Customer Reviews
The end of the world? Not if, but when. - By: GoatHorns, 09 May 2008 
This book is very nice: well written & concise - ideal for the beginner who wants a broad coverage of a fascinating topic. This is certainly one of the better 'short introductions' on the market.
The introductory chapter serves as a good overview for the rest of the book, while the proceeding chapters about global warming & the possibility of an ice age are both good. The text is fact-heavy but still flows nicely, telling a clear story. While the authors own views are certainly evident, he also mentions the ideas of other scientists (some contraversial & some downright mad).
The book goes on to discuss the threat & possible consequences of geological events such as super-volcanic eruptions, mega-tsunami's & city-destroying earthquakes. He not only considers the Earth sceince behind these phenomena, but the economic impact is also covered, albeit superficially. I found the chapter about the 'Threat from Space' particularly interesting (and disturbing).
I give the book 4 stars & not 5 because, i my opinion, it lacked scientific depth. I believe, evenin a book so small & introductory, that the author could have given a little more explanation of the science. Perhpas he neglected to do thisin the fear of scaring off potential readers who don't want too much of an intellectual challenge, or perhaps he was concerned with making the book too long for the format of the series (though he does repeat himself several times, so cutting down the words would not have been too difficult). A bit more technical science would have been welcome.
Overall, a very nice read with a pessimistic (but probably realistic) outlook.
Concise, hard-hitting and compelling - a brilliant introduction - By: J. Aitcheson, 03 Apr 2008 
The Very Short Introduction series by Oxford University Press has a good reputation for presenting challenging subjectsin an easily accessible manner. "Global Catastrophes" by Bill McGuire is one of its very best examples. Originally publishedin 2002 as "A Guide to the End of the World", it has since been updated to include events as recent as 2005, with a new preface as well as a fully revised text & bibliography.
The book deals exclusively with environmental phenomena rather than man-made, technological disasters. In each chapter McGuire explores the evidence for - as well as the likely effects of - different catastrophes that could,in the near future, put an end to human civilisation, namely global warming, a new ice age, supervolanoes & other tectonic hazards, & lastly asteroidal impact. His mastery of the material is clear, & at every stage he is careful to back up his arguments with facts & figures drawn from scientific studies & computer models. At the same time his style is conversational & makes on the whole for easy reading, although occasionally the analogies he chooses tend to confuse rather than illuminate.
The opening chapter on global warming is the book's tour de force - as well as probably the most relevant for the reader today - providing a succinct summary of the main issues & sources of contention. McGuire pulls no punches, making it clear just how unprecedented is the effect that human industrial activity is having on the global climate, & how our planet is hotter now than it has been for 90% of its history. For any sceptics of climate change, or of its future implications for our civilisation, this will be a potent wake-up call. In complete contrast, the next chapter explores the counter-intuitive (yet nevertheless scientifically plausible) theory that rising global temperatures couldin fact trigger a rapid freeze & a return to Ice Age conditions. But regardless of whether we are set for global warming or global cooling, McGuire demonstrates why this is an especially bad periodin geological time for us to be experimenting with our atmosphere & climate.
The third chapter - on supervolcanoes & other tectonic events - is similarly well-argued, as one might expect from a Professor of Vulcanology at University College London. One disappointment, however, is the short treatment afforded to the topic of flood basalt eruptions,in particular the Deccan Trap event, which is now thought to have been a contributing factorin the decline & extinction of the dinosaurs. A significant amount of research is now being conducted into these events, which could have been explored further. Finally, McGuire's discussion of potential extinction-level asteroidal impact is both balanced & considered, stressing the catastrophic effect this would have while also underlining the unlikelihood of such an event occurringin the near future.
The book includes 20 images & diagrams, serving to illustrate & reinforce McGuire's points, as well as 2 appendices, summarising the relative frequency of the various threats & plotting the most significant on a geological timescale. The bibliography is thorough, divided according to the relevant chapters, & runs to no less than 65 titles, making this book an excellent platform for exploring the subject further.
Allin all, "Global Catastrophes: A Very Short Introduction" is an excellent overview of what is a difficult, unsettling & sometimes contentious subject, & a book that I can highly recommend.
Don't Have Nightmares... - By: J. Hamston, 04 Jul 2006 I've always been a bit of a fan of these Very Short Introductions - as someone who likes to be a know-it-all but has an increasingly short attention span they're perfect. Well this is one of the best I've read - highly informative, readable, packed with facts. A different version of the end of the world is contemplated on almost every page - & by placing the human racein its true timescale, as a negligible speck on the history of the planet, this is guaranteed to make you feel very small indeed. McGuire makes it clear that with most of the catastrophes he discusses, from the obvious global warming to the alarming super-volcanoes, it's a question of when, not if. And he dispenses with the hubristic notion that there's much we can do about it except prepare for the aftermath.
Frankly, makes me want to become an astronaut.
