After the Blast

"This is a superb look at scientists and science at work."

"Author Eric Wagner takes a lively, enthusiastic look at the post-eruption landscape."

"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."

"Like the seeds of lupine, Mount St. Helens is fortunate that such a writer landed on its soil, turning desolation into fertile ground."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"Thoroughly reported, well structured, and gracefully written—this account of scientists doing fascinating research on the ecology of Mount St. Helens is pretty much perfect."

"After the Blast is the story of the greatest ecological experiment in Northwest history, told with beauty and verve by one of our best biology writers. Eric Wagner gives us a terrific read, equally gripping for its social and natural history. I recommend it in the highest terms."

"Unleashes a pyroclastic flow of wonder and surprise as it tracks the astonishing transformation of Mount. St. Helens's ecosystems. After the Blast is an impassioned ode to the scientific method and the irrepressible resilience of the natural world."