After the Blast

Eric Wagner, who earned a PhD in biology from the University of Washington, writes regularly about animals and the environment. He is author of Penguins in the Desert and coauthor of Once and Future River: Reclaiming the Duwamish. He climbs Mount St. Helens annually.

"This is a superb look at scientists and science at work."(Publishers Weekly) "The book is richly illustrated, supporting Wagner's evocative description of both the site and the procedures of the scientists he followed, a true window into the world of field science."(Choice) "Author Eric Wagner takes a lively, enthusiastic look at the post-eruption landscape."(The Oregonian) "Readers interested in the Pacific Northwest and historical ecology have much to glean from this carefully rendered portrait of an exceptional research community and iconic place."(Oregon Historical Quarterly) "It is a wonderful story that combines ecology, sociology, and anthropology to paint a picture of nature that can give us a feeling of hope."(In Defense of Plants) "Wagner has told an excellent story of nature in response to an extreme event and the resilience of ecosystems. There is a perfect blend of describing core ecological theories, the individuals conducting the research, and the passion many ecologists share for understanding natural systems. The book also has an inherent positivity, showing that life finds a way through the destruction of a volcanic eruption, that it makes for an enjoyable read beyond the ecological details."(Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America) "Like the seeds of lupine, Mount St. Helens is fortunate that such a writer landed on its soil, turning desolation into fertile ground."(Natural History Magazine) "Marvelous... Wagner's book highlights the amazing work done by a cast of characters who were among the first scientists to arrive at the blast site. More urgently, it chronicles nature's resiliency and the power of our ecosystems to restore and reinvent themselves."(Post Alley)