Island on Fire: The Extraordinary Story of a Forgotten Volcano That Changed the World
Alexandra Witze, Jeff Kanipe
The eruption of Laki is one of history's great untold natural disasters. The eruption, spewing out a poisionous fog, lasted for eight months, but its effects lingered across Europe for years, causing the death of people as far away as the Nile, and creating famine that may have triggered the French revolution. 'Island on Fire' is the story not only of a volcano but also of the people whose lives it changed. It is the story, too, of modern volcanology, and looks at how events might work out should Laki erupt again in our time.
Award History
0 wins · 1 total
| Award | Year | Result | Category / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award | 2016 | Finalist | Secondary source |
Experimental book profileGenerated by GPT-5.4 nano · may contain inaccuracies
This is an unverified interpretation of the catalog description, offered as an opt-in discovery experiment—not as bibliographic fact.
01 Central figures
None extracted with sufficient confidence.
02 Central places
- Laki90%
03 Suggested argument
No argument inferred with sufficient confidence.
This suggestion did not meet the normal display threshold and is more likely to be wrong.
The Laki eruption’s long-lasting, widespread effects—including deaths, famine, and potential political consequences—demonstrate how a volcanic event can change the world beyond its immediate location.
Model confidence 55%
04 Reading orientation
35 / 100 academicSerious trade
An estimate of intended readership and scholarly apparatus—not quality or importance.
Confidence percentages are the model's own estimates. Profile confidence: 72%.