Gavin Pretor-Pinney Knihy

From the author of the bestselling THE CLOUDSPOTTER'S GUIDE comes the essential aid for everyday cloudspotting

Generously illustrated with striking photographs and line drawings, this text reveals the facts, trivia, and history of clouds and societys fascination with them.

One bright February afternoon on a beach in Cornwall, Gavin Pretor-Pinney took a break from cloudspotting and started watching the waves rolling into shore. Mesmerised, he wondered where they had come from, and decided to find out. He soon realised that waves don’t just appear on the ocean, they are everywhere around us, and our lives depend on them. From the rippling beats of our hearts, to the movement of food through our digestive tracts and of signals across our brains, waves are the transport systems of our bodies. Everything we see and hear reaches us via light and sound waves, and our information age is reliant on the microwaves and infrared waves used by the telephone and internet infrastructure. From shockwaves unleashed by explosions to torsional waves that cause suspension bridges to collapse, from sonar waves that allow submarines to ‘see’ with sound to Mexican waves that sweep through stadium crowds... there were waves, it seemed, wherever Gavin looked. But what, he wondered, could they all have in common with ones we splash around in on holiday? By the time he made the ultimate surfer’s pilgrimage to Hawaii, Gavin had become a world-class wavewatcher, although he was still rubbish at surfing. And, while this fascinating, funny book may not teach you how to ride the waves, it will show you how to tune into the shapes, colours and forms of life’s many undulations.

Emphasizing mindfulness and observation, this interactive journal encourages daily reflection on the changing skies. It provides prompts and space for documenting clouds and weather conditions, while also inviting users to capture their thoughts and feelings. This blend of nature appreciation and personal introspection fosters a deeper connection to the environment and enhances the journaling experience.

An introduction to the wondrous world of clouds, by the internationally bestselling founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society and a prize-winning children's book author and illustrator Have you ever watched a cloud being born? Clouds come in all manner of shapes and sizes. From low-lying stratus to high-flying cirrus via sun dogs and tornados, this beautifully illustrated guide reveals the facts, secrets and stories of all the major cloud types, and how they change the weather around them. We learn their fancy Latin names, explore the parts of the sky where they like to hang out, watch their amazing light shows - and even visit them on other planets, where they are made of acid (among other things). Cloudspotting for Beginners will inspire curious minds with a lifelong sense of meteorological wonder.

The Cloud Appreciation Society's Manifesto states: 'We believe that clouds are for dreamers and their contemplation benefits the soul. Indeed, all who consider the shapes they see within them will save on psychoanalysis bills.' This is a glorious collection of clouds that look like things, including dragons, skateboarders, pasta, witches and poodles. It is a proud celebration of the carefree, aimless and endlessly life-affirming pastime of cloudspotting.