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My answer is not relevant as much to the question as it to the relevant discussion that ensues in the comments (about the business of flipkart and its its potential valuation). Hence I feel republishing what I wrote about this deal (Flipkart 200M funding – Doodh ka Doodh; Paani ka Paani) about this deal makes sense here:When I heard that Flipkart had raised ANOTHER 200Mn US$ round in financing, my body went through hormonal changes. I was amazed at the strength of the Flipkart team and their business traction to raise such a massive sum; yet my calculative Marwari brain went a bit haywire.I promised to write an UNBIASED view on the same, and while thinking of the approach remembered the Doodhwala (Milkman) who used to deliver milk at home. That bugger was a cunning guy – who would always “mix” pure milk with water; which made my Granny fret all day. In the end, he sold, we bought and what we drank was a heavenly mix of doodh and paani!In this case, let me deliver the Flipkart funding story to you as reported in this media article and even separate the Doodh and the Paani (milk and water) for you. Then you decide what proportion of the story you want to buy!Bansal said, “This investment validates the belief that our investors have, not only in our capabilities as a market leader, but also in the potential of e-commerce in India.”Doodh part: There is no doubt that the existing/new investors of Flipkart have amazing faith in the existing team and hence have pumped in an additional 200Mn US$. No one manages to raise such large of amounts without ‘faith’. Bravo!Paani part: I know of a very large Indian Industrial Group that had borrowed between 3-4 Billion US$ from ICICI, IDBI, etc in the mid 90s to build all kinds of ‘plants’ and ‘projects’ in India. The markets turned sour and the investors became cagey and very demanding. They refused to lend more monies to the promoters and demanded profitability from the projects, etc, etc.One day, the promoter group CEO made a set of ‘mock keys’ and went to meet the investors. He told them, “Sorry, I am not able to run these businesses. Please take these keys of the plants and do as you please.”The investors GOT THE MESSAGE. He was saying, “Either lend me more money or lose all the 3-4 Billion you have given me so far.” They lent more, and today that group is amongst India’s top 20!I personally don’t know if the ‘existing’ investors of Flipkart are participating out of pain or pleasure. But given that Flipkart has already raised 180 million US$ in the past, investors are not really in a position to ‘write off the money’ as they would do if they would have invested 10-20 million US$ in small and medium companies.Bansal: “We will use money to build the technology platform, further grow the supply chain besides talent acquisition.”Doodh part: That sounds like a nice ‘PR’ statement, although I wonder why would ‘talent acquisition’ be mentioned here. I mean who raises 1200 crores in part to HIRE PEOPLE? Who the heck are these people? All the Fortune 500 CEOs???Paani part: Let’s examine the current business of Flipkart. I see three companies in one:- A courier company that only fulfills orders. This requires investments in warehouses, staff, vehicles, and yes, lots of technology to manage back-end. Let’s assume that the best business in this category is DHL.- A Walmart-like purchase powerhouse that has the ability to BUY goods cheaply and then sell them expensively to consumers. The cheaper the purchase and more expensive the sale, the better the margins.- A consumer Internet brand that has to grow popular each month and keep attracted to it by any means, with minimum advertising (advertising just for traffic becomes unviable). In this league, facebook and google come to mind. (A comScore Top India Internet sites chart is produced later).So, in effect, Flipkart is going to try and become a better DHL, Walmart and Facebook all at once??I think that is a really tough job!Bansal said, "The company has already achieved half of its target of $1 billion GMV (Gross Merchant Volume) by 2015. We can be profitable even today if we want, but it is a strategic decision not to, as of now.”Doodh part: It’s gratifying to know that at least the massive investments of the past (180 million = 1000 crores (excluding this one)) have at least resulted in a ‘break even business’!Paani Part: ‘Just about profitable’ finds no meaning on any market of the world. You have to be Supercalifragilisticexpialidociously profitable to make any mark OR show some other promise to the market to be valued very high – as in the case MakeMyTrip who projects itself as the default leader of Travel in India/ (see MakeMyTrips market cap here despite it making a loss).As per Bansal’s statement, as on today, Flipkart does 50% of 1 billion in GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume). That means that Flipkart does 500 million US$ = 3000 crores in Gross Revenues. If the company becomes ‘just profitable’ at this level of operations, let’s assume that the profit will be 5% = 150 crores = 25 million US$)Now, check out this chart of market caps of ebay and Amazon – dated 13.07.13 and pay attention to the red arrowsGiven the assumptions made on Bansal’s comments, in the USA stock markets, Flipkart would be valued best at 1.00 - 2.5 BN US$ (assuming 2-5x multiple on sales and/ or a 50-100x PE!)Wow? Let’s consider the capital table of Flipkart post this round. Reports say that the VCs now own more than 50% of the Company.Hence 380 million of investments have bought VCs 50% of Flipkart.To get back a classic 10x on investment (=4 billion US$), Flipkart will have to sell or list at 7-8 BILLION US$ for its VCs to earn a 10x return on the same!!(Side comment - even a 2.5 billion listing will result in VCs getting back 1.25 billion or 3-4x on their moneys. Nothing great in multiples, but definitely a BIG exit on a BIG investment and something that everyone would term a big success).Bansal said, “The company has currently 9.6 million registered users and over 1 million unique visitors a day; it achieved a peak of 130,000 items shipped in a deal last month.”Doodh part: 1 million daily unique visitors in India is GREAT. That's no mean feat given that the top media Internet leaders are the usual biggies!Check out this chart of Monthly Uniques of India (comScore May 2013)Paani Part: CHECK OUT the AMAZON site’s traffic in India and how CLOSE it has crept up to Flipkart!A haunting question I have is, “What is the COST of acquisition of the traffic of Flipkart?” If you look at the chart, Quikr.com is higher than Flipkart.com in May 2013. That is clearly from their relentless advertising. What would Flipkart’s traffic be without advertising?Now, for the KILLER :-)Check out THIS comScore traffic chart juxtaposed with the Market Cap data:(note that the Internet traffic of Flipkart here is slightly higher since this is a global traffic chart): Click on chart to expand :-)The chart tells an interesting story…Consider ARPUU’s (Average Revenue per Unique User):Flipkart seems to be selling goods worth Rs. 190/- per unique visitor - a bit under ebay.com’s global ARPUU of Rs. 299/- ; BUT AMAZON ARPUU is a stratospheric Rs. 808/- per user!If Flipkart has to become a Company double its size (1 billion US$ in revenues), it will have to double its traffic, which will then equal to the Times of India Group’s monthly traffic. To achieve this scale of traffic without expensive (and unprofitable) advertising will be very difficult. Else, it will HAVE TO INCREASE its ARPUU significantly.Bansal: “This will not only enable us to reach our goal of $1 billion GMV by 2015 but also help us achieve bigger milestones in the future.” In April this year, the firm launched its marketplace and integrated it with its existing e-commerce platform to enable third party sellers to list and sell their products on its website and sell directly to consumers. The firm claims to have over 500 suppliers on the marketplace as of now.Doodh part: Flipkart has done a GREAT job. They are the ‘e-commerce’ destination that every Indian I know uses and continues to use. Also, honestly, the brand is now so strongly entrenched, that it’s going to be difficult for the other ‘Chunnu Munnus’ of e-com in India to catch up. They will soon be cremated, buried or given to the birds (based on their preference).Paani part: The challenge IS NOT FROM INDIA, BOSS!IT’S FROM THIS MAMMONTH, GAMMOTH ANACONDA CALLED AMAZON!This is the Corporate Vision of Amazon as it reads on their site. Just check its audacity: “We seek to be Earth’s most customer-centric company for four primary customer sets: consumers, sellers, enterprises, and content creators.”!!!If you get a few minutes, download and read this letter to shareholders Bezos wrote for 2012.A few sentences to drive my later points:- Prime Instant Video selection tripled in just over a year to more than 38,000 movies and TV episodes- One industry observer recently received an automated email from us that said, “We noticed that you experienced poor video playback while watching the following rental on Amazon Video On Demand: Casablanca. We’re sorry for the inconvenience and have issued you a refund for the following amount: $2.99. We hope to see you again soon.” Surprised by the proactive refund, he ended up writing about the experience: “Amazon ‘noticed that I experienced poor video playback...’ And they decided to give me a refund because of that? Wow...Talk about putting customers first.”