Books

Big Weather: Chasing Tornadoes in the Heart of America

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Fascinating topic, ho-hum execution
Supposed to be About WEATHER
Big Weather? Big Waste!!!
Good Writing - Minimal Adventure
Paparazzi del Cielo

Big Weather: Chasing Tornadoes in the Heart of America
Mark Svenvold
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Storm Chasing Handbook
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ASIN: 0805076468
Release Date: 2005-04-14

Book Description

ornadoes maintain a primal hold on our collective imagination. But for a select band of scientists and weather enthusiasts, tornadoes are more than just fodder for Hollywood disaster films-they're an obsession. These 'storm chasers' descend each spring on America's heartland to await an up-close view of nature's most violent forces. In Big Weather, Mark Svenvold puts us in the seat right next to these mavericks.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating topic, ho-hum execution.......2007-03-18

In "Big Weather," Mark Svenvold recalls the time he spent in 2004 tagging along with veteran storm chaser Matt Biddle. The book is meant to be about storm chaser culture and associated elements, but uneven storytelling mars what would otherwise be a very cool book.

Svenvold is a poet-in-residence at Fordham University, and it shows. In some cases (such as Chapter 4: Catastrophilia), it shows a little too much. When Svenvold is talking about being on a chase, or the people who are part of and/or affected by chase culture, he's great. When he tries to get flowery, it bogs down the book. I'm sure there was a point to Chapter 4; I just wish he had gotten to it sooner, with a clear path to it.

And that's the overall problem with "Big Weather." For a topic that is, at its essence, unpredictable, crazy, and hold-your-breath heart stopping, he doesn't always convey that. I know that there's a lot of waiting associated with chasing, but Svenvold made storm chasing seem downright dreamy. I think the book would have been better if he had stuck with the journalistic, straight-to-the-point style he used when describing different chase events.

I don't agree with other reviewers that say he is anti-Christian, anti-Bush, or anti-other chasers. I think he was just trying to be objective while observing the people who not only live in Tornado Alley, but are also residents of the Bible Belt. Perhaps the book would have been less offensive if he had been more objective, but I don't think that's his style.

One place where I did think he was offensive (or at least borderline) was his constant referral to the people in the chasing industry as "geeks" or "dorks." I wasn't sure if that was an in-joke he was repeating or if he was being purposely derogatory.

I think, in a way, this was meant to be Svenvold's "expose" type book, just like recent bestsellers "The Nanny Diaries" or "The Devil Wears Prada," except, of course, he didn't try to gloss his experiences by hiding them in fiction. It might have been a more interesting read if he did.

Overall, it's worth checking it out from the library. But there are better memoirs out there that are worth savoring and keeping.

Supposed to be About WEATHER.......2007-03-13

Big Weather? WRONG!!!! This guy covers philosophy, map making,religion, his philosophical ideas to the point of nausea, old world history, pages & pages about Mary MacLane, oh yeah, and almost as an afterthought there are some pages about weather & chasing. But still laced with his philosophy.
NOT a book for anyone except maybe self styled "intellectuals"

Big Weather? Big Waste!!!.......2006-09-12

Skip this one. It's horrible. I bought it just before a long flight and didn't have anything else to read. "I chose poorly."

What kind of author involves his political views and disdain for Christianity in a book called Big Weather? Well, Mark Svenvold does. For your money, you get a big dose of Svenvold's personal philosophies packaged with a backdrop of high brow cultural references. Who is this guy? And, why should we listen to his rambling pontifications? I thought I was buying a book about Big Weather!!

Svenvold is also extremely insulting. He describes one fellow he met as having a receding hairline comparing it to a glacier retreating. Come now! Was that necessary? Oklahomans in particular get an extra helping of insults. Svenvold lets loose with unflattering comments about a number of individuals. Most of them were just answering his questions about weather.

Here is a small dose. Svenvold describes a college student storm chaser: "She had an oval face, a smallish mouth, and large, wide cheekbones that made her look as if she were peering shyly and a little fiercely out from behind a tribal mask, if such a mask wore mascara." It gets worse. That is just one I turned to quickly.

Save your money. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK. I have no idea how it managed the ratings is has received. Still tempted? Pick it up in a bookstore and read pages 232-237 (soft cover). If that strikes you as an exciting read about "big weather" then go for it. This book is for you.

Good Writing - Minimal Adventure .......2005-11-06

I'm very into the weather and have chased a storm or two in my exciting lifetime. Nevertheless, I am always interested in reading about the death defying adventures of other lunatics and thought this book would be just the thing. I've read Svenvold before (some book about a singular lunatic) and he writes with some degree of skill. Now...for this book.

