Out of the Blue: A History of Lightning: Science, Superstition, and Amazing Stories of Survival

The odds of being hit by lightning each year are only about 1 in 750,000 in the U.S. And yet this rare phenomenon has inspired both fear and fascination for thousands of years.

Herman Melville called it “God’s burning finger.” The ancient Romans feared it as the wrath of God. Today we have a more scientific understanding, so why our eternal fascination with lightning? Out of the Blue attempts to understand this towering force of nature, exploring the changing perceptions of lightning from the earliest civilizations through Benjamin Franklin’s revolutionary experiments to the hair-raising adventures of storm chasers like David Hoadley, who’s been chronicling extreme weather for half a century.

Combining captivating fact with thrilling personal stories, Out of the Blue tells a remarkable true tale of fate and coincidence, science and superstition. It is a book for sports enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, science and weather buffs, nature lovers, and anyone who has ever been awed or frightened by the sight of lightning.