John Calderazzo and the art of Volcanoes

Hello, my Lovely Readers,

This week I was honored to interview John Calderazzo, a nature writer and science communicator. John was a professor of English at Colorado State University, and while I did attend that school, I was never lucky enough to have him as a professor as he had retired by that point. John currently is a freelance writer, focusing on science communication and coastal living.

By complete accident, I had found John's book, Rising Fire, in a bookstore one day and both the title and the author caught my eye. In cracking it open, I was immediately hooked in the stories John tells about volcanoes all around the world, and how people survive in the shadows of these geological monuments. From Pompeii to Krakatoa, John gives an in-depth history of each volcano, and his journeys to get to the actual volcano and describe what's going on. From various near-death experiences to making friends with the locals, John uses his skills as a story-teller to communicate the science of volcanoes in a new and fascinating way. I couldn't put the book down!

John was more than excited to have me interview him, and we talked for longer than I was expecting. While the main focus of the exclusive interview below is on his book Rising Fire, we also discuss the importance of being a good story-teller and science communicator. John's stories are both entertaining and valuable and have changed the way I see volcanoes. I'd highly recommend reading John's book if you're looking for something easy, fascinating, and adventurous. You can get your own copy here.

And make sure to listen to the fun and interesting interview I had with John below!