- I am happy to report that I recently saw many Kindles in use at a Florida beach. There are five generations of Kindle, and I believe I saw every generation in use except for the first. Our business approach is to sell premium hardware at roughly break-even prices. We want to make money when people use our devices – not when people buy our devices. We think this aligns us better with customers. For example, we don’t need our customers to be on the upgrade treadmill. We can be very happy to see people still using four-year-old Kindles!In 2013, Amazon is NOT the ‘e-commerce’ Company that Flipkart is trying to compete with (or will be forced to compete with)! That was the Amazon of 2005!!Amazon TODAY is another PLANET.Why do I say this?Consider the points I mentioned about what comprises Flipkart – Courier & Logistics, Purchasing Power & Web presence & brand.What comprises Amazon today?Its CONTENT meets DEVICES meets DISTRIBUTION – all done seamlessly and as evident from anyone who has experienced Amazon before.Amazon is the ONLY company that has succeeded in really successfully merging hardware (Kindle) and software (all kinds of content), beyond Apple Inc.Jeff Bezos is NOT fighting the “Let me buy books cheap and then send them to Austin via my own expensive courier just to deliver it to Alokbhai there to make him happy.”Nope. Bezos has MADE Alokbhai BUY a Kindle on which he BUYS books (that are severely discounted) and which INSTANTLY get delivered!! There is no blue dressed courier calling 10 times to find which galli Alokbhai lives in. No COD, no lafda, no problem.Just before I end, let me quote a few lines from this epic article in Business Insider on Amazon and the Kindle:Amazon's Kindle is no longer just a product: It's a whole ecosystem.Specifically, it's not just an e-book reader but a tablet, a media store, a platform for digital media sales, and even a publishing imprint.Media (means non physical stuff) is 45% of Amazon's revenue, and it is in the midst of a secular disruption as physical media is replaced by digital media - (this tells you what the future is about!)Right now, Amazon generates 45% of its revenue from the sales of physical media--books printed on dead trees, DVDs and the likes. This form of media distribution is, slowly but surely, going the way of the dodo bird (or at least the tiger). No one knows when, no one knows how, but it's happening.Amazon has to lead that disruption, instead of being disrupted by it. Books are a great example. With the original Kindle, Amazon pioneered the sale of digital books, and as a result owns over 90% of their distribution.Kindle is a decade-long investment in a media consumption and distribution ecosystem. It's something Amazon can't afford not to do because it needs to disrupt itself.I am excluding all the existing business that Amazon does currently in India via its Market Place model of amazon.in (which Flipkart has also started). That's all stupid distraction and will disappear when FDI is opened up, etc, etc.I think the killer is going to be instant gratification of goods bought on platforms that are OPERATED BY e-commerce giants – NOT ‘via-via-via-via-via.’Apple TV, Kindle and the Kindle App soon to be available on ALL Android Tabs and Phones in India is what will be Flipkart’s nightmare. That's what they have to watch out for.Can Flipkart create their own tab and platform like Amazon and iTunes/Apple?Or most critically, as Business Insider puts it – Can Flipkart Disrupt itself when the time comes?!!That my friend is the real adulterated question you need to separate into doodh and paani!Your faithful doodhwala,*****

27 Best World Atlases For Map Lovers In 2020Owning a least one good world atlas is a must for any cartophile or map lover. But why stop at one? Below we’ve profiled 27 brilliant world atlases all map lovers would be happy to own.To make your life a little easier we’ve broken them down into 5 categories:Essential – Everyone should own at least one of these.Child & Student – Perfect for kids.Historical – For those that love history.Food & Drink – For those that love food and/or drink.Other – The world’s most interesting alternative atlases.We’ve tried to include as much information about each Atlas as possible including reviews (from Amazon), list price (Amazon almost always sells for less), publisher, edition and publication year (so you know how up-to-date it is).We hope you find one or two new Atlases you’ve never considered before or better yet never heard of altogether.Essential World Atlases1. National Geographic Atlas of the WorldDescription: If you’ve got the budget for it you can’t go wrong with National Geographic’s 10th edition of its Atlas of the World. Published to mark the 100th anniversary of National Geographic it includes:Illustrated mapsInformational graphics about changing global themes such as:climate changepopulation and urbanizationhealth and longevityhuman migrationcommunications technologyworld economyLargest and most comprehensive collection of political maps ever published by National GeographicSpecial sections for the Oceans, Space, and Flags and FactsIndex, with more than 150,000 place namesReview: 4.7/5Publisher: National GeographicPublication date: September 30, 2014Edition: 10thList Price: $195.00Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon2. Oxford Atlas of the WorldDescription: The only world atlas updated annually, guaranteeing that users will find the most current geographic information, Oxford’s Atlas of the World is the most authoritative atlas on the market.Full of crisp, clear cartography of urban areas and virtually uninhabited landscapes around the globe, the Atlas is filled with maps of cities and regions at carefully selected scales that give a striking view of the Earth’s surface.It opens with a fascinating look at world statistics and 18 pages of stunning satellite images, all sourced from NASA’s latest Earth Observation Satellite, Landsat 8.The extraordinarily extensive front matter continues with a “Gazetteer of Nations” that has been comprehensively checked and updated to include recent economic and political changes, and a 48-page “Introduction to World Geography,” beautifully illustrated with tables and graphs on numerous topics of geographic significance, such as the geology and atmosphere of Earth, food and water supply, biodiversity, energy, global conflict, human health, and standards of living.The hundreds of city and world maps that form the body of the Atlas have been thoroughly updated for this 23rd edition.Providing the finest global coverage available, the Atlas of the World is not only the best-selling volume of its size and price, but also the benchmark by which all other atlases are measured.Review: 4.3/5Publisher: Oxford University PressPublication date: October 1, 2016Edition: 23rdList Price: $89.95Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon3. Oxford New Concise World AtlasDescription: With hundreds of dramatic, full-color, large-format maps produced by Europe’s finest team of cartographers, the fifth edition of the New Concise World Atlas solidifies Oxford’s position as the only publisher of regularly updated atlases at every desirable size and price.Containing over 100 pages of the most up-to-date topographic and political maps, the New Concise World Atlas also features a new front section of satellite imagery to replace the old “Earth in Space” section, as well as new detailed maps of the ocean seafloors. In addition to this new front section, there are 16 extra pages of world maps for this new edition covering areas such as Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Peru, and Brazil.Recent changes to the world’s geography are thoroughly captured in this edition; fully updated tables and world statistics provide data on climate, population, area, and physical dimensions. Finally, an index with over 58,000 items make searching for lesser-known locales quick and easy.Truly international in scope, created with meticulous care, and reflecting the very latest political developments and census information, Oxford’s New Concise World Atlas, Fifth Edition achieves the highest standard among international map resources. This engaging and affordable resource is second to none in the superb quality of its maps, the breadth of its coverage, and its easy-to-use convenience.Review: 4.3/5Publisher: Oxford University PressPublication date: November 1, 2015Edition: 5thList Price: $39.95Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon4. The Times Comprehensive Atlas of the WorldDescription: Now in its fourteenth edition, the Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World continues to be the benchmark of cartographic excellence. The world atlas is relied on and trusted by governments, media companies and international organizations around the world including the United Nations and the European Commission.New features:Double page map of the Arctic OceanNew maps of sub-ice features in the Arctic Ocean and the AntarcticPhysical maps of all the continentsMajor updates include:5000 place name changes, most notably in Japan, Brazil, South Korea, Taiwan and Spain.A beautifully illustrated section on current issues, including climate change, economy and energy, and a new section on the power of maps.Updated national parks and conserved areas including the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), the largest conservation zone in the world.Realignment of the international boundary between Burkina Faso and Niger resulting from the International Court of Justice decision.Addition of Brussel as alternative local name form for Bruxelles (Brussels) as city is officially bilingual. Now shown as Brussel/Bruxelles.New administrative structures in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya and Madagascar, and the addition of the new Indian state of Telangana.Addition of over 50 major waterfalls around the world.Review: 4.2/5Publisher: Times BooksPublication date: September 25, 2014Edition: 14th Revised editionList Price: $200.00Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon5. National Geographic Concise Atlas of the WorldDescription: With more than 470 maps and graphics, this atlas delivers award-winning cartography with superbly designed and amazingly informative maps and graphics providing accurate coverage of the whole world.Including introductory sections for each continent and the flags and country facts at the end of each continental section, this atlas features stunning satellite images that portray unique physical geography and highlights the sprawling extent of major cities.Review: 3.8/5Publisher: National GeographicPublication date: August 30, 2016Edition: 4thList Price: $29.95Buy: Click To Buy On AmazonChild & Student Atlases6. National Geographic Kids Beginner’s World AtlasDescription: Jam-packed with the latest data, bright, bold images, large maps, a brand-new design, and lively information about the world’s land, people, and animals, the third edition Beginner’s World Atlas will be the most up-to-date world reference for kids ages 5–8.True to National Geographic’s reputation and legacy, they’ve created this atlas with the same care and attention to detail as our renowned adult atlases. “No one does maps or atlases with as much panache and knowledge as National Geographic,” said the Washington Post.With completely up-to-date facts-at-a-glance, a glossary, pronunciation guide, and comprehensive index, this completely revised atlas takes young readers on a high-energy tour of the world and will be a must-have in every home and school.Vibrant color, fresh design, amazing photography, and new icons will help kids