One of the leading science journalists and commentators working today, Chris Mooney delves into a red-hot debate in meteorology: whether the increasing ferocity of hurricanes is connected to global warming. In the wake of Katrina, Mooney follows the careers of leading scientists on either side of the argument through the 2006 hurricane season, tracing how the media, special interests, politics, and the weather itself have skewed and amplified what was already a fraught scientific debate. As Mooney puts it: "Scientists, like hurricanes, do extraordinary things at high wind speeds." Mooney—a native of New Orleans—has written a fascinating and urgently compelling book that calls into question the great inconvenient truth of our day: Are we responsible for making hurricanes even bigger monsters than they already are? Mooney, whose The Republican War on Science (2005) offered a hard-hitting look at the political manipulation of scientific research, turns his attention to the hot topic of global warming. Does global warming cause increasingly vicious hurricanes? Is human arrogance and disregard for the environment responsible for Hurricane Katrina's devastation of New Orleans? Or is this whole idea a lot of hot air? Mooney looks carefully at all sides of the debate, weighing the evidence carefully, telling us not just what's being said but who's saying it and why. Of course, it's impossible to write a book like this without tackling the whole idea of global warming as myth, but Mooney doesn't get bogged down in the politics of that issue. He has different questions to answer: Are the increasingly intense hurricanes of recent years our fault, and if they are, what can we do to change the pattern before it's too late? His answers don't add to cheerful reading, but this is certainly one of the most thought-provoking and accessible accounts of climate change to appear since Katrina. Pitt, David "Riveting." -- The Boston Globe "... a well-researched, nuanced book ..." -- The New York Times "Storm World ... skillfully anatomizes the scientific and political debate over hurricanes and global warming." -- The Washington Post "The author's thorough research is evident throughout, and he does a fine job of sifting through complexities and presenting the science in an engaging and readable package. ... In Storm World, Mooney catches real science in the act and, in so doing, weaves a story as intriguing as it is important." -- The Los Angeles Times One of the leading science journalists and commentators working today, Chris Mooney delves into a red-hot debate in meteorology: whether the increasing ferocity of hurricanes is connected to global warming. In the wake of Katrina, Mooney follows the careers of leading scientists on either side of the argument through the 2006 hurricane season, tracing how the media, special interests, politics, and the weather itself have skewed and amplified what was already a fraught scientific dispute. As Mooney puts it: "Scientists, like hurricanes, do extraordinary things at high wind speeds." Mooney?a native of New Orleans?has written a fascinating and nuanced book on one of the most urgently compelling offshoots of the global warming debate: are we responsible for making hurricanes even bigger monsters than they already are? PRAISE FOR STORM WORLD "Mooney chose to walk a minefield in attempting to assess a controversial and quickly evolving field in climate research. He not only succeeded in producing a fair and accurate description of the science, but produced a fascinating read as well."--Climatologist Michael Mann of RealClimate.org "Storm World is a gripping story about the controversy and strong personalities surrounding hurricanes and the issue of global warming, where scientists and politicians--and their often clashing agendas--collide."--Rick Anthes, President, American Meteorological Society and President, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research "Storm World is of unique importance to all with environmental interests, especially those who find themselves conflicted on one of the world s most important issues: the significance of global warming, its potential impact on the environment, and in particular on the frequency and strength of destructive hurricanes."--Dr. Robert Simpson, former director of the National Hurricane Center, and Dr. Joanne Simpson, former President of the American Meteorological Society and recipient of a Carl-Gustaf Rossby Award. PRAISE FOR THE REPUBLICAN WAR ON SCIENCE "Nothing short of a landmark in contemporary political reporting."? Salon.com "A well-researched, closely argued and amply referenced indictment of the right wing's assault on science and scientists . . . Thankfully, Mooney is both a wonk and a clear writer."? Scientific American CHRIS MOONEY is the Washington correspondent for Seed magazine and author of The Republican War on Science. He lives in Washington, D.C. CHRIS MOONEY is the Washington correspond