First published 2016
Bill Streever explores wind through science, history, and personal adventure. The bestselling author of Cold takes readers on a journey that spans from ancient empires built by favorable winds to modern storms that destroy them. Writing from aboard his aging sailboat, Streever investigates early weather forecasting, Chaos Theory, and climate change impacts on future wind patterns. He chronicles wind-riding spiders that travel vast distances, landscapes carved by persistent gusts, power generation from moving air, and aircraft battling turbulence. The book examines how wind shaped military campaigns throughout history. Streever draws from natural science, historical records, business case studies, and travel accounts, weaving in observations from his own sailing adventures. His approach combines scientific precision with personal storytelling, revealing how atmospheric forces influence everything from spider migration to global commerce. The narrative shows readers familiar breezes in entirely new ways.
Genres: science, nature, adventure, non-fiction
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-storytelling, scientific-precision
320 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown and Company