quickly identify information related to land, plants, animals, languages and culture, and all aspects of the physical and political world. Parents and teachers will appreciate the front matter with information for children about maps and how to use the atlas.Review: 4.6/5Ages: 5 – 8 yearsPublisher: National Geographic Children’s BooksPublication date: August 9, 2011Edition: 3rdList Price: $18.95Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon7. National Geographic Kids World AtlasDescription: National Geographic’s classic atlas for kids is now fully revised and updated, with a reduced trim that makes it easy to carry and easy to browse. Complete with geo-themed games, crosswords, picture puzzles and more, this is the atlas for today’s young explorers, as well as the perfect homework reference source.National Geographic is committed to being the number one provider of the best atlases for young people of all ages. This new edition of the award-winning world atlas for kids includes the latest data, newest maps and graphs, a fresh and compelling design, and lively essays about the world and its wonders.Review: 4.8/5Ages: 8 – 12 yearsPublisher: National Geographic Children’s BooksPublication date: July 9, 2013Edition: 4thList Price: $14.99Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon8. National Geographic Student World AtlasDescription: The new fourth edition of National Geographic’s award-winning Student Atlas of the World is more fascinating and fact-filled than ever, and has gone interactive with new digital extras, including scannable pages that link to photo galleries and quizzes.Dynamic, user-friendly content includes photos, facts, charts, graphics, and full-color political, physical, and thematic maps on important topics. From the cartographic experts at National Geographic comes the latest edition of its award-winning student atlas, with everything kids want and need to know about our changing world!Review: 4.3/5Ages: 12 and upPublisher: National Geographic Children’s BooksPublication date: July 8, 2014Edition: 4thList Price: $12.99Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon9. Wiley/National Geographic College Atlas of the WorldDescription: In an exclusive partnership with National Geographic, Wiley offers a powerful resource that is affordable, compact, and authoritative. It puts our world in your students’ grasp, presenting 25 global themes, from tectonics, the biosphere, and energy sources to population, health, literacy, and more, along with such timely topics as environmental stress and flash points for conflict and terror.Review: 4.5/5Publisher: WileyPublication date: July 20, 2010Edition: 2ndList Price: $11.68Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon10. MapsDescription: This book of maps is a visual feast for readers of all ages, with lavishly drawn illustrations from the incomparable Mizielinskis.It features not only borders, cities, rivers, and peaks, but also places of historical and cultural interest, eminent personalities, iconic animals and plants, cultural events, and many more fascinating facts associated with every region of our planet.Review: 4.6/5Grade Level: Kindergarten – 12Publisher: Big Picture PressPublication date: October 8, 2013Edition: TraList Price: $35.00Buy: Click To Buy On AmazonHistorical World Atlases11. Atlas of World HistoryDescription: Oxford’s Atlas of World History is the result of years of intensive work by a specialist team of scholars, editors, and cartographers. It presents the story of humanity in its physical setting, from the emergence of the earliest hominoids to the present day.Truly international in scope, the atlas incorporates the latest research into Asian, African, and Central and South American history, as well as the traditional core of North American and European events.The Atlas includes sections on the Ancient World, Medieval World, Early Modern World, Age of Revolutions, and the Twentieth Century and Beyond. Each section opens with an introduction that highlights the main socioeconomic, cultural and religious themes of the period, followed by spreads of maps, text, illustrations and captions that discuss specific regions and eras.Spreads depict everything from hunting in Africa in 10,000 BC to the kingdoms of Southeast Asia in the earliest years of the millennium, the decline of the Byzantine Empire, the growth of the Atlantic economies in the 18th century, and standards of living since 1945.The Atlas features some 450 vivid full-color maps illustrating the major themes and events of world history, 100 photographs, 60 diagrams and hundreds of thousands of words of explanatory text.Unique for such an atlas, the entire work is thoroughly cross-referenced, allowing the reader to move backwards and forwards in time or across the world from region to region, following themes or lines of inquiry across pages.The new edition brings the Atlas into the 21st Century and up to the present day. New and updated maps and illustrations cover a wide range of evolving subjects such as population changes, international trading, urbanization, political and economic developments, literacy rates, the concentration of world languages, and many more important and always timely subjects.Coverage of Africa, South Asia, Eastern Europe, and every other part of the world is revisited and updated, making this the most up-to-date atlas of world history available, in addition to being the most complete.A comprehensive index of more than 8,000 entries includes numerous alternative name forms used over the centuries. The Atlas of World History closes with a bibliography that provides a booklist for suggested further reading.Equally well-suited for a general audience and students of history or international relations, the Atlas of World History continues Oxford’s presence as the premier publisher of world atlases.Review: 4.0/5Publisher: Oxford University PressPublication date: October 15, 2010Edition: 2ndList Price: $49.95Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon12. Atlas of the Civil WarDescription: In this one-of-a-kind atlas, scores of archival maps and dozens of newly created maps trace the battles, political turmoil, and great themes of America’s most violent and pivotal clash of arms.From the Antebellum South to Fort Sumter, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the fitful peace of Reconstruction, National Geographic’s Atlas of the Civil War displays eye-opening maps—and a gripping, self-contained story—on every spread.Eighty-five rare period maps, many seen here for the first time, offer the cartographic history of a land at war with itself: from 19th-century campaign maps surveying whole regions and strategies to vintage battlefield charts used by Union and Confederate generals alike, along with commercial maps produced for a news-hungry public, and comprehensive Theater of War maps.In 35 innovative views created especially for this book, the key moments of major battles are pinpointed by National Geographic’s award-winning cartographers using satellite data to render the terrain with astonishing detail.In addition, more than 320 documentary photographs, battlefield sketches, paintings, and artifacts bear eyewitness testimony to the war, history’s first to be widely captured on film.Review: 4.7/5Publisher: National Geographic;Publication date: October 20, 2009Edition: FirstList Price: $40.00Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon13. On the Map: A Mind-Expanding Exploration of the Way the World LooksDescription: Imagine a world without maps. How would we travel? Could we own land? What would men and women argue about in cars? Scientists have even suggested that mapping—not language—is what elevated our prehistoric ancestors from ape-dom.Follow the history of maps from the early explorers’ maps and the awe-inspiring medieval Mappa Mundi to Google Maps and the satellite renderings on our smartphones, Garfield explores the unique way that maps relate and realign our history—and reflect the best and worst of what makes us human.Featuring a foreword by Dava Sobel and packed with fascinating tales of cartographic intrigue, outsize personalities, and amusing “pocket maps” on an array of subjects from how to fold a map to the strangest maps on the Internet, On the Map is a rich historical tapestry infused with Garfield’s signature narrative flair.Map-obsessives and everyone who loved Just My Type will be lining up to join Garfield on his audacious journey through time and around the globe.Review: 4.0/5Publisher: GothamPublication date: November 5, 2013Edition: NAList Price: $17.00Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon14. Atlas of Cursed PlacesDescription: This alluring read includes 40 locations that are rife with disaster, chaos, paranormal activity, and death.The locations gathered here include the dangerous Strait of Messina, home of the mythical sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis; the coal town of Jharia, where the ground burns constantly with fire; Kasanka National Park in Zambia, where 8 million migrating bats darken the skies; the Nevada Triangle in the Sierra Nevada mountains, where hundreds of aircraft have disappeared; and Aokigahara Forest near Mount Fuji in Japan, the world’s second most popular suicide location following the Golden Gate Bridge.Review: 3.6/5Publisher: Black Dog & LeventhalPublication date: October 6, 2015Edition: FirstList Price: $24.99Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon15. Atlas of Lost CitiesDescription: Like humans, cities are mortal. They are born, they thrive, and they eventually die.In Atlas of Lost Cities, Aude de Tocqueville tells the compelling narrative of the rise and fall of such notable places as Pompeii, Teotihuacán, and Angkor. She also details the less well known places, including Centralia, an abandoned Pennsylvania town consumed by unquenchable underground fire; Nova Citas de Kilamba in Angola, where housing, schools, and stores were built for 500,000 people who never came; and Epecuen, a tourist town in Argentina that was swallowed up by water.Beautiful, original artwork shows the location of the lost cities and depicts how they looked when they thrived.Review: 3.4/5Publisher: Black Dog & LeventhalPublication date: April 5, 2016Edition: FirstList Price: $24.99Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon16. The Map BookDescription: From the earliest of times, maps have fired our imaginations and helped us make sense of our world, from the global to the very local. Head of Map Collections at the British Library, Peter Barber has here