No Apparent Danger: The True Story of Volcanic Disaster at Galeras and Nevado Del Ruiz Paperback – February 19, 2002

This is a fascinating book that is fast moving yet detailed in the author's analysis of the events that led to, in the one case, the eradication of a town and its inhabitants, and in the other, the deaths and injuries of a team of vulcanologists. And these were avoidable. It is highly recommended to both scientists and to the lay person.In contrast to a book by Stanley Williams who incorrectly claimed to be the sole survivor, this book exposes the truth and shows how slackness and bad planning can cost lives.Victoria Bruce, the author is a qualified geologist. An excellent read!

This volume describes tense situations at two Columbian volcanoes. One ended in a large disaster and the other in nine deaths -- including six scientists and three sightseers. I love books about scientists doing science, and this book falls into that genre. This book convincingly corrects the record with respect to a scientist who has apparently claimed credit for work done others and avoided responsibility for errors that led to the deaths of several scientists. The book could have been better organized -- it wasn't always clear where the author wanted to go with this book. I wish the author would have explained a bit more about volcanoes and the work volcanologists do. But over all, both a good read and educational.

I had watched a documentary about this tragedy a few years ago and was really struck by the amazing stories being related. Although I just couldn't stomach Stanley Williams' story and his lack of safety precautions that were obvious even in the documentary. I had been trying for some time to find this doucmentary but History and Discovery didn't have it. I really wanted to buy it because I wanted to show it to my Geology classes that I teach in High School. So I decided to buy the book. I saw two of them and one was from Stanley Williams. As I read the reviews, I decided that I didn't want to bore myself with his self-absorption and his account that was going to be one-sided at best. As I read more reviews, it became quite apparent that he really relished the attention he was getting for being a survivor and hero and giving twisted details that could be interpreted as outright lies. There was always something so fake about that man that didn't quite sit well with me, and that was just by watching the documentary and knowing nothing else about the story. He reminded of the ugly boy who always wanted attention and just kept making himself appear uglier and uglier to those around him. I kept trying to find this documentary but just gave up and decided to read an account instead, but not from Williams. So I bought this one.After I read "No Apparent Danger", I was convinced that Williams was a phony and a manipulator of details to suit only himself. I cried for those people who died such horrible deaths. My heart went out to the famailies of the people that he convinced to go into a live volcano without proper safety attire and equipment. When are people going to realize that there is no such thing as a safe volcano. I was so angry at this sorry excuse of a man who was nothing more than a coward who should have felt remorse for having mislead the team in believing that this volcano was safe. But instead saw an opportunity to make himself the hero when he was a cowering fool looking out only for himself. He reminded me of Isaac Kline in "Isaac's Storm" and his huberis in making such outlandish remarks about natural events never happening because he thinks he knows it all. So after reading this book, I really grasped what I figured was the real truth and it was told with real interviews with the people who also survived to tell what really happened that fateful day. Stanley Williams is a poor excuse for a scientist and should not insult the profession by calling himself such. He obviously has brain damage that only enhanced his illusions of grandeur. I want to commend this amazing author for telling the truth. I hope that the people that worked hard and got royally shafted by this phony get rightly recognized for being the ones that did the real work and research.I highly recommend this book because it is written extremely well and the geology is most informative. It is such a compelling story that will keep the reader riveted. I will read it again as I read good books over and over.

I am reading now. I bought it because the book's author has a very different perspective on events and actions taken by the team leader in her book

A well written and easily readable account of this natural diaster - difficult ultimate to put down.

The author brought to light the true story of a horrible tragedy that one scientist tried to use as his stepping stone into notoriety within the scientific community of volcanology. The disgust I feel for the conference leader, Stanley Williams, is overwhelming. How could a so called " expert" ignore all of the signs that a volcano is active and in eminent danger of erupting take a group of scientists on a field trip to the caldera and crater of said volcano with no safety plan, safety equipment or evacuation plan. He completely ignored all of the evidence staring him in the face and outright lied to these scientists about the safety of the trip. Then afterwards to claim he was the sole survivor, take credit for another scientist's work that proved the danger involved and made other scientists out to be liars is beyond my comprehension.No Apparent Danger tells the story of two expeditions in which a volcano erupted while workers were within the caldera/crater and the tragic aftermath of the events. It is an extremely interesting and well written book about both events, and the audacity of an "expert" scientist wannabe that caused one of the worst disasters to the volcanic scientific community ever. It was an eye opening book, and I learned a lot from it. I highly recommend it to anyone who has interest in natural events and, in particular volcanos.

Interesting commentary on not only the details of the eruption, but also the Governmental and scientist politics that always get in the way of good decisions at the expense of the people that those entities are supposed to protect. A bit long with a rather weak and abrupt ending.

I just love this book! I read it 3 to 4 times and every time I read it, it gives me the same emotions! A big bravo the the writer!

When a tragedy occurs people want (rightly so) answers. Victoria pulls no punches - she is like a surgeon cutting out a tumour seeking its nasty tendrils every where they can. She tells the true accounts of why people died as a result of volcanic activity and in both cases there is a common theme - ignorance and contempt, coupled with an unwillingness to listen to opposing views. The account of the tragedy of Armero was caused by officials knowing better than the scientists who advised the that an eruption could destroy Armero. They ignored the advice and treated the scientific evidence with contempt, officials considered Nevado del Ruiz as being "Our volcano" and had the opinion that "It won't do what you say it will because it's ours and we know!" The second worst volcanic tragedy of the 20th Century (the first was at Montagne Pelee on Martinique in 1902 in case you were wondering!), occurred as a direct result when 23000 people died trapped in mud and many remain entombed.She explains why she then went for a particular volcanlogist's jugular. At Galeras people died because a scientist - Williams decided his ego was bigger than everything and anything including the volcano. Victoria researched and listened to survivors who told her the truth which Williams distorted by saying he was the sole survivor and how 6 colleagues were killed - he conveniently forgot the other three people! She exposes Williams claim that he did not know that an eruption was impending as a lie, he claimed that the seismic record was clear and that the explosive eruption was totally unexpected which again was proved to be wrong. She also shows that he tried to claim credit for discovering the very seismic signal that he claims he knew nothing about when a Swiss born volcanologist - Bernard Chouet was the one person who had discovered the correlation between the Long Period seismic signal and an eruption - Chouet had developed the equations. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in volcanology and it should be made compulsory reading for all in public office in those countries where volcanoes - active or dormant exist. One fault - it would be useful if references had been given - perhaps. I bought this along with Williams's "Surviving Galeras" - this is the better read. It is a tribute to all the people who died at Armero and Galeras. Thank you, Victoria.

I loved reading this book and couldn,t put it down.I have always had an interest in the subject of volcanology and geology and I felt I was in the crater of Galerus with the scientists so gripping was the tale.As for Stanley Williams,what a shame he tried to take all the long period event study that belonged to Bernard Chouet.A tale of hubris resulting in the deaths of many peopleA wonderful book by Victoria Bruce.if you are interested in the subject,or not,you will find this a fascinating story.