Simon Winchester's brilliant chronicle of the destruction of the Indonesian island of Krakatoa in 1883 charts the birth of our modern world. He tells the story of the unrecognized genius who beat Darwin to the discovery of evolution; of Samuel Morse, his code and how rubber allowed the world to talk; of Alfred Wegener, the crack-pot German explorer and father of geology. In breathtaking detail he describes how one island and its inhabitants were blasted out of existence and how colonial society was turned upside-down in a cataclysm whose echoes are still felt to this day.
Eruptions. Explosions. Shock waves. Tsunamis. The almighty explosion that destroyed the volcano island of Krakatoa was followed by an immense tsunami that killed more than thirty thousand people. The effects of the waves were felt as far away as France, and bodies were washed up in Zanzibar. Today, one hundred and twenty-five years after the volcano erupted in one of the greatest catastrophes the world has ever known, the name Krakatoa is still synonymous with disaster. In this illustrated account based on Simon Winchester's bestselling Krakatoa, the colossal explosion is brought to vivid life. From the ominous warnings leading up to the eruption to the wave of killings it provoked, here is an engaging and insightful look at what happened on the day the world exploded.
Suddenly there was a trench across the beach, about ten meters away from the fishermen, where before there had been nothing but flat sand. The fishermen moved quickly away as the trench heaved grey ash across the sand. They sprinted when it hurled black rocks at them. Kerta didn't want to go to Krakatoa. He knows that a dark spirit, Orang Aljeh, is there and he is terrified he might wake it. But Kerta is there on the volcano, and the Ghost of Krakatoa has woken up. A powerful story of survival and loss based on the real-life events of the Krakatoa eruption in 1883. Winner of the 2010 New South Wales Premier's Literary Award Patricia Wrightson Prize 'This book is a marvel of precision and economy, stuffed to the gunnels with ideas, and brimming over with a dark energy...a masterclass in how to write...Krakatoa Lighthouse is that rare find: an exciting, moving story that keeps opening the doors to larger questions. Baillie puts the reader right there in the moment with stunningly accurate detail...yet we never feel the dead hand of history overwhelming us.' From the 2010 NSW Premier's Literary Award Judges' Report
Nine months after the explosion, a French expedition searching for signs of life discovered a single spider that had crossed to the island on a balloon of silk. Life had returned to Krakatau. Scientists have been studying the island ever since.
Describes the destructive eruption of the Krakatau volcanic island in 1883, detailing the events leading up to the eruption, the devastation it caused, and how the eruption changed the Krakatau environment.
Animals must team up to survive the catastrophic eruption of Krakatoa in this heart-pounding fourth installment of Survival Tails, perfect for fans of the Ranger in Time and I Survived series. Parakeet Melati lives with the rest of her bird friends and family on the beautiful slopes of the Indonesian island of Krakatoa. While rumblings sometimes sound from deep within the earth, the birds live peacefully in their jungle. But when Melati is woken by tremors stronger than she's ever felt before, she realizes that her sleeping island volcano may not be sleeping any longer. Across a narrow stretch of water lives Budi, a rhinoceros, and his old friend Raja, the tiger king of the jungle. When Melati arrives with a dire warning that something is happening to Krakatoa, Raja believes the animals are safest in the jungle, but Budi disagrees. As ash rains down on the island and the earthquakes worsen, Raja must put aside his fears and put his trust in Budi. Otherwise, the animals of the jungle will never stand a chance against the mighty eruption of Krakatoa. With lush black-and-white illustrations and bonus facts that delve into the fascinating true story behind the eruption, Survival Tails: The Eruption of Krakatoa will both captivate and educate young readers.
The adventures of a disillusioned schoolteacher who sails across the Pacific Ocean in a giant balloon, and witnesses the explosion of the island of Krakatoa.
