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Reading the Glass: A Captain's View of Weather, Water, and Life on Ships

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Description

A sea captain’s beautifully written tour of our planet, our oceans, and our ever-changing atmosphere “An extraordinary book by a modern-day Melville.”—Mark Vanhoenacker • “Immensely rewarding and entertaining.”—Lincoln Paine • “Full of history, wisdom, and hilarious stories from life on the open seas.”—Daniel Stone What’s in a cloud? Did you know that water vapor is invisible and actually lighter than dry air? What separates a tropical storm from a winter blizzard? And what exactly is El Niño? Elliot Rappaport, a professional captain of traditional sailing ships, has spent three decades at sea, where understanding weather is crucial to the safety of vessels and their crews. In Reading the Glass, he offers a sailor’s-eye view of the moving parts of our atmosphere and unveils the larger patterns it holds: global winds, storms, air masses, jet streams, and the longer arc of our climate. Told through a series of tall ship voyages, Rappaport’s narrative takes readers from the icy seas of Greenland to the Roaring Forties, places where one can experience all four seasons in an hour. He navigates the turbulent waters of the Strait of Gibraltar, en route to storied port cities of the Mediterranean. In the vast tropical Pacific he crosses the equator, where heat, moisture, and unsettled winds churn out powerful squalls, and drops anchor in isolated ports of call. He explores wide swathes of ocean to explain how the trade winds have carried ships westward for centuries, and how ancient Polynesian explorers pushed back the other way, leveraging their mastery of waves and weather to achieve what may be humanity's greatest navigational achievement. Written in stunning prose, brimming with wisdom, curiosity, and humor, Reading the Glass brilliantly blends science and memoir to reveal how weather has shaped our oceans, our history, and ourselves. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dutton (February 14, 2023)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593185056


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 56


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.24 x 1.22 x 9.36 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #270,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #47 in Aviation & Nautical Biographies #52 in Oceanography (Books) #248 in Climatology


#47 in Aviation & Nautical Biographies:


#52 in Oceanography (Books):


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If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Saturday, May 24

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Top Amazon Reviews


  • Science as poetry, memoir as meeting a good friend
Elliot Rappaport’s “Reading the Glass: A Captain's View of Weather, Water, and Life on Ships” first entranced me with the perfection of its language. It’s rare, in my experience, to come across a new author who balances such clarity of explanation with whimsical metaphors, thrilling vignettes, and satisfyingly well-shaped paragraphs. Of course I learned a great deal about weather systems and how they shape the life not only of sailors but of all of us—and Rappaport has a gift for clarifying the most technical material to utter novices like me—but even more, I felt as if I were traveling from my armchair with what used to be called a boon companion, a mind and heart and voice that encourages one to discover more of a world he finds fascinating and awe-inspiring and beautiful, and who comes along as a guide at once reassuring and fully aware of the dangers. What a delight to visit New Zealand and Bora Bora and the open Pacific and the ice-locked Artic with one who knows their history and terrain and peoples! In an age when climate is collapsing and our planet on the way to irrevocable change, Rappaport includes a low-key and personally-experienced roadmap of concern. But his book leaves me not despairing but inspired: that such people are still out there, solving problems and weathering storms and recounting heart-opening stories of the world’s peoples and natural wonders over a cup of coffee. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2023 by Peter J. Taylor, Ph.D.

  • Do You want to know more about the weather?
This book is an interesting read for learning about the weather. I wish I could have taken the Meteorology course back in my studies at the Maine Maritime Academy. It never fit into my schedule. I actually got to sail with you on the Bowdoin as part of the 1998 freshmen community service cruise. Kimberly Glomb Author Jews, Muslims, and Christians Let's Talk About God Jews, Muslims, and Christians Do You Want to be Closer to God. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2024 by Kimberly Glomb

  • Great information in easy to understand terms
As background, I have taught an introductory weather class for years. I thought this book might be helpful. Little did I know. I about wore out a high lighter while reading this, and I am now restructuring my class to incorporate the explanations used here. I have always prided myself on my ability to clearly explain complex weather phenomena. I see now that I have always been a rookie. I can't wait to present my revised class. The sailing stories are interesting too, but for me, the primary benefit was his simple explanation of complex issues. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2023 by William L. Seidel

  • Enlightening Read
Terrific book and well written. The author easily weaves weather insights through these nautical journeys. Hard to put down once started.
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2023 by Amazon Customer

  • Very well written and entertaining
Captain Rappaport provided a wonderful view into life aboard a sailing ship and the education and science required to come home. Well done!
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2023 by Charles Haram

  • A modern understanding of weather for ships at sea
This book offers an explanation of global weather systems and how they affect ships. The author uses his experience as a captain of sail training vessels and interviews with meteorologists and other scientists to explain weather patterns, the mechanisms that create them, and real-world experiences of those weather patterns. This treatment includes currents and other large-scale ocean phenomena. The people and places are largely incidental to the explanation of these weather systems. The reader will gain a broader understanding of how select global systems work. There are no pictures, graphics, or charts of any kind. There are chapter notes and references to related articles. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2023 by Bostonian

  • Great Read!
If you have any fascination with the sea, and want to hear some great sea stories while learning a bit about the weather, I highly recommend this book! Capt. Rappaport’s dry humor is enjoyable throughout the book!
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2023 by Matthew P. Hofer

  • You need to be a boater and it helps if you have lived aboard your boat to get the full impact.
Well written and detailed.
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2023 by KenG

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