compiled an historic and lavish atlas, charting the progress of civilization as our knowledge of the world expanded.Simply organized as a progression through time, The Map Book collects some 175 maps that span four millennia – from the famed prehistoric Bedolina (Italy) incision in rock from around 1500 B.C. to the most modern, digitally enhanced rendering.Many of the maps are beautiful works of art in their own right. From Europe to the Americas, Africa to Asia, north to south, there are maps of oceans and continents charted by heroic adventurers sailing into the unknown, as accounts spread of new discoveries, shadowy continents begin to appear n the margins of the world, often labeled ‘unknown lands.’Other maps had a more practical use: some demarcated national boundaries or individual plots of land; military plans depicted enemy positions; propaganda treatises showed one country or faction at an advantage over others.So much history resides in each map–cultural, mythological, navigational–expressing the unlimited extent of human imagination. This is captured in the accompanying texts–mini essays by leading map historians–that are as vivid and insightful as the maps themselves.They make The Map Book as much a volume to be read as to be visually admired.Review: 4.1/5Publisher: Walker BooksPublication date: November 15, 2005Edition: 1stList Price: $50.00Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon17. New Historical Atlas of the WorldDescription: The Historical Atlas of the World presents important periods and turning points in 5,000 years of world history in over 100 pages of thematic maps.Atlas Features: 2015 copyright updated to include recent world events, Presents major periods of world history through more than 100 bold, colorful maps, Thematic maps include literacy, languages, religions, and more.Review: 4.4/5Publisher: Rand McNallyPublication date: July 31, 2015Edition: 6thList Price: $12.00Buy: Click To Buy On AmazonFood & Drink World Atlases18. World Atlas of WineDescription: The seventh edition will confirm the status of The World Atlas of Wine as the most essential and authoritative wine reference work. Reflecting the changing nature of the wine scene, the Atlas details developments in climate, technique and fashion as well as new regulations made over the last six years.A new Australian map highlights the importance of cool-climate regions as global warming takes effect, for example,while dynamic regions such as coastal Croatia, South Africa’s Swartland and Ningxia in China are covered for the first time. The world’s increasing appetite for wine is matched by a growing thirst for knowledge,which this book will amply satisfy.Review: 4.8/5Publisher: Mitchell BeazleyPublication date: October 8, 2013Edition: 7thList Price: $60.00Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon19. World Atlas of WhiskyDescription: Award-winning author and whisky expert Dave Broom explores over 200 distilleries and examines over 400 expressions. Detailed descriptions of the Scottish distilleries can be found here, while Ireland, Japan, the USA, Canada and the rest of the world are given exhaustive coverage.There are tasting notes on single malts from Aberfeldy to Tormore, Yoichi (and coverage of the best of the blends). Six specially created ‘Flavour Camp Charts’ group whiskies by style, allow readers to identify new whiskies from around the world to try.This extrensively updated and extended edition features new material on burgeoning areas, including detailed coverage of many recently opened US craft distilleries, new distilleries in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and discussion of the growing whisky scene in Latin America.With over 200 beautiful colour photographs and 21 colour maps locating distilleries and whisky-related sites, this is a stylish celebration of the heritage, romance, craftsmanship and versatility of whisky.Review: 4.8/5Publisher: Mitchell BeazleyPublication date: October 14, 2014Edition: 2nd revisedList Price: $39.99Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon20. World Atlas of BeerDescription: Take a brew-lover’s trip around the world in this definitive, revised, and expanded guide.Join renowned experts Tim Webb and Stephen Beaumont on the ultimate beer journey, covering more than 35 countries from Austria to New Zealand. This richly illustrated, comprehensive guide kicks off in Europe, travels through the Americas, and ends in Asia.Along the way, you’ll learn about everything from the wheat beers of Bavaria, Belgium’s Trappist ales, and Finnish sahti to British bitters, barrel-aged Californian beers, Vietnamese bìa hoi, and more, with full tasting notes for over 500 must-try brews.Webb and Beaumont also offer a fascinating history of beer and an in-depth look at the science and art of beermaking.This newly revised and expanded edition of The World Atlas of Beer features ten additional countries—including Poland, Switzerland, Spain, Ireland, Iceland, and China—as well as up-to-the-moment beer industry information and trends. With this ultimate companion in hand, you can explore the best beers in the whole world.Review: 4.9/5Publisher: Sterling EpicurePublication date: October 18, 2016Edition: NAList Price: $30.00Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon21. The World Atlas of CoffeeDescription: Taking the reader on a global tour of coffee-growing countries, The World Atlas of Coffee presents the bean in full-color photographs and concise, informative text. It shows the origins of coffee — where it is grown, the people who grow it; and the cultures in which coffee is a way of life — and the world of consumption — processing, grades, the consumer and the modern culture of coffee.Plants of the genus Coffea are cultivated in more than 70 countries but primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa. For some countries, including Central African Republic, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Honduras, coffee is the number one export and critical to the economy.Organized by continent and then further by country or region, The World Atlas of Coffee presents the brew in color spreads packed with information. They include:The history of coffee generally and regionallyThe role of colonialism (for example, in Burundi under colonial rule of Belgium, coffee production was best described as coercive. Every peasant farmer had to cultivate at least 50 coffee trees near their home.)Map of growing regions and detail mapsCharts explaining differences in growing regions within a countryInset boxes (For example, what is the Potato Defect? Is Cuban coffee legal in the United States?)The politics of coffee and the fair trade, organic and shade grown phenomenaBeautiful color photographs taken in the field.Americans consume 400 million cups of coffee per day, equivalent to 146 billion cups of coffee per year, making the United States the leading consumer of coffee in the world. The World Atlas of Coffee is an excellent choice for these coffee lovers.Review: 4.8/5Publisher: Firefly BooksPublication date: October 23, 2014Edition: NAList Price: $35.00Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon22. Atlas of FoodDescription: The Atlas of Food provides an up-to-date and visually appealing way of understanding the important issues relating to global food and agriculture. In mapping out broad areas of investigation—contamination of food and water, overnutrition, micronutrient deficiency, processing, farming, and trade—it offers a concise overview of today’s food and farming concerns.Buttressed by engaging prose and vivid graphics, Erik Millstone and Tim Lang convincingly argue that human progress depends on resolving global inequality and creating a more sustainable food production system.Review: 4.7/5Publisher: University of California PressPublication date: March 1, 2013Edition: UpdatedList Price: $24.95Buy: Click To Buy On AmazonOther World Atlases23. Atlas of Improbable PlacesDescription: It is perhaps the eighth wonder of our world that despite modern mapping and satellite photography our planet continues to surprise us.Hidden lairs beneath layers of rock, forgotten cities rising out of deserted lands and even mankind’s own feats of engineering eccentricity lie in the most unusual of destinations.Travis Elborough goes in search of the obscure and bizarre, the beautiful and estranged. Taking in the defiant relics of ancient cities such as Ani, a once thriving metropolis lost to conquered lands, and the church tower of San Juan Parangaricuto, that miraculously stands as the sole survivor of a town sunk by lava.Through the labyrinths of Berlin and Beijing – underground realms dug for refuge, espionage and even, as Canada’s Moose Jaw, used as the playground for gangsters trading liquor and money over cards.Never forgetting the freaks and wonders of nature’s own unusual masterpieces: the magical underground river shaped like a dragon’s mouth in the Philippines and the floating world of Palmerston.With beautiful maps and stunning photography illustrating each destination, Atlas of Improbable Places is a fascinating voyage to the world’s most incredible destinations.As the Island of Dolls and the hauntingly titled Door to Hell – an inextinguishable fire pit – attest, mystery is never far away. The truths and myths behind their creation are as varied as the destinations themselves.Standing as symbols of worship, testaments to kingships or even the strange and wonderful traditions of old and new, these curious places are not just extraordinary sights but reflections on man’s own relationship with the world around us.Review: 4.1/5Publisher: Aurum PressPublication date: October 15, 2016Edition: First EditionList Price: $29.99Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon24. Atlas of Remote IslandsDescription: There are still places on earth that are unknown. Visually stunning and uniquely designed, this wondrous book captures fifty islands that are far away in every sense-from the mainland, from people, from airports, and from holiday brochures.Author Judith Schalansky used historic events and scientific reports as a springboard for each island, providing information on its distance from the mainland, whether its inhabited, its features, and the stories that have shaped its lore.With stunning full-color maps and an air of mysterious adventure, Atlas of Remote Island is perfect for the traveler or romantic in all of us.Review: 4.1/5Publisher: Penguin BooksPublication date: October 5, 2010Edition: First EditionList Price: $30.00Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon25. Atlas