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 imact 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, incinerating several of his colleagues instantly. As Williams tried to escape the mountain's fury, the volcano pelted him with white-hot projectiles traveling literally faster than speeding bullets. Within minutes he was cut down, his skull fractured, his right leg almost severed, his backpack aflame. Williams lay helpless and near death on Galeras' flank as volcanic bombs continued to rain down on him until two uncommonly brave women--friends and fellow volcanologists--mounted an astonishing rescue effort to carry him safely off the mountain.
Volcanoes unleash supremely powerful and endlessly unpredictable forces, and we have paid dearly for our knowledge of their behavior. Notwithstanding ever more sensitive measuring tools and protective equipment, at least one volcanologist dies each year on average. Yet Williams and his fellow scientist-adventurers are unveiling the enigmatic and miraculous workings of volcanoes and piecing together methods for predicting their actions. Williams & Co. often put themselves in peril, not only because the discipline attracts risk-takers but because they know that volcanoes threaten as many as 500 million people worldwide. For Seattle, Jakarta, Mexico City, Naples-- and for volcanologists--the clock is ticking.
The tale of how Williams survived Galeras becomes 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.
Stanley Williams is a professor of geology at Arizona State University. This is his first trade book. Fen Montaigne was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his work at the Philadelphia Inquirer as an outdoor columnist. His first book, Reeling in Russia, garnered wide praise when it was published by St. Martin's in 1999.
Surviving Galeras (ISBN 0-618-03168-5) is published by Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston & New York, 2001. Cover Design: Michaela Sullivan - Cover photograph: Courtesy of Sanley Williams.
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