First published in 1988 this is a reissue of a groundbreaking collection of essays written by Hubert Lamb, one of the world’s foremost experts on weather and climate and a uniquely authoritative voice in the history of climatology. Six of the chapters have not been published before. The rest, taken from a variety of sources, were thoroughly revised and brought right up to date for the book's initial publication – taking account, for example, of the Chernobyl disaster, the risks of nuclear power, and the ozone controversy.