Why read Sea of Storms?

Book cover of Sea of Storms: A History of Hurricanes in the Greater Caribbean from Columbus to Katrina

Book description

The diverse cultures of the Caribbean have been shaped as much by hurricanes as they have by diplomacy, commerce, or the legacy of colonial rule. In this panoramic work of social history, Stuart Schwartz examines how Caribbean societies have responded to the dangers of hurricanes, and how these destructive storms…

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American history

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Why read it?

1 author picked Sea of Storms as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Charles F. Walker

Author

This rollicking history of hurricanes takes us from the sixteenth century (and before actually) to the 2005 Hurricane Katrina. Schwartz is a dogged researcher who has mastered the science of hurricanes and explains them well. He also has a great eye for social history and makes his points by telling anecdotes and stories. He tips his hat to the French master of longue durée history, Fernand Braudel, and Sea of Storms highlights long-term continuities in hurricanes and their destructive paths.

He shows that although the region known as the Caribbean stretches across North, Central, and South America, varying greatly in…

From Charles' list on natural disasters in Latin America and Caribbean.