of CitiesDescription: More than half the world’s population lives in cities, and that proportion is expected to rise to three-quarters by 2050.Urbanization is a global phenomenon, but the way cities are developing, the experience of city life, and the prospects for the future of cities vary widely from region to region. The Atlas of Cities presents a unique taxonomy of cities that looks at different aspects of their physical, economic, social, and political structures; their interactions with each other and with their hinterlands; the challenges and opportunities they present; and where cities might be going in the future.Each chapter explores a particular type of city–from the foundational cities of Greece and Rome and the networked cities of the Hanseatic League, through the nineteenth-century modernization of Paris and the industrialization of Manchester, to the green and “smart” cities of today.Expert contributors explore how the development of these cities reflects one or more of the common themes of urban development: the mobilizing function (transport, communication, and infrastructure); the generative function (innovation and technology); the decision-making capacity (governance, economics, and institutions); and the transformative capacity (society, lifestyle, and culture).Using stunning info-graphics, maps, charts, tables, and photographs, the Atlas of Cities is a comprehensive overview of the patterns of production, consumption, generation, and decay of the twenty-first century’s defining form.Presents a one-of-a-kind taxonomy of cities that looks at their origins, development, and future prospectsFeatures core case studies of particular types of cities, from the foundational cities of Greece and Rome to the “smart” cities of todayExplores common themes of urban development, from transport and communication to lifestyle and cultureIncludes stunning info-graphics, maps, charts, tables, and photosReview: 4.4/5Publisher: Princeton University PressPublication date: August 24, 2014Edition: NAList Price: $49.50Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon26. Map: Exploring the WorldDescription: Map: Exploring the World brings together more than 300 fascinating maps from the birth of cartography to cutting-edge digital maps of the twenty-fist century.The book’s unique arrangement, with the maps organized in complimentary or contrasting pairs, reveals how the history of our attempts to make flat representations of the world has been full of beauty, ingenuity and innovation.Selected by an international panel of curators, academics and collectors, the maps reflect the many reasons people make maps, such as to find their way, to assert ownership, to record human activity, to establish control, to encourage settlement, to plan military campaigns or to show political power.The selection includes the greatest names in cartography, such as James Cook, Gerard Mercator, Matthew Fontaine Maury and Phyllis Pearsall, as well as maps from indigenous cultures around the world, rarely seen maps from lesser’known cartographers, and maps of outstanding beauty and surprising individuality from the current generation of map makers.Review: 5/5Publisher: Phaidon PressPublication date: September 28, 2015Edition: 1stList Price: $59.95Buy: Click To Buy On Amazon27. Transit Maps of the WorldDescription: Transit Maps of the World is the first and only comprehensive collection of historical and current maps of every rapid-transit system on earth. In glorious, colorful graphics, Mark Ovenden traces the cartographic history of mass transit—including rare and historic maps, diagrams, and photographs, some available for the first time since their original publication.Now expanded with thirty-six more pages, 250 city maps revised from previous editions, and listings given from almost a thousand systems in total, this is the graphic designer’s new bible, the transport enthusiast’s dream collection, and a coffee-table essential for everyone who’s ever traveled in a city.Review: 4.6/5Publisher: Penguin BooksPublication date: November 3, 2015Edition: Expanded and updatedList Price: $35.00Buy: Click To Buy On AmazonWe hope you enjoyed the list. However, if you think we’ve missed any great atlases, please let us know in the comments section below.Know anyone else who loves a good Atlas? Then please share this post with thThink This Map Was Brilliant? Get Our Most Brilliant Maps Free Each WeekNational Geographic Kids Beginner's World Atlas$18.95(406)World Atlas$16.94(375)The Atlas of Food: With a New Introduction$29.95(10)Map: Exploring the World$45.63$59.95(78)Ads by AmazonFiled Under: World Map

Answered 5 March, 2020Yes, there is a genre of supervolcano fiction! It’s humourous the other answerer assumes the questioner betrayed her prejudices supposedly against volcanic potential, which wasn’t the case at all. Instead, he shows his unawareness of human commercial literary drive. Also, there is no way a large volcanic event at Yellowstone could happen next Tuesday as he said or next year. Yes, the Yellowstone supervolcano can wipe out humanity, but we'll have years of warningFear or perceived opportunity spawns art, some good and some bad. If spread by the internet, this is doubly so. Without going thorough the vetting of an established publishing house, much of the material out there is amateurish and poorly phrased, though well-intended.A Short History of the End of the WorldImagine your would-be famous author trying to find an unexploited niche, some theme to make their own by which to rise above the pack. Stephen King was ahead of the crowd when he wrote The Stand way back in 1978. Now there are scads of virus and pandemic fiction novels. Same with earthquakes, runaway AI, WWIII, the post apocalypse, psychic phenomenae, the paranormal, creepy humans and/or clowns, aliens, you name it. I’ve got it! The Yellowstone “Supervolcano!” I’m sorry to report, that has been mined, though mostly poorly. I count 38 fictional treatments, three of them movies of some sort. I will add more as I’m made aware of them. I bet I missed some; there’s a whole lot of self-publishing going on out there. Like the proliferation of poor Yellowstone tour guides, it’s easy to claim authorhood.Even if you write about a new challenge, it’s still necessary to have a good, believable story researched using the best knowledge regarding it, have compelling characters and to have been proofread well.To be fair, before the mid-teens, ash distribution models were inflated and before 2017 tomographic imaging had not yet revealed the 91% non-fluidic, non pressurised nature of the uppermost magma chamber. Jesse Lee O’Connor 李杰西's answer to What is going on with the Yellowstone volcano? Will it implode, explode or suddenly halt activity?But they should have known that was a crucial factor. No imminence equals no drama, which is where we are now, in the real world. In the 2005 teledrama “Supervolcano” magma chamber melt ratio was discussed but never measured when their supercomputer simulator VIRGIL could have done it easily. The hot spot cannot erupt to form a large caldera unless its upper chamber is more than 49% fluidic. Jesse Lee O’Connor 李杰西's answer to How much warning time would we likely have if the Yellowstone volcano was going to erupt? The least conservative, informed estimate is it will provide decades of warning; it cannot “go off tomorrow.” Yellowstone Supervolcano's Nasty Surprise: Only Decades To Prepare For An EruptionBefore the aughts, scientists knew Yellowstone had created three calderas. Then, it was pieced together that its volcano created many, all across Idaho.A recurring error among writers is their having the Yellowstone hot spot going from quiescence to “super” eruption (VEI-8) in too short a time. Also, an almost prevalent confusion exists between slowly falling ash and sulphur dioxide gas in the stratosphere. Yes, ash can be an aerosol but the minute particles able to reduce temperature are different than what’s covering the cities and killing car engines.The biggest problem is authors making up their own Yellowstone by ignoring where locations are in relation to each other and even what landmarks are called. A gifted writer may gain readers by their craft but if they haven’t learned their subject they will lose an audience who does. To would-be future writers, please run your manuscript by an experienced local first? A lot of embarrassment might be avoided. If you don’t see the grading criteria below, for a specific title, I haven’t read it yet but will add a review after do.C- charactersG - geographyP - punctuationS - storyT - time from detection ‘till eruptionV - volcanic realism, reasonable/researched scienceBobby Akart 20 July, 2018 Yellowstone Hellfire 1 of 4.C - cliched, G -, P +, S-, T-2 years after drilling begun, V - confuses “seismic activity, ground uplift and subsidence and gas releases,” which are common to Yellowstone, with “telltale signs of a potential eruption.” Claims super eruption is “overdue.” There is a huge difference between magmatic and tectonic earthquakes that is missed here as in most offerings. Describes the “YVO” a new physical structure at West Thumb in 2018. “Gibbon’s River.” “Lake View Cafe,” “fly fishing along the shoreline across West Thumb,” “The largest most dangerous active volcano on the planet.” Dozens to hundreds of frogs in a marsh on Yellowstone Lake. Eruption caused by “Project Hydro” drilling and fluid injection. Passing Old Faithful on the way to elephant back mountain from West Thumb. Cabins at Grant Village. A 1,200 square foot ranger residence on the Firehole River near Sentinel Creek. A borehole 15 miles deep, in hot, plastic rock 3 12 miles deep. The entire mantle characterised as magma, cell coverage near Cave Falls. Old Faithful erupting every 30 minutes. ”Yellowstone’s three prior eruptions have been greater than or equal to Toba.” “A [any] Yellowstone eruption will be at least 1000 times more powerful than Mount St. Helens.