Marcia McNutt, director of the U.S. Geological Survey, introduces this collection of stunning photographic essays drawn from National Geographic publications on one of nature's most spectacular and increasingly-researched phenomena. Following general background information on volcanoes, Prager (a marine scientist in Key Largo, Florida) presents profiles of 20 major active volcanos by continent, from Iceland's recently erupting Eyjafjallajokull to Mt. St. Helen's. The sources are listed. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)