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Lyall Watson, the bestselling author of
Supernature and Lifetide, has established
a reputation for challenging established scientific fact
and for writing finely researched, stimulating and provocative
accounts of subjects which have hitherto been neglected.
In Heaven's Breath Lyall Watson once more breaks
new ground and has written the first Natural History of
the Wind -- a book dedicated to that force in all its many
guises.
In his free-thinking style, Lyall Watson
gives a fascinating survey of the geography, biology, physics,
sociology, physiology, psychology, history and philosophy
of the wind. He shows how winds bring the world to life,
providing the circulatory and nervous systems of the planet,
sharing out energy and information, distributing warmth
and awareness, bringing rain, making soil and air-conditioning
the globe. And goes on from there to discuss the way in
which wind disperses plants, animals and human communities.
There are excellent chapters on wind sensitivity,
including the creation of a new Beaufort Scale of wind forces,
and a look at how the fohn, mistral, sirocco, Santa Ana
and other 'ill winds' of the world alter human physiology
and psychology to an extent that can lead to disease, suicide
and even murder.
The historical section recalls how the winds
of trade have influenced human migrations and shaped imperial
destinies -- and how the dramatic winds of war determined
the outcome of the conflict between the Greeks and Persians,
the Mongol invasion of Japan and the fate of the Spanish
Armada.
This is an informative, immensely readable
and valuable study of 'our awesome debt' to the deceptively
simple subject of air in motion.
Lyall Watson, author of such well known
books as Supernature, The Romeo Error, Gifts
of Unkown Things, Lifetide, Lightning Bird
and Whales of the World has been a producer for BBC
television, a zoo director, expedition leader and the Seychelles
Commissioner on the International Whaling Commission. Dr.
Watson has a Master of Science degree in marine biology,
a doctorate in anthropology, and is a doctor of philosophy
in ethology.
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