Includes bibliographical references (p. 269-274) and index.

Presents a comprehensive study of hurricanes over the centuries, and describes how they have altered history, influenced explorations and military conquests, and the effects that hurricanes have had on humanity.

Kamikaze -- Anatomy of a meteorological monster -- Huracán -- The tropical hothouse -- Columbus's hurricane -- The tropical downpour -- France gives up La Floride, 1565 -- The trade winds -- The tempest -- Nature's steam engine -- The hurricanes of 1780 -- Hurricane intensity -- Galveston, 1900-- Genesis -- Miami, 1926 -- Death and transfiguration -- Their eyes were watching God : San Felipe and the Okeechobee disaster of 1928 -- Taking aim : how hurricanes move -- The Labor Day hurricane of 1935 -- The storm surge -- The great New England hurricane of 1938 -- Waves -- Bull Halsey's typhoons -- Rain -- The hunters -- Hurricane Camille -- Into the maelstrom : a photo essay -- The great East Pakistan cyclone of November, 1970 -- Forecasting hurricanes -- Cyclone Tracy, 1974 -- Hurricane Andrew, 1992 -- Hurricanes and climate.

Adult