The author covers the exploits of several tornado chasers over a month. The adventure writing is minimal as the author spends too much time trying to analyze the storm chaser mentality (and usually with a holier-saner than thou attitude--something I found annoying). He (Svenvold) also feels compelled (every 20 pages or so) to interject his discontent with the US policy in Iraq and US leadership. What the situation in Iraq has to do with tornadoes in the Midwest US is beyond me. The author appears disdainful of his subjects and seems a bit of a snob to me. Which is amusing since he misspells Bob Seger's name three times on page 175. Barely recommended to those who can skim when reading. HHD>.

Paparazzi del Cielo.......2005-10-19

Residing as I do on the periphery of Tornado Alley, and as the resident of a town mostly leveled by the Great Cyclone of 1919, I was very interested in this title. And, being familiar with Mr. Svenvold's prior work, I knew that the literacy level of his new book would be well beyond the breathless, you-were-there prose that he so effectively lampoons ("The twister approached. My car door was jammed. I cursed."), and that seems to typify many such efforts.
"Big Weather" does not disappoint. Loosely structured around a month that the author spent chasing storms around the Midwest, Mr. Svenvold, like the professional guide that he once was, not only takes the reader right to the edge of the chaos, but also provides a thorough, even exhaustive understanding of the events, lives and science that are inextricably intertwined with catastrophilia. And, perhaps most distinctively, Mr. Svenvold is not only unafraid to digress, but makes it a priority to do so: one can easily envision the author sprawled out across the front seat as he rides across those wide-open spaces, Doritos and Diet Coke in hand, letting his many and varied thoughts drift up to the developing cumulonimbi.
One could argue that "Big Weather," with its considerable esoterica, might be less than fully accessible to some readers. However: 1) as Mr. Svenvold emphasizes, the most hard-core weather wonks are pretty sharp individuals, anything but beer-swilling Jethros; and 2) I, for one, appreciated a book that occasionally made me reach for the thesaurus or for Google.com. I would not have necessarily associated a tornado book with elusive Russian poets, but now I'm kind of curious about this Yevtushenko character.
I also disagree with some of the prior reviews accusing Mr. Svenvold of having a political agenda, a blue-state liberal axe to grind, or other such nonsense. For example, his discussion of global warming cites objective, even overwhelming scientific data that more or less represents a consensus amongst those who do not have their heads firmly planted in the sand. And perhaps some of these "chasers" are a tad touchy about being portrayed in such a straight-on manner: yes, an armor-plated tornado intercept vehicle may appear goofy to the uninitiated, but the author is never condescending. As opposed to "carpetbagging" or some other self-interested motivation, the author is trying fully to understand, and communicate, the spectacle of "Big Weather."
Overall, Mr. Svenvold has done an outstanding job of reporting, and carefully considering, a phenomenon that is as old as weather-related small talk, but stands to have future implications in far-reaching and unpredictable ways. Highly recommended.

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Sends a Message of Thoughtfulness and Friendship
Gives Children the idea of Sharing
Creative Reflected in a Not-Only-Valentine's Day Tale
Rainy Day Love.....

The Day It Rained Hearts

Manufacturer: Laura Geringer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0066238765
Release Date: 2001-12-04

Book Description

From the illustrator of If You Gave a Mouse a Cookie

One day it rains hearts, and Cornelia Augusta catches them. Each heart is special in its own way, and Cornelia Augusta knows exactly who to send them to.

Customer Reviews:

Sends a Message of Thoughtfulness and Friendship.......2007-05-18

My mother bought this for Valentine's Day this year for my, then 2.5 year old, boy-girl twins and my kids love this book. It is May and we still read this book at least once a week.

The fact that little Cornelia looks at each heart and creates a special valentine card that matches the heart and the recipent shows thoughtfulness. I also liked that even though it never rained hearts again Cornelia wasn't disappointed or sad, but knew what to each Valentine's Day after that.

Our book also came with a page of stickers based on the illustrations in the book.

Gives Children the idea of Sharing.......2005-02-09

It rains an abundance of hearts one day and
Cornielia Augusta catches them and brings them home and figures out who she wants to make things for.

She makes a necklace by stringing them together, then cuts holes in one and as the story goes on, the children try to guess who she made the valentins for.

It is simple and cute and give the children ideas about doing nice things for their friends.

ellen

Creative Reflected in a Not-Only-Valentine's Day Tale.......2004-01-25

My six year old took the board book version of this book out of my hands. I meant to read it to my two year old son. Instead,
my first grader was enthralled with the illustrations, the story and the name of the loveable protagonist "Cornelia Augusta".

I especially enjoyed how ALL the rainbow hearts Cornelia Augusta catches are ALL different so she can craft personalized, different Valentine's for each recipient of one of her precious gifts.

The story is also a very opening one: there are always ways to create... no matter what the medium, what the celebration, whether the people are together or apart.

