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Geophys. J. Int. (2001) 144, 731 Book review Fire in the sea: the Santorini volcano: natural history and the legend of Atlantis Walter L. Friedrich, translated by Alexander R. McBirney, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000, 258 pp., ISBN 0521 65290 1, Hardback, £19.95 Santorini has long appealed to scholars of many different backgrounds: archaeologists, geologists, artists and historians to name a few. To a volcanologist, it is the site of one of the most violent eruptions in mankind's history. Around 1600 BC, after a long period of dormancy, Santorini exploded with a blast of such force that it transformed the single volcanic cone into the broken circle of small islands that tourists visit today. It may surprise many to know that the volcano's last eruption happened as recently as 1950, but this event consisted of gentle outpourings of lava in the island of Nea Kameni. Visitors today are drawn to this tiny island, known locally as `the volcano' because of its lunar-like landscape and active steam vents. However, the archipelago's major visitor attraction is Akrotiri, a Minoan city that was overwhelmed by Santorini's great eruption. The archaeological excavations are at least as fascinating as those of Pompeii. Friedrich's big, colourful book is an ideal introduction to Santorini because it combines history, geology, archaeology and natural history. It gives a scienti®cally accurate account of the eruption as glimpsed from decades of research and discusses the fascinating legend of Atlantis. Santorini is considered by some to be the truth behind the myth, as the cataclysmic eruption could have indeed submerged an island empire beneath the water in a single day and night. There is some evidence, which is discussed in this book, that the eruption and the tsunami it caused contributed to the downfall of the Minoan civilization. The lore associated with Santorini does not stop there. There have been suggestions that the vast quantities of ash that the eruption injected into the atmosphere could have caused Egypt's plague of darkness that is discussed in the Bible. Truth or lore, the many studies of the eruption are fascinating to read about. # 2001 RAS This book attempts to cover a lot about Santorini and it succeeds at a level that is satisfying to non-experts and serves the purpose of a review to experts. The profuse illustrations are superb and include cross-sections, maps and diagrams rarely found in colour in other works. The text is divided into parts that discuss different but related aspects of the island. Part 1 covers the geography and geological framework, including the tectonic setting. Part 2 discusses the Minoan eruption and its effects and includes a discussion on dating methods used to pinpoint the date of the eruption. Part 3, optimistically named `The volcano releases its secret', takes us through the different disciplinesÐgeology, archaeology and historyÐthat helped to piece together our current understanding of the eruption and of the people who inhabited the island prior to the disaster. The book's last part is about how the island is changing up to the present day, what recent eruptions have been like and what today's volcanic hazards are. This includes a discussion on the current monitoring work being carried out in Santorini. The last section is very appropriately entitled `Volcanoes are unpredictable'. Santorini will always be one of the world's most fascinating places for volcanologists. Friedrich does his best to ensure that all readers ®nd some aspect of this island that will hold a strong appeal to them. If I have one quibble it is that the author somewhat short-changed the artistic ®ndings. The Akrotiri frescoes are some of the most beautiful left to us by an ancient civilization and their reconstruction, piece by tiny piece, is a remarkable endeavour that continues to the present day. However, Santorini is such a rich treasury of science and history that no book can do justice to all that deserves discussion. Friedrich has given us a beautiful and stimulating volume that I have no hesitation to recommend. I very much enjoyed this book and the many pleasant memories of this lovely island that it brought back. Rosaly Lopes-Gautier Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, USA 731