“ I could go on…Likable characters with realistic sounding jargon but completely fantastic.Cora Buhlert Christmas After the End of the World 15 December, 2019. Pretty good little story. C+, G + there is no park in this story, P+, S+, T hard to say. Protagonist is 13 and was unaware of any advanced warning. V + except for only light ash near Billings. Story is so pleasant I have no complaints. The reason there’s no other people is they were ordered to to evacuate and the young characters didn’t know.Paul Curtain Gray Snow: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller 6 February, 2019 Deeply psychological in painful detail yet believably so. C+, G+ played safe, no Yellowstone locations, P+, T- a day’s warning, V+ except for T complaint and ash in upper atmosphere instead of gas and fine particulate. Mostly quite enjoyable, except, as well-thought out and prepared as the story setup is, it feels very much like a typical disaster movie; these conflicting, baggage-laden principals are locked up in a small space to clash and to compromise in order to survive. The rawness and the finest of human spirit will be on display so that truth; good, bad and ugly, will be exposed and milked. Since I wrote that, all has turned much more realistically horrible. There is much to like here and much soap opera as well.Leonard J. DiSanza Seeds of Our Future 18 November, 2019 C+, G: bypassed by having no action in or near YNP, P+, S+, T?, V- relies upon humans inducing an eruption by nefarious yet undescribed methods. Claims climate change increases volcanism. Pleasant enough mystery though derivative and with likable characters. An enjoyable read.Jay J. Falconer and M. L. Banner Frozen World: Silo: Summers End 30 October, 2019 1 of 3 C+, G- could take place almost anywhere, nothing to do with YNP, P+, S+, T bypassed, never addressed, V-Yellowstone is never named but “The Event” 12 years previous include 91 volcanoes induced to erupt by humans - its hinted by nuclear devices. This is a fine action story with realistically complex characters and conflicts. Authors know their military hardware and culture well. However, the verbiage is tedious. Vocabulary is stilted to contrived. I would say no one talks like that but some do; highlights difficulty of writing realistic dialogue’s nuances that successful authors master. Multiple points of view and setups for future books drag out the fairly pedestrian post apocalyptic dystopian tale unnecessarily. Some continuity problems. If I enjoyed being inside the many characters’ minds more it would not seem so long and I’d eagerly read books 2 and 3 but I did not.John Fishwick and Lisa Wroble The Yellowstone Affair 10 April, 2017 C-trying far too hard, G-, P mostly + but could have been proofread better for stray unintended words, S-, T-(Projected, never occurs on page), V- “Ten thousand times Mt. St. Helens” would be VEI 9, which has never happened on Earth even though there are four more powerful eruptive sources on the planet. Stats from three most recent large eruptions are given with conclusion new one is “40,000 years overdue” with nothing to support that (2.1 MY/3=700,000 years, not 600,000.) Disagreement between Dr. Alvarez and YVO regarding multiple calderas? What’s to dispute about the patently obvious? (Volcanoes don’t erupt from calderas, they create them.) “70 feet of ash” on the closest cities? But from only 330 cu km ejected? Orion is a star? Arcturus is in Ursa Major? Comets influence volcanoes? “Geologist” says it can happen next year or in five years. This is a cloak and dagger on the lam tale which takes time to provide travelogue and cheerful geoscience education a la John McPhee along the way. All is put in motion by the proposal of the idea of overlapping calderas making an imminent catastrophic eruption. Though I’m sure they meant to say magma chambers, this is a commonly held and frequently broadcast fallacy completely unworthy of government cover up and murder. I can’t say if this book’s amateurishness or pretension is more offputting.Jean M. Grant Will Rise From Ashes 7 April, 2019 Author knows more about the human heart and autism than about volcanoes but the tradeoff is worth it. How refreshing is is to read a top notch story that shows restraint (especially volcanically), imperfect heroes and hope, above all. It’s especially gratifying to read the government isn't evil and order is maintained. Thoroughly enjoyable novel. C+, G+, P+, T-immediate, no warning, though protagonist believes the scientists knew but had “learned their lesson” from warning the public before Mt. St. Helens. V-”mankind’s largest volcano,” ash spread too slow, much more threat to health from ash than enflaming asthma, Will would have called for mask use much earlier than he did, “11 VEI 8 events” total in world with “3 from Yellowstone.” All is forgiven in light of this celebration of wonder from the perspective of an island of unconcern, of love.S L Hansen The Yellowstone Convergence 18 April, 2021 only available on Kindle Unlimited. Kind of like new Star Trek; we're required to pay extra on top of already paying extra - No. However, I was allowed to read five chapters as a sample. C+, G+, P+, S+, T & V can’t say without reading more. However, the stock and wildlife have been spooked for a few months and the introduction says big things will happen within ten days so I suspect full blown volcanism will develop out of essentially no warning though supernatural forces are probably partly to blame.Jack Hunt The Year Without Summer 9 October, 2018 Steals title misleadingly of book by Nicholas P. Klingaman and William K Klingaman The Year Without Summer C+, G mostly+, P+, S+, T-much too quickly but caused by NASA drilling, “poking a hornets nest with a stick,” V-This very entertaining read is much better than most and researched better. He actually correctly locates landmarks in the park mostly where they are. There are odd lapses such as having campsites above Bridge Bay Marina wiped out by a wave whilst people by the marina escape unscathed. A truck driving on a hiking trail, electricity in a backcountry cabin and cell service in 50% of the park are huge errors. I admit that number is reported online but includes back country high terrain and only one bar service areas too. My experience is no more than 20% of front country, including poor service. Dinner served in Mammoth’s map room? There are more errors such as never any talk of magmatic earthquakes but only frequency. The magma chambers are correctly identified as being too solid to super erupt but supposedly knowledgable characters still fear “the caldera unzipping.” As enjoyable as the characters and action story are, it’s driven by recent Yellowstone science headlines of the past two years, almost all of them, which are turned to upend all the current reassurances of geoscientists on their heads because of human interference. Drilling near magma doesn’t quite work that way. But it sounds right, to some or many. Praise to author for not padding story to excess and showing restraint with his eruption. An economical, well-paced story.Linda Jacobs Rain of Fire 1 June, 2006C+, G+(best of all reviewed), P+, S+, T: one month but is realistic for type of eruption described, V + only author with apparent geologic background. Small errors like 1–10,000 YA cinder cone in Yellowstone forgiven for sake of overall astuteness. Excellent read. I should say more but actually most of what I say in other reviews are criticism. Brevity here means I found little displeasing and much to praise.H. O. Knight Life After Chocolate: The Full Novel (Yellowstone) 31 May, 2018 Life After Chocolate C+, G-there aren’t 1,000,000 people within 100 miles of YNP, P+, S+, T-3 weeks, V-only to set story in motion, to cut off food supplies. There’ve been young adult fiction novels regarding dystopian society, vampires, angels, zombies and seemingly every other fantastic scenario when just being a young adult is already drama enough without needing to actually be during the end of the world. However, these characters are so well written and the story was compelling enough to get me past skepticism; I enjoyed this book greatly, prompting my first review ever of a work on Amazon. Author doesn’t know Yellowstone volcanism and, unlike most I’ve reviewed here, doesn’t depend upon it failingly but instead writes successfully and compellingly of humanity and what is worth striving for.Larry Lavoy Caldera: A Yellowstone Park Thriller, 14 December, 2012. Extremely well-written book! C+, G- more than an hour from north gate to Lake, P+, S+, T-2 months, V-. I’m sad to downvote volcanology because this author is better than most. Reasons: “magma” on surface, only “seven supervolcanoes” on Earth, common confusion of water/steam venting with volcanic pressure venting, all destroyed within 600 miles, “600,000 years of pent up energy,” “end of humanity as we know it,” overdue by 300,000 years, Mallard Lake dome normal uplift 2 mm/year, Lava Creek eruption 500 x Mt. St. Helens, Yellowstone region called the Midwest, [only] more than 2,000 square miles in area, lake slanting wrong direction from uplift, “this all happened before [in human history]” — no, not lava eruptions, ““Roosevelt elk,” “nuclear winter,” ashfall ended too soon, engines were able to operate during ashfall, and, the new ice age predictions have been abandoned by Yellowstone observers since the time when this book was written. Exciting, realistic read.andEscaping Yellowstone, 17 March, 2018, a title which has already been used. Not a sequel to Caldera.Kennedy Layne Essential Beginnings (Surviving Ashes Book 1) 21 July, 2015 1 of 5. It got off to a rough start and proceeded to present love at the end of the world. Book has believable romantic conflict and especially good thought put into realistic prepping but everything else seems very contrived and cliche. C-, G-no YNP at all but counting on local landscape to shield them from ash without considering the umbrella cloud effect. Also, Burke in Texas would be better off there than in the Pacific Northwest. S- padded, cliched, full of overdescription, P+, T- atrocious: 2 days after a destabilising earthquake, V-doubly deplorable: “overdue for more than 40,000 years.” Talk of going north to Canada which would be the wrong direction in volcanic winter. Not well researched at all. Filament for firmament? Trying too hard. But, this is the most sensual supervolcano fiction I’ve yet seen! “This end of the world crap was getting real old,” said the protagonist to himself when it interrupted passion. But then, when I’m convinced it’s a turkey, I began to enjoy the military depth of knowledge and developing conflict until the final pages reinforced my initial qualms. Won’t be reading book two.Amazon.com: Eminent Domain: A First Contact Thriller (The Eminent Series Book 1) eBook: Lafferty, W E: Kindle Store 27 February, 2020 C+Solid, enjoyable, G-messed up: 50 miles from Tower to Lake, Devils Den located at north end of park as well as east end of lake, flying to Cody to go to Old Faithful, P+mostly: “Ground Loop Road?” Editing errors, “Lookout Point,” ”Old Faithful Lodge” and “Lake Lodge” named though Inn and Hotel described. Camping at