Early reviews for the new Climate Change textbook by Mathez and Smerdon

June 26, 2018

Early reviews are in for Climate Change: The Science of Global Warming and Our Energy Future (2nd Edition) by Ed Mathez and Jason Smerdon.  The planned publication date is September 2018.  Read more at the Columbia University Press webpage.  

Early Reviews:

This text should have great appeal for teaching an introductory undergraduate course on climate change science as well as a broad survey for graduate students. The book is well written with concepts adequately explained. Mathez and Smerdon have done a great job at hitting many of the very important concepts for understanding past, present, and future climate change as well as what we can and should do about it. I particularly liked the “back of the envelope” sections that let students confront some quantitative thinking without getting bogged down in mathematical details. The many illustrations and beautiful photos should make the book appealing to students as well as the general public.
--Lonnie G. Thompson, Distinguished University Professor, School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University

Mathez and Smerdon present a concise, accurate description of the workings of our climate system that is rich with historical context, vivid graphics, and concrete examples. The beauty and wonder of our atmosphere and oceans are on full display, even as many of their mysteries are revealed for the nonspecialist. Readers will not only understand the fundamental causes and implications of climate change, but they also will understand the diverse set of tools and approaches that scientists use to study the climate system in all its complexity. This book is a treasure trove of insights for anyone with an affinity for science and an interest in the future of our planet and its inhabitants.
--Kim M. Cobb, Georgia Power Chair and ADVANCE Professor, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology

A superb textbook, easily one of the best currently available. Very few texts are written as thoughtfully as this one. Mathez and Smerdon hit a home run!
--Scott Mandia, cofounder and chairman of the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund, Professor of Physical Sciences at Suffolk County Community College

This book has great coverage of all the salient issues—the history of climate science, the climate science of (pre)-history, the scientists' own histories, and, most importantly, what this means going forward. The writing is clear while also comprehensive and the look and feel of the book make it a text you want to dive in to at random, confident that you'd find something interesting.
--Gavin Schmidt, climate scientist