Boscastle Down: Storm of 16 August 2004

lack of foresight – in its own way forming a many in relation to the rivers Valency, Jordan type of racism of apparent domination. We Boscastle – and Ottery (that drain Hendraburnick Down are asked to think about the current obses- 16 August above Boscastle). sion of some that technology will allow us to The flood in the harbour area received a regulate the environment, whatever change 2004 – great deal of news coverage at the time, but may occur and whatever effect this may the day of this book, with its variety of personal have on others. Have we so much contempt the flood accounts, fills in many gaps in the broader- for nature and God's creation? scale picture, such as the flooding higher in Book reviews This book is well-produced and well- the village, as well as in nearby parts of edited with interesting illustrations and By David Rowe Cornwall. comments between many of the chapters. It The book’s 64 pages contain many feels solid and has a feel of quality. It clearly Truran Books, Truro, 2004 excellent photographs of the event as it meets the remit of the book to look at social 64 pp. unfolded, demonstrating how many people effects of Australia’s climate and humanity’s Paperback £4.99 (especially holidaymakers) carry cameras ISBN 1 85022 193 6 response to it. However, I wonder about its these days, as well as the evident ability of – January61, Weather 1 No. Vol. 2006, real value to environmental scientists, given many to take well-composed pictures, even its social approach and authors who are in the most harrowing of conditions. Other Most of this book is a series of personal, mainly social scientists. For anyone with a images show the people affected, whose often harrowing, but also courageous, musical interest, the inside of the front and stories are in the text. accounts of the 2004 Boscastle flood. back covers will be fascinating. A melody by I congratulate David Rowe and Truran The accounts are very moving and Jennifer Kesteven is printed, produced using Books on publishing this well-produced describe the evolution of the flood graphi- the Southern Oscillation Index, Austral book quickly to raise funds for the North cally. Whilst not a meteorological account, rainfall deciles and pressure in Austral cities, Cornwall Flood Appeal. I heartily recom- all the elements of the meteorology are 1952–1978 with anomalies represented by mend this book to readers of Weather. evident in the various accounts. However, the notes of a scale. For such an unusual Jim Galvin the specific aspects of the meteorology method of music writing, it is surprisingly reported towards the end of the book seem tuneful! References rather ill-considered or ‘off the cuff’ (see, for Burt, S. (2005) Cloudburst upon instance, Golding et al. 2005; Burt 2005 for a Hendraburnick Down: The Boscastle storm Jim Galvin record of the weather developments that of 16 August 2004. Weather, 60, pp. 219–227 doi: 10.1256/wea.28.05 led to the flood). Golding, B., Clark, P. and May, B. (2005) Although I would have liked to see a map The Boscastle flood: Meteorological analysis of Boscastle as a reference to match with the of the conditions leading to flooding on 16 August 2004. Weather, 60, pp. 230–235 various accounts, the pictures of the village printed in the book suggest the location of doi: 10.1256/wea.183.05 29.

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