Williams was severely injured at Galeras and is only alive today because of the bravery of his female colleagues, Marta Calvache and Patty Mothes, who entered the still-active volcano to look for survivors.

Through a harrowing first-person account of an eruption and its aftermath, Surviving Galeras reveals the fascinating, high-risk realm of volcanology and explores the profound impact volcanoes have had on the earth's landscapes and civilizations. In 1993, Stanley Williams, an eminent volcanologist, was standing on top of a Colombian volcano called Galeras when it erupted, killing six of his colleagues instantly. As Williams tried to escape the blast , he was pelted with white-hot projectiles traveling faster than bullets. Within seconds he was cut down, his skull fractured, his right leg almost severed, his backpack aflame. Williams lay helpless and near death on Galeras's flank until two brave women-friends and fellow volcanologists-mounted an astonishing rescue effort to carry him safely off the mountain. The tale of how Williams survived Galeras is the framework for a groundbreaking book about volcanoes, their physical and cultural impact, and the tiny cadre of scientists who risk their own lives to gain knowledge that might one day save many others' lives. Volcanoes unleash supremely powerful, unpredictable forces, and we have paid dearly for our understanding of their behavior.

Even with ever more sensitive measuring tools and protective equipment, at least one volcanologist, on average, dies each year. Yet Williams and his fellow scientist-adventurers continue to unveil the enigmatic and miraculous workings of volcanoes and to piece together methods for predicting their actions. Volcanologists often put themselves in peril, not only because the discipline attracts risk-takers but because they know that volcanoes threaten as many as 500 million people worldwide. For Seattle, Tokyo, Mexico City, Naples-and for volcanologists-the clock is ticking. SYNOPSIS: Through a harrowing first-person account of an eruption and its aftermath, Surviving Galeras reveals the fascinating, high-risk realm of volcanology and explores the profound impact volcanoes have had on the earth's landscapes and civilizations. FROM THE CRITIC: Forbes Williams' account remains the better read, thanks to the firsthand narrative and able assistance from coauthor Fen Montaigne. Mark Bowden Galeras artfully blends science writing and history with pure, heart-pounding action, captur[ing] the thrill of science on the edge. Dava Sobel Williams's own near-death experience on Galeras drives this riveting story. Oregonian A gripping worm's-eye view of being caught in a volcanic eruption with a fascinating overview of horrific eruptions through history. Boston Globe 'Surviving Galeras' does a masterful job of evoking the volcano's deadly lure.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING: David Sobel ' I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent book-a Baedeker to the landscape of the Inferno. Through its pages, Stanley Williams wanders the world's fifteen hundred active volcanoes-going not only to them, but also on them and in them. He portrays his colleagues (of both sexes) as members of a rare breed: mostly scientist, part explorer and part thrill-seeker. Loving their dangerous work, they brave natural hellfire and brimstone, bent on a humanitarian mission to save lives by perfecting methods for predicting when magma-filled mountains will explode. Williams' own near-death experience on Galeras, in the Colombian Andes, where he lost six colleagues to a surprise eruption, is the leitmotif that drives this riveting story and shanghais the reader.

 Houghton Mifflin Company 0618031685 / 9780618031689
Hardcover As New Condition Boston 

Price: 22.05 USD