Surviving Galeras: One Man`s Battle to Tame the Power of the Volcano by Stanley Williams

Description

Through a harrowing first-person account of an eruption and its aftermath, Surviving Galeras reveals the fascinating, high-risk realm of volcanology and explores the profound impact volcanoes have had on the earth’s landscapes and civilizations.

In 1993, Stanley Williams, an eminent volcanologist, was standing on top of a Colombian volcano called Galeras when it erupted, killing six of his colleagues instantly. As Williams tried to escape the blast, he was pelted with white-hot projectiles traveling faster than bullets. Within seconds he was cut down, his skull fractured, his right leg almost severed, his backpack aflame. Williams lay helpless and near death on Galeras’s flank until two brave women — friends and fellow volcanologists — mounted an astonishing rescue effort to carry him safely off the mountain.

The tale of how Williams survived Galeras is the framework for a groundbreaking book about volcanoes, their physical and cultural impact, and the tiny cadre of scientists who risk their own lives to gain knowledge that might one day save many others’ lives.