ERUPTION The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens

Jonathan Yen lends a lively spirit to this account of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. His jauntiness contrasts with the dark violence of the volcano, but perhaps it is a suitable tribute to the 57 people who were killed while doing what they loved: studying geology, taking photos, hiking, and camping. As Yen narrates the extensive history of the Weyerhaeuser company and its role on the mountain, his occasionally cynical tone reflects the author's antibusiness perspective. Yen voices quotations from a half-dozen American presidents with mostly passable inflections and a couple of misses. Both Yen and the author truly shine in bringing to life the remarkable stories of those who witnessed the eruption at close range, some of whom survived to tell the tale. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2016]