Also, I think the 3-5 year recommendation is a bit young. My 6 year old really enjoyed it as well, the language was perfect for a first grader.

Rainy Day Love............2002-01-26

Cornelia Augusta couldn't believe her eyes as this unusual downpour began. Instead of water falling from the sky, it was raining hearts. She caught bunches of them in her hands and slicker, and took them home. After examining her hearts carefully, Cornelia Augusta knew just what she wanted to do with each and every one of them.... Felicia Bond has brought back her 1983 picture book, originally titled, Four Valentines In A Rainstorm, and it's as sweet and charming today as it was almost twenty years ago. Her simple and gentle text is kept to a minimum. The actual story is told through her engaging, bright and expressive artwork, as Cornelius Augusta plans and constructs the perfect Valentine for each of four special friends. Preschoolers will enjoy watching her create each unique card, and guessing as to who will be receiving it. With a Valentine sticker page at the end to help your little ones get started on their own special Valentine cards, The Day It Rained Hearts is an endearing holiday book that shouldn't be missed.

Superstorms: Extreme Weather in the Heart of the Heartland

Average customer rating:

Great photos!

Superstorms: Extreme Weather in the Heart of the Heartland
Terry Swails
Manufacturer: Farcountry Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Rivers | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1560373326

Customer Reviews:

Great photos!.......2006-08-21

Am enjoyable read for the weather buff. Lots of great photos of midwestern weather phenomena. The book is basically a "biography" of significant historic weather events in the Quad Cities (Iowa) and an autobiography of the author, TV Weatherman Terry Swailes. The book starts out with a look at tornadoes and thunderstorm-related stuff. Great reading! However, it bogs down toward the end as the author presents some of the less exciting weather features, such as floods and snowstorms. Nevertheless, it was interesting reading and I recommend it. The pictures were great and the layout was very pleasing to the eye.

The Weather of the Heart (Wheaton Literary)

Average customer rating:

What a find!

The Weather of the Heart (Wheaton Literary)
Madeleine L'Engle
Manufacturer: Shaw
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Inspirational & Religious | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Bright Evening Star: Mystery of the Incarnation (Wheaton Literary Series)
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ASIN: 0877889317
Release Date: 2000-03-07

Customer Reviews:

What a find!.......2001-01-11

It took me a while to discover that Ms. L'Engle has published two books of poetry. I loved her first as a child, when my mind was fascinated by supernatural wonders in time and space. Recently I discovered her adult novels, and finally this book of poetry.

This poetry covers a range of topics, and many of the poems cover Bible stories and Biblical themes. But it is not sing-songy, watered-down, cliche, or boring by any means. You'll see the world through the eyes of a parrot (and will be taught something of humanity in that poem) and through the eyes of the mother of Jesus. The poetic devices are used beautifully, especially internal rhyme, rhythm, and alliteration. There are some surprises here. A couple of the poems are very brief (only five short lines), and you'll be surprised how much a few words can say. I found myself laughing out loud several times. I kept going over to my husband and insisting that I must read him another poem.

This poetry has encouraged me to continue writing myself. I am hoping to learn through osmosis here, so I am reading these works over and over again. They teach so much about form, style, vocabulary, and wit. There are unsuspected twists and so many different subjects here. Find this book if you enjoy L'Engle or if you enjoy excellent poetry! Many of these poems will be like water for your soul, the cold refreshing water of depth, love, and laughter.

Average customer rating:

A Great Read
A Touching Memoir of Strength and Courage

In the Weather of the Heart
Valerie Monroe
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

A Great Read.......2003-10-12

This was one of the best books I have ever read. I could relate so well to her situation as I was also married to an addict. It helped me through a very difficult time. I have read the book several times and each time was very moved by her story.

A Touching Memoir of Strength and Courage.......1997-09-14

I bought this book originally because I am a close friend of the author's son. However, reading it was a truly emotional experience, which literally left me crying. This is a beautiful book, one of the top 10 books I have ever read.

In the Weather of the Heart : The Story of a Marriage Transformed by Addiction

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In the Weather of the Heart : The Story of a Marriage Transformed by Addiction
Valerie Monroe
Manufacturer: Backinprint.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Drug Dependency | Recovery | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0595146376

Book Description

"A vivid account of love and forgiveness in a marriage."

—Kirkus Reviews

This riveting story of a woman whose marriage is poisoned by drug addiction reveals the devastating effect of her husband's slide into cocaine abuse, his flirtations with suicide, and the couple's difficult journey through a recovery process that saves them both.

