priestly, Antoine Lavoisier, Joseph Black and even Gugliemo Marconi. Marconi? Why is the man credited with the invention of the wireless mixed in with gas investigators? Although Marconi wasn't certain how his signals could cover such vast distances, it was later learned that signals bounced from high altitudes. Whatever views we may have of weather events, Walker demonstrates, the upper atmosphere is in constant turmoil, with electrical and chemical changes occurring at intense rates. At each step in narrating the discoveries, she provides a descriptive segment on the life and thinking of the researchers. Her description of Oliver Heaviside will repel a few, but at this distance others will find him of interest. Her focus is mostly on the science concerned with what comprises the atmosphere and its activities. Even so, it's disappointing that no mention is made of the earliest forecasters such as Robert Fitzroy, Darwin's captain on the HMS Beagle. Offsetting this lack, Walker brings to light a figure unaccountably forgotten. Early in the 19th Century, Virginian William Ferrel, who should have been doing his farm chores, instead studied mathematics and meteorology to decipher how the winds work. His calculations led to a new assessment of how air masses move due to the Earth's rotation. Today, the region of the atmosphere producing the winds and weather we experience daily is deemed the "Ferrel Cell". Unlike some science writers, indeed, unlike some of her earlier books, Walker keeps herself out of this account - at least until the "Epilogue". The writing is vibrant and captures your attention. Occasionally, close scrutiny reveals some errors - "tropical" air cells do not originate at the Pole, nor was Columbus the "first European to step into a new world" - but these are minor glitches. The science story is well told and enthusiastically. Walker has done a great deal of digging into background material and guides us through the results almost effortlessly. This book would make an excellent gift to a young person looking for a career pursuit. But shop carefully as there are more thorough accounts than this one, no less well written. Much about "the ocean of air" has been explained, but even more remains. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Ontario]

A weight on your shoulders ****

Apart from the unoriginal title and misleading subtitle [any fourth-grader knows why the wind blows], this introduction to the history of atmosphere has much to recommend it. Walker is able to take us through the search for what comprises the air we breathe. She resurrects some important figures in this quest, showing why we should know of them. There are also familiar characters, not the least of which is Galileo, whose study of the air took his remaining years during house arrest by The Church. Although the challenge to cover so many characters and their efforts to put substance to something we consider almost ephemeral is daunting, the author covers the ground with spritely prose. The book is a good starting point for those unfamiliar with the air that sustains us.

It was a revelation of great magnitude to discover air can be weighed. Passing your hand through it doesn't seem to meet much resistance. Balloons and birds pass through it effortlessly, it seems. But the realisation that air was "there" was the first step in a long journey in understand what exactly was "there" to understand. Walker, although opening the account with Galileo's trial and confinement, reminds us that "air" was considered by some ancients, especially Aristotle, to be one of the four "Elements", along with earth, fire and water. Air, because it exhibits pressure, must have measureable "weight". Another Renaissance Italian, Alessandro Torecelli, resolving a dispute about that suggestion, invented the quicksilver [mercury] barometer still in use today - coining the phrase "ocean of air" as a result. In dealing with the pressure derived from its mass, Walker panders to her US readers by noting that Carnegie Hall in New York City holds over 32 thousand kilogrammes of air.

What naturally follows leads Walker to such scientific heavyweights as Joseph Priestly, Antoine Lavoisier, Joseph Black and even Gugliemo Marconi. Marconi? Why is the man credited with the invention of the wireless mixed in with gas investigators? Although Marconi wasn't certain how his signals could cover such vast distances, it was later learned that signals bounced from high altitudes. Whatever views we may have of weather events, Walker demonstrates, the upper atmosphere is in constant turmoil, with electrical and chemical changes occurring at intense rates. At each step in narrating the discoveries, she provides a descriptive segment on the life and thinking of the researchers. Her description of Oliver Heaviside will repel a few, but at this distance others will find him of interest.

Her focus is mostly on the science concerned with what comprises the atmosphere and its activities. Even so, it's disappointing that no mention is made of the earliest forecasters such as Robert Fitzroy, Darwin's captain on the HMS Beagle. Offsetting this lack, Walker brings to light a figure unaccountably forgotten. Early in the 19th Century, Virginian William Ferrel, who should have been doing his farm chores, instead studied mathematics and meteorology to decipher how the winds work. His calculations led to a new assessment of how air masses move due to the Earth's rotation. Today, the region of the atmosphere producing the winds and weather we experience daily is deemed the "Ferrel Cell".

Unlike some science writers, indeed, unlike some of her earlier books, Walker keeps herself out of this account - at least until the "Epilogue". The writing is vibrant and captures your attention. Occasionally, close scrutiny reveals some errors - "tropical" air cells do not originate at the Pole, nor was Columbus the "first European to step into a new world" - but these are minor glitches. The science story is well told and enthusiastically. Walker has done a great deal of digging into background material and guides us through the results almost effortlessly. This book would make an excellent gift to a young person looking for a career pursuit. But shop carefully as there are more thorough accounts than this one, no less well written. Much about "the ocean of air" has been explained, but even more remains. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Ontario]

An Ocean of Air *****
A copy of An Ocean of Air should be on every library bookshelf in the world. I found this text both immensely informative and extremely interesting. Quite a number of times, I jumped up, put the book down, and went to find someone to tell about an remarkable fact or a story about a particular scientist that I thought was amusing. The book is set up in chronological order, exploring the various issues surrounding air. It starts off with the presumptions about air that our ancestors had about the substance. Then, it begins looking at the various individuals who were courageous, curious, and sometimes just plain mad enough to ask questions and seek answers. The stories progress throughout touching on a variety of associated topics from chemical composition of air and the ozone layer to carbonation and space flight. Apart from the historical and scientific usefulness of this book, I also want to note the humanizing aspect of the various scientists. Often when we picture scientists, we assume that they sit in their laboratory using their great intellect to uncover scientific discoveries. We don't often think about the sacrifices of these individuals or that often such discoveries have not always been popular. Moreover, often the most interesting successful experiences were those that went horribly wrong.

An Ocean of Air *****

A copy of An Ocean of Air should be on every library bookshelf in the world. I found this text both immensely informative and extremely interesting. Quite a number of times, I jumped up, put the book down, and went to find someone to tell about an remarkable fact or a story about a particular scientist that I thought was amusing.

The book is set up in chronological order, exploring the various issues surrounding air. It starts off with the presumptions about air that our ancestors had about the substance. Then, it begins looking at the various individuals who were courageous, curious, and sometimes just plain mad enough to ask questions and seek answers. The stories progress throughout touching on a variety of associated topics from chemical composition of air and the ozone layer to carbonation and space flight.

Apart from the historical and scientific usefulness of this book, I also want to note the humanizing aspect of the various scientists. Often when we picture scientists, we assume that they sit in their laboratory using their great intellect to uncover scientific discoveries. We don't often think about the sacrifices of these individuals or that often such discoveries have not always been popular. Moreover, often the most interesting successful experiences were those that went horribly wrong.