Island on Fire: The Extraordinary Story of Laki, the Volcano That Turned Eighteenth-Century Europe Dark

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Profile Books Limited, Jan 19, 2017 - History - 224 pages
The eruption of Laki is one of history's great untold natural disasters. The eruption, spewing out a poisionous fog, lasted for eight months, but its effects lingered across Europe for years, causing the death of people as far away as the Nile, and creating famine that may have triggered the French revolution. 'Island on Fire' is the story not only of a volcano but also of the people whose lives it changed. It is the story, too, of modern volcanology, and looks at how events might work out should Laki erupt again in our time.

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About the author (2017)

Alexandra Witze is a contributing editor to Science News and past US bureau chief for Nature. Jeff Kanipe is the author of Chasing Hubble's Shadow and Cosmic Connection.Photo credit: Nancy November Sloane 2

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