West Thumb Geyser Basin. Protagonist says she’s flying to JH but goes to Cody, YVO a physical building at Old Faithful. S-exciting but extremely derivative, T-weeks, V-terrible, especially from a skilled writer who’s done some homework: “worlds largest supervolcano,” “100,000 years overdue,” 16,500,000/142=116,197. “640,000 years,” “Almost 700,000 years since the last eruption,“ “Rhyolite less viscous than basalt,” “caldera becoming a supereruption,” continental plates “move around on top of magma,” huge underground aquifers holding down magmatic pressure, threat to most life on planet, “extinction level event.” Ejecta blown into space to destroy satellites and the ISS! The same old story, only written better. Nice to read an explanation for how advanced evolution could come about in only 4.5 billion years, we had help. As a bonus, in the afterward we learn Mr. Lafferty really does know there’s no YVO building at Old Faithful and that some of his geophysics is a bit fanciful. Really? An interference pattern from 36 black holes created a vaccuum that froze the magma to permanently cap the hot spot? He says he researched the most up to date USGS knowledge. That’s good to know but his controlled-collapse caldera wouldn’t spare the continent the physical consequences of collapse, no matter the cause, such as pyroclasts, gas and ash. It’s fine he realizes he took liberties with a known place that it’s obvious he visited. Abut, a $300 round-trip flight ticket from Albuquerque to Jackson? A 4 Hour drive to Jackson hole airport from Old Faithful? Ridiculous. My point is if you’re going to ignore real life locations you might as well invent your own setting, except, that wouldn’t bring in the readership. Talented but commercial. “The structure of the chamber beneath this volcano is enormous and not well understood. I took advantage of this and created a structure for the super volcano that is based on a few facts but is exaggerated in many ways.” There you have it. (It’s much better known than he’s aware.)Darrell Maloney Fire in the Sky 1 of 8 17 February, 2017 Fire in the Sky (The Yellowstone Event, #1) C-cliched, G-Caldera field measurement stations far too close to gateway community, P+ all the more sad how disappointing this is as the author has skill, S-we’ve seen it all before, T-decades in development! Should be +, except it was only temperature and pressure rising without other necessary telltale markers which presumably will escalate too quickly in subsequent books, V-last eruption 300,000 years ago. Brown park service uniforms. Title has been used before but with more fire and more sky, both lacking in this story. But everything else we’ve seen too much of in other works and especially in second rate television shows. It’s not deja vu I sense but plagiarism. Do you remember the show where all the rural police are corrupt good ol’ boys railroading people passing through? And there’s a helpful bail officer who replaces his desk name plate as a new kind of public servant each time the protagonist has need? I think it was on Green Acres. Oh, and the government agents are covering up a conspiracy and murdering contract geologists to avoid a panic because a super eruption is much less messy to deal with after it occurs than before. Padded excessively to stretch one book out into eight, so far. It’s a shame, too, because it got off to such a good start with unexpected mysticism. But initially likable characters became wearying with forcibly clever dialogue that must have sounded better in author’s mind than what made it onto the printed page.Frank Montgomery The Wrath of Yellowstone 2 April, 2015 1 of 3 Could be subtitled “Why we prep.” I agree with the philosophy, it just could have had a better spokesman. C-cliched, G-one hour into the park from east or NE got them out of park in MT at Eagle’s Rest Campground yet it was administered by a park ranger, with a green hat, P mostly + “in tact,” S- tiring, T-3 months, V-“Largest caldera supervolcano on earth, experts believe that Y is overdue for an eruption anytime within the next 20,000 years, $20 entrance fee,” switch from present tense in first chapter to past tense, “just outside NW entrance, thousands of moose (and other animals) leaving park, geysers all around the park began shooting up into the sky hundreds of feet higher than usual(protagonists would have no knowledge of this in the Gardiner area,) ash deposits from the eruption will shoot up into the air almost 20 miles.” Deposits. Freezing temperatures in Jamaica and Brazil. This story is realistically brutal, it has that going for it. “volcano released thousands of years worth of pressure.” Functioning gas stations.Mike Mullin Ashfall 27 September, 2011 book 1 of 3.5. C+, G+, P+, S+, T - one month after large earthquake, V: Mullin avoids pitfall of not knowing geology by beginning his story immediately after eruption and far from it, also saves not knowing layout of Yellowstone. Too much ash in eastern Iowa; I’m ok with that, the rest of the book is done so well. Very enjoyable.K. R. Nilson The Yellowstone Traps 30 July, 2018 1 of ? C + but stereotypes, G - Knows park better than most, then ignores it. P + not many mistakes, S - hackneyed, T - 6 months after harmonic tremours, V - same old errors. Sounds good but full of holes. Clever title! Traps are large igneous provinces but this could also be a life or death trap for protagonists! That is, if the reader endures the laboured, bruised prose to learn who lives or doesn’t. One reader’s impressive vocabulary is another’s bludgeon: “Pandemonium erupted as passengers recoiled in fright at the careening female flyer slamming about the cabin interior on the heels of the explosive noises.“ Caldera “lurks under much of Yellowstone,” “largest non-marine volcanic structure on earth,” “erupts violently at intervals of between 6–800,000 years,” big, male moose roaming all over the park day and night, superheated rock “plasma” three miles down, 640,000 years, book of “Revelations,” reservoir of magma expanding; stretching and flowing for 1,000s of centuries, walking quietly when known grizzly is near, 1959 quake killed a dozen souls? Walking from nonexistent geological station on Plover Point to Grant Village in a day, “Yellowstone Lake Inn” and uphill Lodge destroyed by only 20 foot waves. Road from Grant to Lake destroyed so protagonist drove to Mammoth to get there. I couldn’t read any more.A. J. Powers As the Ash Fell 23 April, 2015 1 of 2. C+, G: bypassed! Like Mullin did. P+, S+, T? Story begins 7 years after, V-: no ash has fallen but is confused with suspended aerosols. Sincere and good natured. Too many small batteries and too much propane and ammunition available in a scarcity society but forgivable as its stipulated 80% population has died. Knows his guns! Protagonist self loads.John D Randall The Yellowstone Conundrum (Is This It?) (Volume 1) June 28, 2016 1 of 6 C+, G-, P-, S: includes ISIS, Ebola, flooding rivers and a Texas-Mexico drug war, T: out of nowhere, V: could not read past p. 39. In comments, chastises FEMA for patterning their emergency preparedness drills on his book and not giving him credit. I’m not making this up. Please see Preparing for “The Big One”S. M. Revolinski Ashes into Stardust 16 April, 2016E. S. Richards and Mike Kraus Eruption 13 September, 2019, Escaping Darkness book 1 of 6. Very good-hearted book earnestly written and researched but not set in the real world. C-generic. If this was a movie, their headshots would line one side of poster in boxes- “who will survive?” G-. P- mostly solid but strange word choices could have been edited better, S-padded, predictable. We’re being set up for multiple volumes. T-weeks of less than expected evidence. V-It turns out “Yellowstone’s small airport” has an extremely long runway, though I don’t think authors have seen it. If you’re flying to Texas from it, you would be far from the centre of the park. Oh, I get it, they must have meant Gardiner MT, not West Yellowstone. Geysers are frequently already “at their boiling point” independent of increased ground uplift in story. Most of the northern hemisphere would not be blanketed by inches of ash though much of the US west would be and by more than that. It would take much more than weeks of microquakes and a “feeling” the earth had risen over a year to bring about a large scale eruption; these things are measured instead of merely sworn by. Plane crashed 200 miles out on north edge of Helena Montana whose airport they approach by a gravel road! Characters walked out of ash cloud even though so close, wondering where other people were, all killed it’s speculated. An arm floats by on a river of lava which is jumped across. Winds blow ash into the stratosphere? This is obviously written by people unfamiliar with Yellowstone and with large volcanoes. Eruptions average seven weeks? Next year I expect a new post-apocalyptic series from this team.Katie Slivenski The Seismic Seven 5 June, 2018. Very well written book and enjoyable to read with excellent, realistic characters; powerful dramatic twist. Author avoids criticisms from Yellowstone locals by not describing surface geography at all after the Beartooth Highway! Sadly, beneath the ground, I think she’s made up a new location, one with coal mines, tiny steam pockets in granite and rock which defies limitations of drilling at high temperature. I recognize her drilling “pods” are a dramatic creation calling for the unique stature of the protagonists but it’s a fantasy. Tracks don’t need to fastened to borehole walls in order to place explosives deeply. Also, at depth with increased temperature above a magma chamber, boreholes cannot maintain their structural definition let alone be a survivable location for humans. Then there’s having internet service whether from cables or cell towers in the midst of an eruption, it’s almost impossible on a good day. C+, G-, P+, S+, T-proposed as humans-induced—-not possible, V-. Finally, no matter how much they love their humans, ferrets (Eurasian polecats) aren’t apt to run on command nor come when called; they are distracted by everything. It’s true they were used to run wires through airplane wings. But train them to turn lights on or off? That being said, the author accurately depicts them traveling in and about their owners hood. Additionally, the entire idea of releasing a little magmic pressure to unzip an entire chamber depends on mythically already pressurised, fluidic magma; the upper chamber is only 9% melted and the lower one only 2%. Only small pockets could erupt. But that’s more feasible than rapidly drilling a borehole kilometres to under an eruption site rapidly in the middle of a cataclysm, the utter impossible engineering melee the climax turns into…Heath Stallcup Caldera 14 December, 2017 1 of 8 Caldera Book 1. Co opts title already in use. C+Believable, conversational, except for constant glib quipping during end of world drama a la Bruce Willis, gets old quickly, G-does not know Yellowstone, P+, S-, T-no lava or ash but no warning either; long-buried virus that killed neanderthal’s re-emerges now, V-does not know volcanoes. The caldera makes you into a zombie. Eek. Even with the most inventive source of conflict imagined, an author still profits from knowing a little bit about the scene of his novel. A rock concert in the park, USFS trying to thin forests, replanting NPS land, hundreds of millions of dollars spent fighting the fires of ‘88, a campground with no indication if it’s for legal camping or not, “natural jacuzzi” adjoining pullout, “natural ampetheater” near visitor centre, geysers and hot springs releasing enough pressure to keep the volcano from erupting, “ Speeding, drug dealers, alcohol to minors, public intox, burglaries, public displays, one guy with a gun-shaped bubble blower that almost got shot, what more could go wrong tonight?