“A wonderful, wide-ranging book, all powder, no slush…Put this book on your Christmas list and let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.” -The Times
If you’re looking for the perfect holiday gift for that winter lover in your life consider this new book by author Giles Whittell (author of Bridge of Spies). His latest book, Snow: A Scientific and Cultural Exploration, is published by Atria Books and was just released this month.
It’s packed with fascinating information about the greatest substance on earth including facts like more than 300 billion trillion snowflakes fall on earth every year and some 50 million square kilometers of Earth are snow-covered and most of that is uninhabited.
The book serves as a celebration of snow with an urgent subtext that by 2040 it might be a thing of the past. Buy on Amazon HERE:
Brimming with interesting facts and surprising anecdotes, this scientific and cultural history opens our eyes to the wonders of one of nature’s most delicate, delightful, and deadly phenomena: SNOW! Perfect for fans of The Hidden Life of Trees and Rain.
Go on an extraordinary journey across centuries and continents to experience the wonders of snow; from the prehistoric humans that trekked and even skied across it tens of thousands of years ago to the multi-billion-dollar industry behind our moving, making, and playing with snow. Blending accessible writing with fascinating science, Giles Whittell explores how snow dictates where we live, provides us with drinking water, and has influenced countless works of art and more.
Whittell also uncovers compelling mysteries of this miraculous substance, such as why avalanches happen, how snow saved a British prime minister’s life, where the legend of the yeti comes from, and the terrifying truth behind the opening ceremony of the 1960 winter Olympics.
Filled with in-depth research and whip-smart prose, Snow is an eye-opening and charming book that illuminates one of the most magnificent wonders of nature.
