Volcanoes provoke fear for the danger and the destruction they wreak. They also inspire awe through their scenic beauty-especially against a night sky. Volcanoes: Life on the Edge will arouse the same emotions in the armchair traveler. This encyclopedic work provides over 100 articles about volcanoes and related topics as well as more than 400 pictures of active volcanoes, eruptions, and the neighboring cities and people.
Users can follow Ressmeyer's journey or pursue their own exploration in a variety of ways. The main section comprises four narratives that discuss the attraction of the volcanoes, introduce the scientists who dedicated their lives to studying them, provide an overview of Ressmeyer's assignment which lasted 14 months, and allow users to revisit great eruptions of the past.
Each narrative provides an introduction and overview of the topic, using a cinematic documentary style. A progress bar in the upper left corner of the screen provides a thumbnail preview of the topic and quick access to a desired location. A globe in the upper right corner permits exploring related topics. Users can return to the narrative by pressing the Back button or continue their own journey. A slide out menu at the bottom of the screen, which unrolls like a roll of film when clicking on the film canister, furnishes additional navigation options.
Each screen of the narrative shows a photographic montage. As the images come into color, the user can click on them to see an enlargement and caption without interrupting the narrative. At the end of the narrative, links to additional topics appear on the screen, offering a variety of alternatives for exploration.
Users can also select to view any or all of 18 volcanoes in a slide show comprising more than 400 images. They can set the time between slides from two to nine seconds and choose to run the show manually or automatically or in a continuous loop. A reference section contains an alphabetical index to more than 100 articles covering the history and science of volcanoes. The entries on the volcanoes themselves provide a first screen with factual data (location, type, tectonic setting, eruptions, fatalities, etc.) followed by a description of the particular volcano and an explanation of what makes it distinctive.
Volcanoes: Life on the Edge makes good use of maps to pinpoint the location of the volcano and to orient the reader. Multimedia elements combine seamlessly to provide an interactive documentary that offers a rich, provocative experience. This is one hot product.
Normans Desmarais serves as acquistions librarian at Providence College..
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