Highly recommended."
Choice

"A beautifully illustrated history of the ways people in variouscultures have explained the aurora."
Chicago Tribune

Even those who have not had the privilege of seeing auroras know that thereis something magical about them. But few of us understand why or how they occur.What brings the night sky to life with these curtains of light? What makes themdance and swirl? Where do they come from, and what do they mean?

Since ancient times, people have pondered these questions. Could the polarlights be invoked as healing spirits for shamans? Could they rescue souls fromdeath? Were they visions from God - a divine warning that foretold calamity andbloodshed on earth? Throughout the ages, the sheer magnificence and eeriegrandeur of the aurora have evoked both fear and wonder.

As beguiling as the auroral legends are, however, the scientific explanationfor the lights is no less awe-inspiring. In clear, intelligent text accompaniedby dozens of archival illustrations, diagrams, and color photographs, CandaceSavage explores the myth and science behind the aurora. She reveals thesurprisingly common threads in the auroral traditions of distant cultures andfollows the long, colorful and sometimes fractious path that led scientists tothe contemporary theory about the lights.

Savage cuts through the morass of geophysical data and mathematical formulaeto give us a lucid and fascinating account of how the lights happen. The modernexplanation, only serves to increase our sense of awe and mystery about aphenomenon that is our link to vast, uncontrollable, and unseen forces thatshape the universe.

About The Author: 

Candace Savage is the author of numerousinternationally acclaimed books, including Beauty Queens, Cowgirls,Bird Brains and Witch. Her work has been honored by both theAmerican and Canadian Library Associations and the Rachel Carson Institute.