by Steve Olson
First published 2016
In early 1980, Mount St. Helens begins rumbling ominously in southwestern Washington State. Scientists monitor the volcano while journalists flock to the scene and residents listen nervously to the mountain's warnings. On a sunny Sunday morning, the volcano explodes with unprecedented force, blowing off its summit and devastating hundreds of square miles of forest. The blast kills fifty-seven people, some located thirteen miles from the peak. Steve Olson reconstructs this catastrophe through the experiences of those who witnessed it. He follows lumber tycoons, loggers, volcanologists, and conservationists as they confront nature's raw power. The author reveals how economic forces and historical decisions about railroads, logging, and public lands shaped who lived and who died that day. Through personal testimonies and scientific analysis, Olson shows how this eruption changed volcanic science and our understanding of environmental disasters. The book captures both the human drama of survival and the broader implications for living on an unpredictable planet.
Genres: 20th-century, adventure, non-fiction, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: survival, true-story
Setting: Mount St. Helens, Washington State
Period: 1980
320 pages · Hardcover · W. W. Norton & Company