First published in 1979 and now in its 14th edition, this book is a meteorological classic covering everything from fire to rain, according to Gates.is a nontechnical take on all things meteorology. It covers what makes the Earth’s surface heat and cool, explains how the atmosphere circulates and thus draws a connection between the atmosphere and climate change.
Most of the book—a college-level read adorned with funny asides—is devoted to concepts including various types of rocks, plate tectonics, glaciers and erosion. “Part of the joy of reading it is that you get into subjects you probably learned about in elementary school—like plate tectonics and volcanoes—but in way more depth,” Gates writes, adding that the book’s sections tied to climate change can help a reader understand the impacts of “dramatically receding” glaciers.