Weather of the Heart: A Child's Journey Out of Revolutionary Russia

Average customer rating:

Celebration of Freedom
Fascinating
Weather of the Heart
Excellent! Definitely a book to add to one's collection.
Weather of the Heart

Weather of the Heart: A Child's Journey Out of Revolutionary Russia
Nora Lourie Percival
Manufacturer: High Country Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Silver Pages on the Lawn

ASIN: 0971304599

Book Description

From the perspective of the 21st century, the author looks back with a clear eye to the turbulent days following the Russian Revolution. Nora Percival'ss research illuminates her personal story, the story so many of us long to hear from grandparents who were unable or unwilling to look back beyond the emigre'ss voyage to another life and another world. Book of the Year Award for Memoir from the High Country Writers organization, 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Celebration of Freedom.......2004-09-10

From beginning to end I was caught in the poignant details of this story. The Russian Revolution is brought to life through the individuals who face poverty, uncertainty, and constant changes in their circumstances. Whether people are poor, middle class, or wealthy, they are thrown together in difficult, often dangerous situations. Nora Percival fills the pages with family members who are at times wise and courageous only to later be petty and weak, each one trying to survive in a world that no longer makes any sense and which never stands still long enough to build new understandings about how to respond. Nora's free spirit in the midst of this chaos is a constant inspiration. As a young child and into her teens she tends to her mother who is depressed and unable to find the energy required by this newly restricted environment. Though her mother often becomes tiresome, Nora continues to persevere, giving of her own strength to keep her mother afloat. When Nora finally comes to America the reader comes with her, feeling Nora's celebration of freedom and a chance for a new life.

Fascinating.......2003-09-25

This book details the events that brought an immigrant family to safe harbor in the US after escape from the Russian revolution. The viewpoint is that of a young girl, just 3 years old at the beginning of the story. This young girl is the only daughter of a bourgeoisie family. Her father left the farm as a penniless young man, and through his own enterprise came to own a small shoe factory in Samara. As the revolution takes hold, Percival's father is named as a criminal against society because of his social standing, and he is forced to flee to Manchuria, leaving his wife and daughter behind. Percival describes to us how she and her mother gradually lose their life of relative luxury and ease, how their German governess fled, and how they had to abandon their home and move in with her paternal grandparents. The circumstances that follow develop her into a mature young woman by the time the main narrative ends when she is 8 years old and living in New York City.

Occasionally, especially in the first chapter, Percival's writing style can be a little annoying. Nevertheless, the story that she has to tell is riveting. She provides unique details of the daily life of ordinary people in the time just before, during, and after the Russian revolution. She also tells us much about the conditions and rules faced by immigrants to the US during the early part of the 20th century.

Weather of the Heart.......2002-12-30

I learned so much about revolutionary Russia and a different way of life from this book. Reading Ms. Percival's life story was intriguing--full of happy reunions and sad partings. The book really makes you realize that people are the same all over the world. This story of a young girl's long journey to America will inspire you and make you cry.

Excellent! Definitely a book to add to one's collection........2002-12-12

This memorable book gives us the memoirs of an 88 year old first time novelist, Nora Lourie Percival. This is far and away the best book I have read in years. It is an interesting and compelling story of a child growing up in and then escaping from Communist Russia. It is wonderfully written and historically significant. The rich descriptive narrative is a pleasure to read and to hear read (my husband and I read it aloud to one another). I found myself continually rereading passages purely for the purpose of savoring the author's exquisite use of language; I have read few contemporary writers whose use of language is as skillful and as sensitive as is this writer's. This is a book to be added to the family library and to be re-read throughout the years. It is an absorbing, heartbreaking and uplifting true story of a child and her family's survival of the Russian Revolution. The reader is grabbed by the first pages and his interest is held throughout. I've bought several to give as gifts. I would recommend it to anyone! It is truly marvelous.

Weather of the Heart.......2002-03-16

Nora Percival's book vies with Frank McCourt's book as an honest, heart-wrenching memoir. It is a book every American needs to read and it one of the finest books of this decade.

A peaceful heart can weather a storm of conflict.(Columns)(Column): An article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)

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A peaceful heart can weather a storm of conflict.(Columns)(Column): An article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)

Manufacturer: The Register Guard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000827CB0
Release Date: 2005-07-31

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), published by The Register Guard on March 20, 2004. The length of the article is 592 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: A peaceful heart can weather a storm of conflict.(Columns)(Column)
Publication: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) (Newspaper)
Date: March 20, 2004
Publisher: The Register Guard
Page: F4

Article Type: Column

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Weather of the Heart: Glimpses of God in Sunlight and Storm

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Weather of the Heart: Glimpses of God in Sunlight and Storm
Gigi Graham Tchividjian
Manufacturer: Ravens Ridge Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0801089077

Average customer rating:

Weather of the Heart Steady
gigi tchividjian
Manufacturer: Multonomah
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000FMOZ5E

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