TYING DOWN THE WIND Adventures in the Worst Weather on Earth

Mark Twain is supposed to have quipped, "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." Pinder has, however, written an informative and entertaining book, ably presented in audio. Patrick Cullen's pleasant voice and unobtrustive style takes you to the Mt. Washington Meterological Observatory in New Hampshire, site of the the titular worst weather, tells you why it's so bad there, then transports you to Antarctica for a long stay. TYING is not a catalogue of weather extremes everywhere, concentrating instead on cold, wind, and precipitation--all of which abound at Washington's summit. You get a lot of scientific data--rewinding is advised--and reminders that atmospheric conditions in one part of the globe can trigger something else far away. You may not like the subject, but you can't avoid it, and this production makes it palatable. J.B.G. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 02]