Mariner's Weather

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Handbook for the Mariner.
Review: This is truely a gem! For those who are going to sea or those who are weather enthusiasts, this book should be in your library. My wife and I sailed across the Pacific and were helped immensely by Crawford's book. It is well written for both the unfamiliar reader as well as those wanting an in depth understanding of what makes weather happen and what to expect while it's happening. With almost every page having diagrams or photographs, Crawford takes the reader through an explanation of the atmosphere, introducing the reader to the whys and wheres of winds, the role that heat plays in meteorology, discussions of clouds, fogs, ice, and fronts. He discusses weather instruments and weather charts. The book is directed toward the mariner, both professional and cruiser. Though his book is not layed out specifically with generalities first, followed by increased specifics and details, it is not difficult for the reader to get the general gist of what the author is trying to convey, without having to sort through pages of confusing details. At the same time, those who are hungry for the intricacies of meteorlogical phenomina will have a hard time putting the book down: for them it will be like a compelling novel, and their sleep schedule will likely suffer as a result.

I am surprised to find that I am the first to review this fine book, because I regularly give it as a gift, and well received it has been!