Rating: 
Summary: The role of the ego in science
Review: This book, along with Victoria Bruce's account of the disaster at Galeras are a must read for anyone interested in Earth science or psychology. Williams appears to be a rogue volcanologist with a cavalier attitude about the dangers of working inside an active volcano. The simple fact is that Williams apparently did have some warning that Galeras was not 'sleeping' the day he led the conference into the crater and he did not insist on safety precautions. As leader of the expedition, Williams could easily have demanded that everyone wear safety gear or they would not be allowed inside. Apparently, Williams thinks anyone who is interested in safety is somewhat of a wimp. While hard hats, gas masks and flame retardent suits would not have saved everyone, no doubt a few of the nine might have also lived. The post-disaster story is almost as intriguing as the events leading to the disaster Williams appears as a glory seeker 'cashing in' on his compatriots ill-fortune. That is perhaps over-emphasized in Bruce's account. Williams himself suffered a serious head injury that apparently left him with some behavioral problems and difficulty in living a normal life. Nevertheless, he was made aware of how he was portraying the incident and has done little to correct those errors of fact publicly. I highly reccomend you read both accounts. Williams ego comes through strongly in both accounts of the story and yet this book paints a somewhat different picture of the post-tragedy fallout.
Rating:
Summary: The role of the ego in science
Review: This book, along with Victoria Bruce's account of the disaster at Galeras are a must read for anyone interested in Earth science or psychology. Williams appears to be a rogue volcanologist with a cavalier attitude about the dangers of working inside an active volcano. The simple fact is that Williams apparently did have some warning that Galeras was not 'sleeping' the day he led the conference into the crater and he did not insist on safety precautions. As leader of the expedition, Williams could easily have demanded that everyone wear safety gear or they would not be allowed inside. Apparently, Williams thinks anyone who is interested in safety is somewhat of a wimp. While hard hats, gas masks and flame retardent suits would not have saved everyone, no doubt a few of the nine might have also lived. The post-disaster story is almost as intriguing as the events leading to the disaster Williams appears as a glory seeker 'cashing in' on his compatriots ill-fortune. That is perhaps over-emphasized in Bruce's account. Williams himself suffered a serious head injury that apparently left him with some behavioral problems and difficulty in living a normal life. Nevertheless, he was made aware of how he was portraying the incident and has done little to correct those errors of fact publicly. I highly reccomend you read both accounts. Williams ego comes through strongly in both accounts of the story and yet this book paints a somewhat different picture of the post-tragedy fallout.
Rating: 
Summary: Well written, easy to follow, and hard to put down.
Review: This is a very good book. An excellent review of the history of the science of volcanolgy, as well as an exciting, but tragic story, of scientists doing a dangerous, but important job. I felt as if I knew the people involved, and as if I were there on Galeras. These scientists deserve a great deal of credit and gratitude.If you enjoy reading about earth science, or if you enjoy true stories of heroic proportion, this is a book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Why such controversy over this horrible but exciting tragedy
Review: This is an absorbing and instructive story of volcanoes as well as the incredible story of the sudden erruption of Galeras which took the lives of six scientists, all friends of the author. It reminds us how much we owe to scientist/risk takers be they Cristopher Columbus or Neil Armstrong or men like Stan Williams and the other volcanologists in this book. It makes you wonder about the motivation of the author of the book so totally critical of Williams. Using full 20/20 hindsight without ever having even been on a volcano she makes herself out as the expert who knew how to save lives! The widow of Geoff Brown, of the scientist killed by Galeras, in a touching review in this ... section and who herself is a geologist, makes us aware of the great courage and contribution of volcanologists who know the risks they are taking in the pursuit of knowlege. Stan Williams is suffering from a horrendous experience, but his book is a facinating read.
Rating:
Summary: Why such controversy over this horrible but exciting tragedy
Review: This is an absorbing and instructive story of volcanoes as well as the incredible story of the sudden erruption of Galeras which took the lives of six scientists, all friends of the author. It reminds us how much we owe to scientist/risk takers be they Cristopher Columbus or Neil Armstrong or men like Stan Williams and the other volcanologists in this book. It makes you wonder about the motivation of the author of the book so totally critical of Williams. Using full 20/20 hindsight without ever having even been on a volcano she makes herself out as the expert who knew how to save lives! The widow of Geoff Brown, of the scientist killed by Galeras, in a touching review in this ... section and who herself is a geologist, makes us aware of the great courage and contribution of volcanologists who know the risks they are taking in the pursuit of knowlege. Stan Williams is suffering from a horrendous experience, but his book is a facinating read.
Rating:
Summary: Surviving Galeras
Review: This is truly a spectacular book. I would highly recommend it for everyone to read. It is a breathtaking first-hand account of the events of the Galeras eruption in January 1993. After reading the book by Fen Montaigne and Stanley Williams, I felt as though I lived through the eruption of Galeras and it even made me short of breath. Stanley Williams clearly sets forth his emotions for all people, whether involved at Galeras, those families who suffered as a result of the incident, or for volcano lovers. Being a volcano lover, I remember the eruption quite well and have followed articles about it ever since. This book is definitely a "must read".
