Annie Brown
Dr. Jordan
Geology
Oct. 4th
Krakatoa
Mother nature is a forced not to be taken lightly. Although many think that geological events (nature) will never effect their life, in a major way at least, it is never known when the next tragic, devastating, and monumental event will occur. Human caused catastrophes, like 9/11, touch the lives of thousands of people. However, after reading the book "Krakatoa" by Simon Winchester, I learned that one geological catastrophic event can change and affect the lives of millions.
Winchester opens the book with information about Krakatoa, providing the readers with facts and pieces of history so the audience better and fully understands what is happening within the book. Winchester talks about things such as natural selection and continental drift; to name a few. Winchester uses a broad variety of information about past eruptions. Through doing this, he not only provides the audience with more information about volcanoes, but also shows that he is creditable and worthy of writing a book about a volcanic eruption.
Essentially the book is about an enormous Volcanic eruption, that took place the afternoon of August 26th,1883. Krakatoa culminated with several destructive and enormous eruptions. These massive eruptions destroyed seventy [70] percent of the island. Melting and disintegrating everything within the lava and debris path. This eruption was one of the deadliest and overall most destructive eruptions ever recorded in history. While reading the book I thought that the eruption was only going to be about how it affected the island and what the reasons were that caused the eruption. Reading further into the book I came to learn how much the eruption not only effected the island, but how it actually effected the world. After the eruption of Krakatoa several catastrophic events took place. …show more content…
Winchester lists a few. Because of the eruption ships in South Africa and France felt the waves. Dust occupied and moved around the planet for years, causing the temperature to drop and sunsets to turn vivid colors. The sound of the eruption was heard in Australia and India, thousands of miles away. The saddest and most devastating event was the Tsunami that destroyed the town of Merck. The Tsunami reach one hundred and fifty-one feet tall [151]. Overall Krakatoa killed forty thousand [40,000] people. Winchester states that bodies were found washed up in Zanzibar for days after the eruption and tsunami had hit. Winchester talks about an unseen repercussion of the eruption of Krakatoa. The Javanese people we're so devastated by the eruption. They lost everything; their home, lives of loved ones, and even their sense of safety. These effects on the people took its toll. Winchester states that they had nowhere to turn and no one to look to. They blamed their Gods for their loss. In doing so, it later opened the door to Islamic missionaries. Through comfort and reassurance that that everything would be okay, the missionaries won the heart of the Javanese people, making modern Indonesia the largest Muslim community ever. Learning that I had to read this book was not exciting news to me. However, after reading this book I have come to find this book inspiring, challenging, and informative. It made me realize how important it is for society
Dr. Jordan
Geology
Oct. 4th
Krakatoa
Mother nature is a forced not to be taken lightly. Although many think that geological events (nature) will never effect their life, in a major way at least, it is never known when the next tragic, devastating, and monumental event will occur. Human caused catastrophes, like 9/11, touch the lives of thousands of people. However, after reading the book "Krakatoa" by Simon Winchester, I learned that one geological catastrophic event can change and affect the lives of millions.
Winchester opens the book with information about Krakatoa, providing the readers with facts and pieces of history so the audience better and fully understands what is happening within the book. Winchester talks about things such as natural selection and continental drift; to name a few. Winchester uses a broad variety of information about past eruptions. Through doing this, he not only provides the audience with more information about volcanoes, but also shows that he is creditable and worthy of writing a book about a volcanic eruption.
Essentially the book is about an enormous Volcanic eruption, that took place the afternoon of August 26th,1883. Krakatoa culminated with several destructive and enormous eruptions. These massive eruptions destroyed seventy [70] percent of the island. Melting and disintegrating everything within the lava and debris path. This eruption was one of the deadliest and overall most destructive eruptions ever recorded in history. While reading the book I thought that the eruption was only going to be about how it affected the island and what the reasons were that caused the eruption. Reading further into the book I came to learn how much the eruption not only effected the island, but how it actually effected the world. After the eruption of Krakatoa several catastrophic events took place. …show more content…
Winchester lists a few. Because of the eruption ships in South Africa and France felt the waves. Dust occupied and moved around the planet for years, causing the temperature to drop and sunsets to turn vivid colors. The sound of the eruption was heard in Australia and India, thousands of miles away. The saddest and most devastating event was the Tsunami that destroyed the town of Merck. The Tsunami reach one hundred and fifty-one feet tall [151]. Overall Krakatoa killed forty thousand [40,000] people. Winchester states that bodies were found washed up in Zanzibar for days after the eruption and tsunami had hit. Winchester talks about an unseen repercussion of the eruption of Krakatoa. The Javanese people we're so devastated by the eruption. They lost everything; their home, lives of loved ones, and even their sense of safety. These effects on the people took its toll. Winchester states that they had nowhere to turn and no one to look to. They blamed their Gods for their loss. In doing so, it later opened the door to Islamic missionaries. Through comfort and reassurance that that everything would be okay, the missionaries won the heart of the Javanese people, making modern Indonesia the largest Muslim community ever. Learning that I had to read this book was not exciting news to me. However, after reading this book I have come to find this book inspiring, challenging, and informative. It made me realize how important it is for society