Let’s be philosophical – volcanoes have been changing the world and inspiring authors for a long, long time. Writers, of fiction and non-fiction, have been fascinated by the power of Vesuvius and Krakatoa, and been drawn to volcanic hotspots, like Hawaii and Martinique, for centuries.

Robert Harris wrote an international bestseller set in the shadow of Pompeii, while Matthew Arnold’s famous poem, Empedocles on Etna, tells the story of a Greek philosopher perishing in the flames of Sicily’s infamous Mount Etna. I love the cover of In The Shadow of Death: Martinique and the world’s great disasters by Trumbull White.

Discover more volcanic books such as Wonders of the Volcano by Ascott R Hope.