Rating: 
Summary: Nothing but a damn lie
Review: Unfortunately, most of this book is built on nothing but Stanley Williams' ego. After parading around the media for years bragging about how he had been the only survivor of a scientific expedition on Galeras, Williams continues the lie by writing a book about the explosion but conveniently forgets about the other 5 scientists who got out alive. A more compelling and truthful account about Galeras is the book by Victoria Bruce called "No Apparent Danger". Bruce took the time to interview the dozens of people involved with the Galeras tragedy and so her book is much more broad-based than the single-handed novel written by Williams.
Rating:
Summary: A very human and readable story
Review: While writing a children's book (Wild Earth: Volcano!), I interviewed two volcanologists: Stan Williams and John Ewert, a USGS scientist who was at Pinatubo in 1991. Mt. Pinatubo, in the Philippines, was the second-greatest eruption of the 20th century. After planting equipment on the rumbling volcano, scientists bunkered down at Clark Air Force Base. They were nearly certain the volcano would blow. They also knew, from geologic evidence, that Pinatubo was powerful enough to bury the base. Even so, the scientists could not predict the exact moment and size of the explosion. In fact, there were lots of explosions. A big explosion a few days before the really big one spewed ash and rock for miles. When the big blast did happen, the scientists hightailed it out of the base through fallout: a black rain of acidic ash and volcanic rocks. John Ewert told me that, in hindsight, they probably should not have stayed so long. The point is that those scientists could have been injured or killed at several points in time--by a mini-explosion of rocks as they were setting up equipment, by a collapsed roof at Clark Air Base, by fallout as they zoomed away in their jeeps. They weren't reckless. They were cautious. Yet they still could have died. Studying active volcanoes up close is a very dangerous job. Two years after Pintatubo, in 1993, six scientists and three tourists did die on Galeras volcano in South America. They were assaulted by a "hiccup" on the volcanic scale--a relatively small explosion in which a volcano clears its throat, spitting up hot rocks the size of TV sets. To tiny, ant-like humans on a huge mountain, any explosion, no matter how small, can be deadly. The exact time of such explosions isn't 100 percent predictable. Despite rapid advances in technology and knowledge, volcano science is an educated guessing game full of probabilities and percentages and confusing, conflicting, or incomplete data. Stan Williams and his team were preparing to descend Galeras when the explosion occurred. Had they left a little earlier, they would have been safe. Had they gone up the day before, as originally planned, they would have been safe. Had the volcano exploded before they went up--thus cancelling the expedition--they would have been safe. On the other hand, had the explosion been bigger, more scientists might have died, including Williams' two rescuers, who were elsewhere on the volcano. I honestly don't know if Stan Williams made a mistake in judgment, or if the scientists were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Clearly, it's an issue that has polarized people, both scientists and nonscientists. What I found in Williams' book Surviving Galeras was a sensitive man humbled by a life-changing experience. He admits to having had a large ego, a certain swagger that comes with the title "volcanologist." He admits to getting caught up in the media circus after the accident. He admits to an addiction: being "hooked on the thrill of climbing into the crater." Williams does sound defensive in places, pointing an accusatory finger at what he perceives as overly harsh criticisms by fellow scientists. He describes those criticisms, and then explains why he disagrees. It's his book, his opinion. Whichever side people take, the debate is an interesting one that has already improved safety guidelines for volcano researchers. For example, one criticism is that Williams didn't wear protective gear and, as expedition leader, didn't tell anyone else to do so, either. For years, he and colleagues had climbed active volcanoes in Gortex parkas and sturdy boots. Williams remembers being disconcerted and concerned when the tourists showed up in sneakers and light street clothes. Two scientists, following U.S. safety guidelines, wore helmets and discussed an evacuation plan in case of an eruption. One of the scientists, Andy Adams, also wore a fire-resistant suit. The precautions saved Adams's life. A helmet might have lessened the severity of Williams' head wound. A suit might have reduced his burns. Today, Williams points out, Adams has helped make evacuation plans and safety gear part of the international guidelines for volcano safety. Williams himself is a convert. He wears a helmet and protective suit on the job. He says that some scientists still choose not to use the safety gear. I found Surviving Galeras to be both very readable and very human. Williams discusses in an open and straightforward manner his problems with memory (he suffered severe injuries, including brain damage), the points where other eyewitness stories conflict with his own, his human flaws, the many physical and mental difficulties he is still working to overcome, the strain on his marriage, his new-found humility at no longer being able to pursue his career with the same intensity. At the heart of Surviving Galeras, Williams and co-author Fen Montaigne tell a riveting, true-life tale of a disastrous afternoon on an active volcano. Through their extensive interviews with other Galeras victims and their families, the authors provide insight into the lives, motivations, and exploits of volcanologists. They put human faces on "the three tourists," a university administrator, his teenage son, and his son's friend, who, in effect, died of curiosity. The authors explain the science of volcanology in a clear and interesting way, including volcanic eruptions of the past and their lasting impact. In fact, it is that deep commitment to educating the public that prompted Stan Williams, a geology professor at Arizona State, to patiently answer my questions and help me simplify tough scientific concepts for young children. (The interviews took place before Surviving Galeras was published.) As a writer and nonscientist, I applaud Williams' willingness to share his time and knowledge freely. I feel both educated and enlightened by this book.
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