“ Funny you should ask… Author knows police procedures and crafts realistic characters but banks too much, 8 books! on there being a receptive, ready-made audience for horror of loved ones turned zombie with attendant emotional conflict. Padded, tedious, I expect the flirtatious genetic scientists that open the book will be seen again in another volume but not by me.Audun Stølås The Volcano 22 October, 2020. Was able to read a small sample, which was enough. C-, G- don’t think author has ever been to YNP, P- spelling is carefully good but language use is awkward, much lost in translation, S-, T-, V-. Magma pool under the volcano, the whole of North America will be covered by a thick layer of lava and ash, have been testing for three weeks with air cannon finding each week magma pressure has increased so that eruption should happen within 2–3 months, points to volcano, boulders come down with smoke though present moment is said to be safe, as if Yellowstone has a conventional cone-shaped volcano. “This was not the editor you came up with a case that contained half-truths because it had not been checked thoroughly enough on all bows and edges. Ed Dalton worked hard to get the newspaper to deliver honest journalism and at the same time go around financially. One day it had become too much for him. The stress level was alarming, and the heart was pounding…Finally, a news that was big.”— The Volcano by Audun StølåsEdward Tellar The Would-Be Mystic: And the Yellowstone Premonition 8 January, 2019S. J. Tellor Yellowstone 1 February, 2019 Yellowstone Refreshingly restrained and nicely psychological. C+, G+ safe, no YNP locations, P+, S+, T+/- on one hand there were years of notice in which to construct bunkers. On the other hand, the precise day of eruption was known. V+ Mostly enjoyable.Nick Thacker, The Enigma Strain 1 of 12, 27 November, 2014. C-formulaic, G-YNP mostly avoided, for good reason, during climax inside park author betrays no knowledge of real place, P-amateurish, S-padded for many future volumes but flimsy, T NA as dealing with human triggered potential eruption, V-awful, cliched, full of error. There was some enjoyable suspense; author has some language skills. However: “He had no idea how heavy it was or how delicate but he was beyond waiting around for something else to happen…it was just him, a bomb and not much time left…’if I get out of this there is no way anyone ever hiring me to be part of a bomb squad.’ Trial and error didn’t seem to be a factor in examining an explosive device but then again there was nothing else he could do. No fiery ball of fire ripped him to shreds as he played with the bomb-keg so he continued with the plan…Julie heaved downward with all her body weight. A strained noise escaped her mouth and Ben couldn’t help but notice how cute it sounded…’Oooh, that’s not the lightest thing I’ve ever lifted!’” This was painful.Same old errors could have been avoided by deeper research, beyond pop sources: a single keg-sized bomb under the lake could release lava so that “5–600 miles incinerated or covered by lava. Rest stop with brick shelter a few miles from the lake. Known cave under lake where crust is thinnest (less than 2 miles), underground system but most aren’t very big (average lake depth is 42 m.) Half of US will cease to exist, scientific fact, not if but when, 300 year old paper journal preserved by cold ground so that it’s read in the field, romantic chemistry forced and cloying, poison ivy in YNP, largest active volcano on earth, caldera scheduled to erupt again, some say it’s a complete mystery, chain reaction, enormous mass of molten rock below, destruction of entire nation, network of secret roads in park, centripetal force around curve, dozen hot spots, every 600,000 years.” Togetherness/proximity beats the virus — “The answer was too simplistic to be possible.”Jeff Thomson Fall #1 Pressure series 23 June, 2018 Fall (Pressure Book 1) Thomson employs much greater skill with the English language than in most titles listed here. Unfortunately, he’s so aware of his facility that the book simply oozes smugness. C+ likable yet cliched, from whore with a heart of gold to corrupt televangelist to obtuse government official to humble war hero to hottie geologist to perky cougar mom of adult character. G+ overall good though there is no physical “Yellowstone Observatory” in the park, P+, S- belaboured. Formulaic. Padded in typical multi-book epic style. But then, his chapterisation and successful story building hits his stride most successfully; he knows he’s good. T- just a few days, even though accelerated by continent-spanning earthquakes. V- harmonic tremours well after the magma began flowing, only one magma chamber, only one magma conduit leading to two vents too far from each other, Krakatau listed as greater than Tambora, pH “skyrocketing” to acidic rather than falling. A bus on the park roads in winter. He’s done his homework but needed to be vetted by someone more knowledgeable. “Thomas knew this was what people wanted to hear, needed to hear….a place to point their fingers.” I truly appreciate his references and his vocabulary. But his characters’ minds are so slick in their glib rejoinders and inner monologues that he reads like a more polished version of Harry Turtledove; it gets old fairly quickly. “How do you rape a whore?“ “I sound like some B-movie tough guy.” “Dogs and cats living together.” Book got better toward end. Author bravely avoided cliche of protagonists escaping ground zero narrowly. I like most of the characters and care for them almost enough to read subsequent books. But it’s all a bit too much.Harry Turtledove Supervolcano Eruption 6 December, 2011 1 of 3 (A fourth is threatened) Kudos for painting post eruptive horror in breakdown of technology. That’s all the good I can say. Characters are very busy trying to pretend the world isn’t ending. C-unpleasant, G-, P+, S- excessively padded, T: 2 years, V -. Tedious to annoying.Layne Walker Escaping Yellowstone 4 March, 2012 1 of 3Tim Washburn Cataclism 25 October, 2016 Cataclysm C+, G-, P mostly + on thing for one thing, S+ exciting, T-two vents in one day, caldera collapse in three, V-. Excellent suspense with realism of adventure story marred by bad science and geohistory. Old Faithful in “Lower Geyser Basin,” last eruption most of land collapsed back into magma chamber (ignorant of 80 most recent,) “worried about the caldera,” wondering if magma could be moving toward the surface when YNP geologists have the equipment to know magmatic from tectonic earthquakes, guessing, sofa and phone in Inn room (points for not calling it the lodge,) “caldera is a supervolcano,” “devastating for the entire planet,” assumes any eruption is VEI 8, Mammoth fifty miles from center of park, 4-wheeler to shore of Mallard Lake, nearly 100 foot high Inn lobby, Yellowstone River flowing backwards-into lake from N, “could spontaneously erupt if there’s an infusion of magma,” nearly a foot uplift in two places in a few hours and no parkwide evacuation because “panic would be recipe for distaste,” unable to detect harmonic tremours because of wind, implication of fracking as cause of eruption with no warning, 40 inches ash over most of Midwest, eliminate growing season across planet, shuttles to YNP from airports, magma connection to CA and Cascade volcanoes, vehicles sent W & N to avoid brunt of ash with prevailing winds, well-concealed maintenance shed at Biscuit Basin, Long Valley 3rd or 4th largest eruptions on earth, ATV travel alongside road in Gibbon Canyon with five people, then off-road front end loader travel to mammoth from Norris, Norris soil temperatures approaching 120°F called alarming, finally a harmonic tremour and and all of this on one very bad day. Off-road in a Bombardier snow coach between Roosevelt Lodge and Mt. Washburn? Ok, back on road but one that’s choked with burnt up cars? Five months of eruption. This author has done more homework than most and more onsite observation, enough to have known better.Bill Wetterman Yellowstone: A Fall From Grace 24 September, 2015Campbell Paul Young Ash: Rise of the Republic 25 May, 2015“2012” Screenplay by Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser 2008-2009, Columbia Pictures. Only four words: “The neutrinos have mutated!” Jesse Lee O’Connor 李杰西's answer to If the volcano in Yellowstone exploded, how far would the eruption extend? Would it be something like the movie 2012, or is that over-dramatic?“Super Eruption” 2011, SyFy presents. Utter drek. C-, G-main park roads are dirt, S-, T-two days, 30 days after earthquakes. V-“crystallising olivine to force magma into a crude state to prevent an eruption.” “Yellowstone hasn’t erupted for 148,000 years.” “Drain Yellowstone Lake into magma chamber to cool it down.” Old Faithful and Riverside Geyser going from water to lava eruption. One character is warned from the future which makes all the difference, but another isn't warned yet behaves differently for no reason than he did the first time around. “It seems science fiction can become science fact, sooner or later.” And helicopters fly just fine in heavy ashfall.“Supervolcano” Teledrama by Edward Canfor-Dumas and Julian Simpson 2003-2005, BBC. Jesse O’Connor's answer to What do you think of the 2005 movie made about the Yellowstone Supervolcano